Finland vs Ireland Prediction, H2H Stats & Statistical Bets 13 November 2026

Finland drew 4-4 with Kosovo in their last qualifying match. Despite having 59% possession, Finland took half as many shots - 9 to 18 - but scored just as many goals.

Finland scored 34 goals in their ten qualifying matches - only Spain scored more in the group. Mika Lehkosuo’s side beat Spain at home (2-1), the group leaders’ only defeat in qualifying. Finland conceded seven goals, more than half of them in their final match, away to Kosovo. But even there, the Finns did not give up: they came from behind four times to earn a draw. The coach has no plans to change his approach ahead of the play-offs. “We’ll face Ireland with the same mindset as before: all-out attack,” Lehkosuo said. He respects their opponents, though: England were unlikely to have wanted to lose to their neighbours, “and that alone says a lot about Ireland’s attacking strength”.

In the latest qualifying round,  Ireland beat England 3-1 despite a stark contrast in the stats: 27% possession and eight shots to their opponents’ 21. Four of Ireland’s shots were on target, and three of those resulted in goals.

After a home draw with Moldova in March, Jim Crawford’s side won four consecutive qualifying matches to reach the play-offs. The key figure in that run was Waterford striker Lonergan. The forward scored his first goal for the U21 national side in September. He scored in each of the last three qualifying matches, netting four goals in total. The visitors are weaker defensively: they conceded 14 goals, twice as many as Finland U21. Even Kazakhstan scored three times in Cork, and only a late penalty gave Ireland U21 the win.