Israel vs Ireland Prediction 27 September 2026
🔊 It is only matchday 2 and both sides are already in a position where another slip-up will make life considerably harder. Israel began their Nations League campaign with a defeat to Austria (1-3), while Ireland lost to Kosovo (0-1). Both teams have zero points, with the group leaders already pulling clear.
Israel's nominally home match will be played in Debrecen, so there will be no familiar home advantage, though motivation is not in short supply on either side. Israel fell apart only in the closing stages of their match in Linz, and that was after going down to ten men; Ireland, meanwhile, created almost nothing going forward in Pristina. For one of these teams, matchday 2 will be a chance to recover quickly; for the other, it risks being the start of two consecutive defeats to open the tournament.
Two previous encounters, both ending without a winner
📊 The two sides have met just twice, both times in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Neither match produced a winner - both ended in draws. The games were not short of goals, though, with six scored across the two meetings. That said, more than 20 years have passed since then, so we will not be placing much weight on those head-to-head results.
Head-to-head statistics Israel - Ireland
Israel: Red card proves costly as they leave Linz empty-handed
Against Austria, Israel fell behind before the break but equalised after half-time and had a chance to take something from the game. Almost immediately, though, Sayd Abu Farhi picked up a second yellow card, leaving his side with ten men. Even then, Israel held on until the 90th minute before conceding two decisive goals in the closing stages.
The scoreline looks worse than the actual course of the match. Before the red card, Israel were competing with the favourites and found the net again. The team have now scored in four of their last five matches, having also got on the scoresheet against Georgia and Albania in the spring. So after the defeat in Linz, there is probably little reason for Ran Ben Shimon to shift sharply towards a cautious approach.
Match Results: Israel
Ireland: Spring Series Wraps Up in Pristina
Ireland arrived at matchday one on the back of four matches without a defeat. In the spring they drew with North Macedonia and Canada, with wins over Grenada and Qatar in between. Across that run they conceded just one goal and looked well organised ahead of the Nations League opener.
But in Kosovo the attack disappeared entirely. Ireland managed only one shot on target, finished the match without a single corner, and conceded the decisive goal on 83 minutes. Heimir Hallgrímsson now needs to find a balance between his usual caution and the need to push forward more. A second consecutive defeat would leave the team at the bottom of the group.
Match Results: Ireland
Latest news
Israel
❌ Sayd Abu Farhi will miss the match through suspension. Stav Lemkin and Or Blorian are also absent, both carrying injuries into the current camp.
Ireland
🚑 Captain Nathan Collins is missing the entire international window through injury. Jamie McGrath and Harvey Vale also dropped out of the squad before the camp, after which the manager called up Killian Phillips as a replacement.
Predicted Lineups
📋 Predicted starting XI for Israel: Peretz - Dasa, Nachmias, Shlomo, Revivo - Peretz, Peretz - Khalaili, Gloukh, Solomon - Turgeman.
📋 Predicted starting XI for Republic of Ireland: Kelleher - O'Brien, Abankwah, Egan, O'Shea, Manning - Molumby, Knight - Azaz, Ogbene - Parrott.
⚽ Goals Prediction
Israel have scored in 4 of their last 5 matches. Their defence also rarely manages a clean 90 minutes: the team conceded three in Linz and two before that against Georgia. That makes for a convenient combination for goals at both ends - Israel create chances going forward but leave space at the back.
Ireland had a poor first round, though in the spring they scored in three consecutive matches against Grenada, Qatar and Canada. After the 0-1 defeat in Kosovo, another match without a goal would be a serious problem, so in the second round the visitors will need to take more risks. Our pick: Both Teams to Score - Yes at 1.75*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Over their last 10 matches, Israel have taken 48 corners and Ireland 35, giving a combined average of 8.3 corners per match. The first round was a quiet one. The hosts earned just two corners, while the visitors did not take a single one, as they rarely sustained prolonged attacking moves. Our prediction: Total Corners - Under 9.5 at 1.60*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Over their last 10 matches, Ireland have received 32 yellow cards and Israel 12. The visitors go into challenges more often and foul more frequently. The opening matches were slightly out of the ordinary due to Abu Fani's red card: the hosts collected three bookings and the visitors two. However, one match does not cancel out a longer trend, so we are taking Ireland to receive more yellow cards - Handicap (0) at 1.73*.
🚀 Player Statistics Bet
Dor Turgeman has an excellent chance of starting from the first minute. Abu Fani is suspended, so the young forward will almost certainly come in for him. He has been in good form during the club season - 7 goals and 5 assists in 25 MLS matches. Although Ireland usually defend with a large group, Israel should deliver the ball into the box more often, and Turgeman is one of the main targets for those deliveries. Our pick: Dor Turgeman to Score at 3.40*.
😱 Risky Bet
Israel lost the first round, but even against Austria they equalised and stayed in the game until the red card. The level of opposition is now lower, and the need to take three points is considerably greater. Ben-Shimon's side should get more attacking opportunities.
Ireland looked passive in Pristina and offered almost nothing after conceding. If a similar problem repeats itself in Debrecen, one good moment from the hosts could be enough for a win. Our pick: Israel to Win at 3.05*.
🎯 Reliable Bet
Israel were not impressive in terms of chances created in Austria, but they still found a goal there. The opposition now looks noticeably more manageable. Ireland barely threatened on goal in their opening match and spent most of it defending. Although the neutral venue reduces Israel's advantage somewhat, they have the better chance of picking up points in the upcoming match. Our pick: Israel Not to Lose at 1.58*.
👀 If the Match Goes Off Script
The main scenario assumes Israel will be the more active side, but their defence is not without errors. The team concede regularly. Ireland have Parrott in their squad, who has scored the last six goals for the national team in official matches. One early breakaway or set piece could change the match completely, and then it would be Israel who have to break down a compact visiting defence. Our pick: Ireland to Score First at 2.45*.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
Both sides go into matchday 2 with nothing on the board, so another cautious match serves neither of them well. Israel showed in Linz that they can score even when chances are limited. Ireland had a poor start in attack, but before that they were regularly finding the net throughout the spring and now have to play with more ambition.
The head-to-head history adds to the picture: both previous meetings ended with goals on both sides. The teams have changed completely over the past 20 years, but the current situation again points towards a similar scenario. Predicted score: 2-1. Main bet: Both Teams to Score - Yes.
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Betting Tips: Israel - Ireland
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