Ireland vs. Greece Betting Tips: Ferguson to net in EURO 2024 qualifier
Friday the 13th could see Ireland slip into a three-game losing skid or help shrink the gap between themselves and Greece to three points in Group B when Gus Poyet's side visit the Aviva Stadium for the latest EURO 2024 qualifier.
June's 3-0 victory over Gibraltar is the one time The Boys in Green have avoided defeat in an inanimate 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign. Destiny might be out of their hands, however, until mathematically impossible, Stephen Kenny's men will continue to fight to book their place at next summer's finals.
Greece, who've played a game more but sit level on points with the Netherlands and possess a stronger goal difference, can ensure that Ireland are unable to surpass them by avoiding defeat on Friday. They'll be eyeing up all three points, however, knowing that a second win over the Irish cranks the heat up on the team above them who simultaneously host leaders France at 7:45pm.
Ireland vs Greece Tips
Nothing less than a win will suffice for Stephen Kenny's side. They have to go for broke on Friday night if they are to keep their EURO 2024 dreams alive, and that's exactly what we anticipate they will do.
That being said, we don't see it being enough. Greece tested their mettle in Athens four months ago and found the visitors to be lacking. Nathan Collins' equaliser was relinquished early into the second half and the Irish never found a response.
This time, they do hold home advantage, and can take hope from it being a ground which has yielded goals for them. March's narrow 1-0 defeat to the French is the only time they've failed to score at the Aviva Stadium in any of their last eight outings there.
Greece won't come to settle for a draw, but knowing that avoiding defeat could put them a point above the Netherlands if favourites France do the business on Friday night, means Gus Poyet is likely to have instilled a siege mentality into his players ahead of this encounter.
In hotshot Evan Ferguson, Ireland have a real generational talent on their hands. The Brighton striker returns to international action following some injury woes, and Stephen Kenny is likely to be pinning his hopes on the 18-year-old producing a magical moment to sustain their chances of EURO 2024 qualification.
Ferguson has four Premier League goals from eight games this campaign, becoming only the fourth player in the division's history to score a hat-trick aged 18 or younger. As well as his treble delight, he's made six appearances in the Ireland green and is averaging a goal every three games, having netted in a friendly with Latvia and in the solitary win over Gibraltar.
He is the shortest priced player in the anytime goalscorer market, but there's good reason for that. Stephen Kenny will reshuffle the previous XI we saw from Ireland to best accommodate Ferguson, whose instincts inside the 18-yard box are like nothing we've seen from an English top-flight talent since Michael Owen's emergence at Liverpool in 1997.
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