MY ACCOUNT
Republic of Ireland and Ukraine will both be looking to bounce back from disappointing results when they meet in the Nations League at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
The hosts began their campaign with a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Armenia in sweltering conditions on Saturday, while Ukraine fell at the final hurdle in their quest to qualify for the World Cup, losing agonisingly to Wales in their play-off final the following day.
That failure to qualify for Qatar will have hurt the visitors and it will be interesting to see if Oleksandr Petrakov’s side can lift themselves just 72 hours on from their defeat in Cardiff.
Ireland will be hoping to capitalise if the away side are off their game, as the Boys in Green will want to protect what has been an impressive home record over the last 12 months.
Team news
The defeat in Armenia will have certainly taken a lot out of Stephen Kenny’s men and the 50-year-old boss is expected to ring the changes as a result.
Forwards Will Keane and Michael Obafemi both came on as substitutes in Yerevan and they are now pushing for starts, as is experienced winger James McClean.
One enforced change is definitely necessary as captain Seamus Coleman has been ruled out due to injury, with Dara O’Shea or Cyrus Christie hoping to get the nod.
There are also expected to be plenty of changes within Ukraine’s ranks, especially as this will be their third of five matches over this international break.
Midfielders Serhiy Sydorchuk and Mykola Shaparenko, left-back Eduard Sobol and forward Artem Dovbyk are among the players expected to come in, as is winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, who impressed from the bench against both Wales and Scotland.
The stats
Ireland’s defeat in Armenia was no doubt disappointing, but it has to be put into context, as it was only their second loss across their previous 13 matches.
Things have certainly been moving in the right direction for Kenny’s side and they will be hoping to protect a six-match unbeaten run at home when Ukraine head to Dublin, a sequence that includes eye-catching draws with Portugal, Belgium and Serbia.
Ukraine’s form has also been impressive as Sunday’s defeat to Wales was their first in eight matches since losing to England during the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 last summer.
That run includes away victories in Scotland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland, although this will be Ukraine’s first visit to Ireland, with the two teams having never previously met in a competitive match.
Predictions
This is likely to be a game of fine margins, with six of Ireland’s previous nine home matches having ended all-square, while two of the other three were only settled by a one-goal margin.
Ukraine’s defeat in Wales was their first on the road since the Euros, although they can be a little unpredictable on their travels, as last year’s draw away in Kazakhstan would suggest.
Given both sides are likely to make changes following damaging defeats at the weekend, it would appear sensible to sit on the fence and go with the draw.
Under 2.5 goals in the match is also worth looking out for as that has happened in nine of Ireland’s last 11 home games, while Ukraine certainly lacked a ruthless streak in their defeat in Wales.
