Northern Ireland vs Guinea - prediction, team news, lineups

Both looking to the aboriginal aft failing to suffice for the World Cup, Northern Ireland and Guinea volition conscionable for an planetary affable connected Thursday evening.

Playing for the archetypal clip since March, the teams volition convene astatine Estadio Ciudad de La Linea successful Cadiz.

Match preview

Northern Ireland's World Cup imagination yet ended with a playoff semi-final decision to Italy, arsenic they missed retired connected gathering Bosnia by losing 2-0 successful Bergamo.

Despite failing to scope their archetypal planetary finals for 40 years, manager Michael O'Neill was inactive speedy to praise his young squad, who gained much invaluable experience.

Indeed, 10 of Northern Ireland's past 12 goals person been scored by players aged 21 oregon younger, portion the mean property of their starting XI against Italy was conscionable implicit 22.

Questions were asked astir O'Neill's dual relation arsenic nationalist manager and Blackburn Rovers boss, but helium has present reverted to focusing afloat connected planetary football, having signed a caller hold to his contract.

Following their playoff exit, Northern Ireland were obliged to conscionable chap losers Wales for a friendly, which ended 1-1, and they present person 2 much games earlier starting a caller UEFA Nations League run successful September. 

Hungary, Georgia and Ukraine each await successful a tough-looking Group F, but O'Neill's squad volition archetypal look Guinea and World Cup-bound France.

Guinea are taking a likewise youth-first attack to the adjacent future, arsenic they hole to footwear disconnected their qualifying run for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Portuguese manager Paulo Duarte has signalled his purpose to rebuild by integrating younger players, mounting an ambitious people of reaching the adjacent AFCON semi-finals.

Since taking complaint past August, Duarte has overseen 7 matches, signaling 2 wins, 4 draws and conscionable 1 decision truthful far.

However, his squad finished a distant 4th successful CAF World Cup qualifying Group G, trailing successful 10 points down first-placed Algeria.

World ranked 81st by FIFA - 11 spots beneath Northern Ireland - the Elephants person lone mislaid 1 of their past 9 fixtures; that was their astir caller outing, a 1-0 affable decision to Benin.

Northern Ireland signifier (all competitions):

W L L W L D

Guinea signifier (all competitions):

L W D W D L

Team News

Northern Ireland are missing respective regulars for their post-season camp, arsenic Conor Bradley, Dan Ballard, Paddy McNair, Eoin Toal, George Saville and Brad Lyons are each unavailable.

More positively, Swansea City midfielder Ethan Galbraith has been called up aft recovering from a calf wounded that had kept him sidelined since the Wales crippled successful March.

O'Neill has besides selected uncapped teenagers Braiden Graham, Kieran Morrison and Ceadach O'Neill successful a 23-man squad.

Jamie Donley could pb Northern Ireland's attack, having scored successful 2 of his past 3 planetary appearances, but Guinea cannot crook to prima antheral Serhou Guirassy.

The Borussia Dortmund striker notched 22 goals for his nine successful the play conscionable finished - and has scored 11 times successful 28 games for the Elephants - but helium has been rested this month.

Duarte has besides seen Kaba Sory, Aliou Balde and Aboubacar Camara forced to retreat owed to injury, but Balde was past replaced by Gassimou Sylla of Anderlecht. 

Still taking portion successful Spain's Segunda Division promotion playoffs, Ousmane Camara has stayed connected nine work with Castellon.

Northern Ireland imaginable starting lineup:

P. Charles; Hume, Brown, McConville; Devenny, Galbraith, McCann, S. Charles, Spencer; Price, Donley

Guinea imaginable starting lineup:

So. Sylla; Fofana, Konate, Soumah, Se. Sylla; S. Cisse, Haidara; Camara, M. Sylla, Barry; G. Sylla

We say: Northern Ireland 1-0 Guinea 

Though some squads volition beryllium missing cardinal players for this contest, Northern Ireland are overmuch further on successful their rebuild.

Two teams trying to summation much acquisition could play retired a low-scoring friendly, arsenic neither broadside is peculiarly prolific. 

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.