Rep. Of Ireland vs Israel — Tips & Analysis

Rep. Of Ireland -0.25: Ireland have already taken this Israel side apart, winning the first meeting 3-0 on 27 September. Troy Parrott is up to 7 goals in 5 competitive games and Israel have no answer to that kind of form. Israel are the weakest team in this group. They have lost 9 of their last 16 games and let in more than 2 goals a game. They have been beaten by 2 or more goals 7 times in those 16. They are down to a backup goalkeeper too, with Daniel Peretz out with a groin problem. This is not a home game for Ireland. The game has been moved to Backa Topola in Serbia and is played behind closed doors, so there is no crowd and no ground advantage for either side. Ireland are the better team all the same. They have lost by 2 or more goals only once in their last 14 games, and they know how to grind a result out. A 2-1 for Ireland is the likeliest finish, and that does the job. Patience is the risk. Israel kept Kosovo out for the full 90 minutes on Thursday, their only clean sheet of this run, so they can sit deep and frustrate. Ireland score under 2 goals a game, so the breakthrough may take time. We still want Ireland here.