25 September 2026
By Roger Kennedy
Roger@TheCork.ie
Soccer
On September 27, the Boys in Green will face Israel in Nations League matchday 2. 1xBet.ie takes a look at the opposition and our team’s chances of winning. The brand also offers a surprise for new users: with the promo code GOGREEN26, every player will receive €48 for at least a €10 bet during registration.
Ireland need a win after a poor start
The absence of two key defenders, Nathan Collins and Séamus Coleman, significantly affected the reliability of Ireland’s defence in the match against Kosovo. Ireland had to work hard in the first half to avoid conceding. First, Jayson Molumby cleared the ball off the goal line, then Dara O’Shea blocked a dangerous shot, and finally Caoimhín Kelleher produced a brilliant save to keep out Vedat Muriqi’s header.
At the start of the second half, Troy Parrott had a chance to put Ireland ahead but shot straight at the goalkeeper. Kosovo then began creating dangerous opportunities again, and in the 83rd minute, Muriqi scored the winner.
A lot did not go right for Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side: they lacked defensive compactness and speed, struggled during transitions into attack, and created few chances, managing just one shot on target. Ahead of the clash with Israel, the Boys in Green need to learn from their mistakes and analyse their opponents’ key strengths.
What to expect from Israel
Ran Ben Shimon’s side lost 3-1 to Austria but came close to pulling off a surprise result. After going down to ten men in the 56th minute with the score at 1-1, Israel managed to keep Austria at bay for a long time. Daniel Peretz was confident in goal and made six saves. Ireland’s players will need to do their best to find a way past the Southampton shot-stopper.
Israel’s attack also deserves close attention. The team likes to create dangerous chances and knows how: they scored 19 goals in eight World Cup qualifying matches, including four in a single game against Italy. The main threat comes from West Ham United left winger Manor Solomon, who possesses excellent pace and is strong in one-on-one situations. The Boys in Green will need to deny him space on the flank and prevent him from cutting inside to shoot. Ireland must also keep a close eye on the attacking runs of Ajax midfielder Oscar Gloukh and Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Dor Peretz.
Head-to-head record
Their previous two matches took place in 2005, during World Cup qualifying. In the first game, played in Israel, Ireland took the lead as early as the fourth minute. Damien Duff delivered a cross from the left, and Clinton Morrison fired the ball into the net. The Boys in Green came close to securing a victory but conceded an equaliser in the final minute of regulation time.
Less than three months later, Ireland made a flying start at Lansdowne Road, scoring twice by the 11th minute. First, Ian Harte found the top corner with one of his trademark free kicks. Then Andy Reid produced a perfect pass from near the halfway line into the Israeli penalty area, allowing Robbie Keane, the all-time leading scorer for the national team, to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a first-time finish. However, Ireland could not hold on to their advantage. Israel scored twice before half-time to make it 2-2, which remained the final score.
Favourite
According to 1xBet.ie experts, the odds for Ireland to win are 73/50. Israel are estimated at 83/40, while the draw is 117.50.
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