After back-to-back wins in the group for England, they will look to kick on and end the first phase of the tournament with a perfect record.
Their opponents, Northern Ireland, are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and with 0 points in the group stage, they look to have a tough task on their hands against the high-flying lionesses.
With England likely to top Group A and Northern Ireland seeking some form of consolation from the final group game, we preview the action below.
England brimming with confidence
England couldn’t have hoped to come into this game in better form. Sarina Wiegman’s side will head to St Mary’s Stadium off the back of an 8-0 win against Norway, the seventh-ranked side in the tournament, and with England having won both games in the group and Northern Ireland sitting rock bottom, the Lionesses are virtual certainties at 1/25 to win on Friday.
England dismantled Norway with ease and their mercurial attacking play saw them go into half time with a 6-0 lead. With Northern Ireland having a significantly weaker team than Norway, you would expect goals in this game and you can find odds of 6/4 on there to be over 4.5 goals in the match. With England bagging six in the first half last time out, odds of 12/1 on there being over 4.5 goals in the first half look tempting.
Arsenal’s Beth Mead was the star of the show as she bagged a hat trick from the right. She was one of the best players in the WSL last season and with that form carrying into this summer’s tournament, she is 4/6 to continue her goalscoring form and bag a goal at any time against Northern Ireland.
Ellen White proved doubters wrong against Norway, finding the back of the net twice. She will be keen to continue that fine form, and should England play as they did against Norway, expect her to be among the goals at 8/15 to score at anytime. The Manchester City striker will be keen to go one better than she did against Norway and is 10/1 to score a hat-trick at St Mary’s on Friday night.
Northern Ireland with little to look forward to
Northern Ireland came into Euro 2022 as the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and are yet to cause an upset as they sit bottom of Group A with zero points, having conceded six goals and scored just one.
They will face their toughest challenge yet against England on Friday and at 55/1 to win, they will need a miracle to get anything out of this game. England’s superiority means that even a draw looks unlikely at 12/1.
Northern Ireland have struggled to get their foot on the ball averaging just 40% possession and managing only four shots on target in their two group games.
Central defender Julie Nelson was the source of her side’s only goal of the tournament so far and Northern Ireland’s attackers will be hoping to change that. With hopes of a consolation goal against England, their best chance lies with Liverpool midfielder Rachel Furness, who is 6/1 to score for her side at any time against the Lionesses.
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