Bulgaria 1-2 Republic of Ireland

Current streaks

Recent form

Bulgaria

Bulgaria's recent form has been a mixed bag, with their last six matches yielding two wins, three draws, and one loss in the UEFA Nations League. The team have shown defensive resilience, keeping four clean sheets in this period, but their attacking output has been limited, scoring only three goals across these six games. A particularly notable result was the heavy 5-0 defeat against Northern Ireland, which stands out as an anomaly in an otherwise defensively solid run. Bulgaria have demonstrated a tendency for low-scoring affairs, with 83% of their recent matches featuring under 2.5 goals. Their ability to grind out results is evident in the fact that both teams scored in only 17% of these games. Despite the lack of goalscoring prowess, Bulgaria have managed to remain competitive, with their most recent outing ending in a 1-1 draw against Belarus.

Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland's recent form has been inconsistent, with their last six matches yielding two wins and four losses. Their defensive record is particularly concerning, having conceded 12 goals in these six games, with an average of 2 goals conceded per match. The team's most recent outing resulted in a heavy 5-0 defeat to England in the UEFA Nations League, which stands out as their highest-scoring game and largest margin of defeat in this period. Ireland have struggled to find the back of the net, scoring only 3 goals in their last 6 matches, averaging a mere 0.5 goals per game. Despite these challenges, they managed to keep one clean sheet in their 1-0 victory over Finland. Interestingly, 67% of their recent matches have seen under 2.5 goals, suggesting a tendency towards lower-scoring affairs, with the exception of the England game.

Recent home/away form

Bulgaria

Bulgaria have shown a solid defensive record in their recent home fixtures, conceding just one goal in their last three matches. The team have managed to keep two clean sheets during this period, demonstrating their resilience at the back. However, their offensive output has been somewhat limited, with only two goals scored across these games. All three of their recent home matches have been low-scoring affairs, with each game featuring under 2.5 goals. Bulgaria's unbeaten run at home is noteworthy, as they have avoided defeat in their last three matches, securing one win and two draws. The victory against Northern Ireland stands out as a positive result, while the team's ability to hold both Belarus and Luxembourg to goalless draws further emphasises their defensive prowess on home soil.

Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland have been struggling with their away form recently, enduring a challenging run of three losses in their last four matches on foreign soil. Their defence has been particularly vulnerable, conceding a concerning 11 goals in just four games, with an average of 2.75 goals conceded per match. The team's most recent outing resulted in a heavy 5-0 defeat against England in the UEFA Nations League, marking their highest-scoring game and largest margin of defeat in this sequence. Despite a brief glimmer of hope with a 2-1 victory against Finland, Ireland have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of these away fixtures. The high frequency of over 2.5 goals (75% of matches) suggests that their games have been eventful, albeit often not in Ireland's favour. With only two goals scored across these four matches, improving their attacking prowess on the road appears to be a pressing concern for the Irish side.