Monday, September 5, 2011

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06.09. (Tue) 20:30 Estonia - Northern Ireland

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ESTONIA
Estonia
Pareiko
Jaager, Piroja, Rahn, Teniste
Vunk, Dmitrijev, Klavan, Vassiljev, Kruglov
Zenjov


NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland
Camp
Baird, Hughes, Cathcart, McGivern
McGinn, Davis, McCann, Brunt
Healy, Feeney

Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington has conceded that his squad is "down to the very bare bones", ahead of the crunch away fixture against Estonia.

Paddy McCourt and Kyle Lafferty are out with calf injuries, while the Evans brothers, Jonny and Corry, are both suspended for this fixture. Sammy Clingan has joined the squad for the away fixture, but he remains a doubt since he needs to recover from an illness and be fit in time for Tuesday's clash.

Worthington has called up youngsters Andrew Little and Josh Carson to bolster his squad ahead of the all-important clash in Tallinn.

DID YOU KNOW?

Estonia were on a run of five games - including friendlies - without a win prior to their 2-1 victory over Slovenia, which leaves them sitting in four place, albeit having played a game more than Northern Ireland.

The team's strikers – Jarmo Ahjupera, Tarmo Kinkm, Kaimar Saag and Sergei Zenjov – boast 117 international caps between them but have scored only 10 goals in total.

Northern Ireland are struggling in their qualifying group, having amassed nine points from seven games so far, but are just two points away from second-placed Slovenia.

Warren Feeney scored the only goal of the game when these two sides met in a World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park prior to the last edition of the tournament.

With the exception of top placed Italy, Worthington's men have conceded the least number of goals (four) in the group.

But at the same time, they have scored only seven goals through the course of the qualifying campaign. Only bottom placed Faroe Islands have hit the back of the net fewer times in Group C.


Prediction
Worthington has a tough task on his hands with his side having their backs to the wall in terms of qualifying for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, but the visiting side should nick this one by a narrow margin.
Editor's Prediction
Estonia 0-1 N. Ireland