The Republic of Ireland will be looking to bounce back from defeat by England when they face Greece.
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Republic of Ireland vs Greece odds
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Republic of Ireland vs Greece predictions
It was a tough start to life as the Republic of Ireland manager for Heimir Hallgrimsson.
As joint-manager of his native Iceland, Hallgrimsson helped to mastermind a famous 2-1 victory over England at Euro 2016. But there would be no repeat for the 57-year-old at the weekend, as Ireland went down 2-0 to Lee Carsley’s side.
In truth, they could easily have been beaten by a wider margin. England were far superior right across the pitch and it was only their profligacy that prevented them scoring three or four times in Dublin.
Hallgrimsson was honest when he delivered his assessment of his new team after the match. And in fairness to Ireland, they would not ordinarily not be facing a European Championship finalist in League B of the Nations League.
“We were second best by far,” the manager said when asked for his thoughts. “We really wanted to have a good result against England but most of us aren’t happy that we wanted a better performance.
“We talked in the dressing room. Let’s try to look positive on the next two games. This was a negative but we cannot carry it into the game against Greece. They have shown they can play well against Ireland so they have the upper-hand. We need to change that.”
Even before the loss to England, Hallgrimsson had stated his belief that the Greece game was more important.
In a way, that increases the pressure on Ireland to deliver on Tuesday. Another loss here would leave them in a precarious position in the group, especially having played twice at home already.
Relegation to League C, which comprises the likes of Kosovo, the Faroe Islands and Luxembourg, would be a bad outcome for Ireland, so Hallgrimsson will be keen to see some sort of reaction when Greece come to town.
Ireland will be facing a team full of confidence, however, after Greece breezed past Finland in a 3-0 win last time out. Despite being the home team, Ireland are seen as the underdogs for this one by the bookmakers.
Republic of Ireland vs Greece betting tips
The Republic of Ireland will host Greece on matchday two of the Nations League on Tuesday.
Under 1.5 goals -6/4 (Betfred)
Ever since their stunning success at Euro 2004, Greece have been known as a defensive outfit.
There is some truth to the cliche. In Euro 2024 qualification, for instance, they scored only six goals in as many games against opponents other than Gibraltar.
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In fairness to Greece, four of those six encounters came against France and the Netherlands. The other two pitted them against the Republic of Ireland, with Greece winning 2-1 at home and 2-0 away. It is those matches that Hallgrimsson was referencing in the quotes detailed above.
Ireland’s best chance of picking up a result here will be by keeping things tight at the back. They lack attacking creativity, so going on the offensive is not the answer.
As such, goals could be in short supply at the Aviva Stadium.
⚽ Go for under 1.5 goals at 6/4 with Betfred ⚽
0-0 at half-time – 5/4 (Betfred)
Tuesday’s tussle looks like it could be a slow burner. With three points in the bag already, a draw would not be a terrible outcome for Greece.
As for the Republic of Ireland, their belief will have taken a hit against England and they will therefore struggle to get out of the blocks quickly.
Ireland will grow in confidence the longer they can stay level, and Halgrimsson will no doubt encourage his charges to play their way into the contest gradually.
Greece looked good against Finland, but they do struggle to score goals on the road at times. Their most common scoreline in away games since the start of 2022 is 1-0.
If there are to be goals in Dublin, we may have to wait until the second half
⚽ Tip 0-0 at half-time at 6/4 with Betfred ⚽
Sammie Szmodics to score any time – 13/5 (Betfred)
Despite our belief that this will not be a high-scoring affair, it could be worth a small flutter in the anytime scorer market as a way to hedge your bets.
Sammie Szmodics looks like the best option from a Republic of Ireland perspective. An attacking midfielder rather than a striker, Szmodics often found himself in deep parts of the pitch against England.
He will have a better chance of getting forward in this match, with Greece unlikely to dominate possession to the same extent as England.
Szmodics only made his Ireland debut earlier this year after scoring 33 goals for Blackburn Rovers last season.
He is still awaiting his first goal and, needless to say, he would love to open his account against Greece.
⚽ Choose Sammie Szmodics to score any time at 13/5 with Betfred ⚽
📺 How to watch Republic of Ireland vs Greece
- Location: Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
- Date and time: Tuesday 10th September, 7.45pm.
- How to watch: Viaplay.
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About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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