We all know by now that Ireland and Denmark are no strangers to one another on the football pitch. They’ve had more meetings than Nicklas Bendtner has made a mare of himself on a night out in front of the paparazzi.
The two teams take on each other once again on Monday night, and it’s all left to play for, and could end up being the decisive match of Group D. If Mick McCarthy can rally the troops the Irish fans could have a Euro trip to remember on the cards.
It’s tight at the top of Group D
When the names came out of the hat, every Ireland fan knew facing the likes of Denmark and Switzerland wasn’t an impossible feat, but was definitely going to be an uphill struggle. Both sides qualified for the knockout stages of the 2018 World Cup and topped their respective groups in the inaugural UEFA Nations League.
Still, here we are sitting pretty at the top of the group for the Euro Qualifiers with a chance to seal the deal on Monday night, although it’s looking mighty tight. With Ireland currently locked on 12 points with Denmark, and Switzerland just behind on 11 it’s anyone’s guess who will make it through.
It’s unlikely that the Danes and the Swiss will fail to take any points this international break, with both teams having two games left to play to Ireland’s one. That leaves Ireland needing to win their game against Denmark to stand any chance of going through automatically. Both of Ireland’s challengers will face minnows Gibraltar who consistently take a beating, while Switzerland will also host Georgia.
That’s left the odds of Ireland topping Group D at around the 33/1, which for once, makes Ireland a solid outside bet. To claim a deposit bonus ahead of a bet on Ireland with a brand new betting site of your choosing, make sure to consult a betting expert beforehand. According to BetBlazers you should always look out for key factors such as wagering requirements, as well as the betting features that would suit you best when choosing a betting site.
Not too late for second chances
Even if Ireland do manage to beat Denmark on Monday night and the other results go against them, they still could qualify via a playoff place.
It all depends on how the final standings of the other Euro 2020 qualifying groups pan out in relation. Ireland will need a few countries who finished above them in the Nations League last year to qualify directly to the Euros, but at present it’s all up in the air.
When all the results have come in and if you’re still finding it too difficult to work out, you can actually input all of the results into UEFA’s play-off simulator and it will reveal the exact permutations of who be given a second chance through a play off place.
Not too shabby for McCarthy
It might be too far to say that The Boys in Green are enjoying a renaissance under Mick McCarthy, but results have certainly improved when you cast your eyes back to the start of last year.
Ireland endured a miserable UEFA Nations League run, finishing rock bottom of their group, but have since picked it up under the most recent campaign. Having lost only one fixture in this term’s qualifying, coming in their most recent match up against Switzerland, a spate of positive results leaves Ireland looking forward rather than wallowing in the mire.
The burning question that needs answering is: will Ireland make it through after the first hurdle, be gifted a second chance, or simply leave empty-handed when all is said and done. Only time will tell.
Adam Grimshaw
@adamgeorgie
