Everybody can be optimistic at the start. All the teams are level on points and if you can’t dream about the possibility of living your best sporting life then maybe sport is not for you.
The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland teams get their qualification campaigns for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar underway tonight.
Northern Ireland, led by former Sligo Rovers manager Ian Barraclough head to Parma for a first clash with Italy in over a decade. Italy have won their last three games and are favourites to progress from a group that also contains Switzerland.
The Republic of Ireland meanwhile bid to end a goalless streak that has now stretched to 660 minutes of action.
Injuries have hit the team which will have an unfamiliar look for manager Stephen Kenny for the trip to face Serbia in Belgrade.
We conducted a snap poll of our Twitter followers last night whish revealed a sense of positivity with almost 70 per cent of those who responded saying they were excited or hopeful.
The game will be televised live on RTÉ2 and Sky Sports tonight with kick-off at 7-45 our time, one hour later local in Belgrade.
We have drawn on both previous games played in Belgrade, 0-0 in 2012 friendly and 2-2 in the World Cup Qualifiers for Russia 2018. We also drew our first meeting with them, at Croke Park in 2008 and have lost twice at the Aviva Stadium, by 2-1 and 1-0.
Paddy Power rate Callum Robinson and James collins are most likely goalscorers at 4/1 to hit the net at any time. Five Serbian players are rated more than twice as likely to score at some point in the game.
“I want to get positive results and put in a really strong performance in Serbia,” said manager Stephen Kenny yesterday.
“Serbia are an extremely talented team. We’ve seen that in some of their games. Obviously, they beat Russia 5-0 and they played well. It’s our ambition to win the game, like any other game, we’re not setting the team up in defensive mode.”
“Look, overall, the team lacks experience in key positions but there is a lot of talent within the group and I’m hoping that we can create a performance to get the result that we need.”
A nation of fans locked down and looking for something to lift their spirits is hoping for the same.
Sport for Business Partners
