Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland predictions: Share of the spoils on the cards in Plovdiv
- Bulgaria have drawn four matches in a row
- Northern Ireland have failed to beat Bulgaria in the last five meetings
- Recommended bet: Draw
Northern Ireland will be looking to build from their opening Nations League Group C3 victory when they head to Hristo Botev Stadium, Plovdiv to face Bulgaria on Sunday.
Michael O'Neill's side overcame Luxembourg 2-0 at Windsor Park on Thursday to move top of the standings, with Bulgaria drawing 0-0 against Belarus at the ZTE Arena in Hungary.
Team news
Josh Magennis was brought on at the break for Dion Charles in Northern Ireland's win over Luxembourg and the Exeter forward is pushing for a starting opportunity.
Bulgaria will be forced into at least one change following Filip Krastev's red card last time out, with 33-year-old Slavia Sofia midfielder Ivan Minchev in line to replace him.
The stats
Bulgaria are on a seven-game unbeaten streak heading into this contest although six of those matches have ended in a draws, including the last four.
The Lions' last fixture at Hristo Botev Stadium ended in a 1-0 defeat to Iran in September 2023.
Ilian Iliev's troops have failed to score in two of their last three outings and have not scored more than once in any of their last five matches.
Northern Ireland have won their last two matches 2-0, beating Andorra and Luxembourg, while a 5-1 defeat to Spain is their only loss in their last six games.
The Green and White Army have won just two of their last 11 away assignments.
Prediction
Northern Ireland's youthful squad are still a work in progress under head coach O'Neill and while he will have been pleased to kick off the Nations League campaign with a win, a 2-0 victory over Luxembourg was not the most eye-catching result.
A trip to Plovdiv presents a much sterner challenge for Norn Iron, who have won just two of their last 11 away fixtures and tend to lack a cutting edge on their travels.
Bulgaria are not the most free-flowing side and have failed to score in two of their last three outings, but they are also a tough nut to crack and have drawn four matches in a row.
The Lions have shared the spoils in six of their last seven games, holding Hungary, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Slovenia and Belarus and there is every chance another draw will be recorded on Sunday.
A draw would not be the worst result for either side, as they would both remain unbeaten and a tight, gritty encounter is expected in Bulgaria.
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