Northern Ireland will aim to get back to winning ways on when they play visitors Iceland on Tuesday at Windsor Park in an international friendly.

The Green and White Army lost 2-1 against Denmark on Friday despite taking the lead, while Iceland will head to the stadium confident following their 3-1 victory against Scotland on June 6.

Match preview

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s sixth-minute own goal gave Northern Ireland the lead, but they can have no complaints with the defeat considering they failed to produce a single shot on target, registering just two attempts.

The hosts' defeat against Denmark was the fourth consecutive match that they did not keep their opponents at bay in, conceding 10 goals in that period.

Northern Ireland have only netted one goal in each of their past three outings, but they did score nine in their prior three.

Head coach Michael O'Neill has not guided his nation to victory in four games, with his side losing their last two.

The hosts have been excellent at Windsor Park given they have avoided defeat in six home fixtures, winning on five occasions.

Meanwhile, Iceland only created one big chance and generated three shots on target against Scotland while also facing three big chances.

Boss Arnar Gunnlaugsson’s side have conceded two or more goals in six of their eight most recent games.

Iceland have triumphed in their past two clashes against Northern Ireland, winning four of their six matches against their hosts, losing twice.

Though the visitors managed to beat Scotland, they lost their prior three games by a cumulative score of 9-3.

Strakarnir okkar have lost four of their past six outings away from home – winning twice – and prevailed 3-0 in 2009 when they last visited Windsor Park.

Northern Ireland form (all competitions):

Iceland form (all competitions):

Team News

Northern Ireland started Conor Bradley and Justin Devenny as wing-backs against Denmark, and the pair could flank centre-backs Ruairi McConville, Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume on Tuesday.

Alistair McCann and Shea Charles are candidates to play ahead of their team’s five-man defence in a double pivot.

In attack, Dion Charles will likely play as his side’s lone centre-forward, while Ethan Galbraith and Isaac Price may play in slightly withdrawn roles.

Opponents Iceland could station Stefan Teitur Thordarson and Isak Bergmann Johannesson as a duo in the middle of the pitch in front of centre-backs Daniel Gretarsson and Hordur Magnusson.

Attacking midfielder Albert Gudmundsson could be asked by Gunnlaugsson to play off of striker Andri Gudjohnsen.

Northern Ireland possible starting lineup:

Hazard; McConville, Ballard, Hume; Bradley, McCann, Charles, Devenny; Galbraith, Price; Charles

Iceland possible starting lineup:

Olafsson; Palsson, Gretarsson, Magnusson, Ellertsson; Thordarson, Johannesson; Thorsteinsson, Gudmundsson, Haraldsson; Gudjohnsen

We say: Northern Ireland 2-1 Iceland

Northern Ireland have been phenomenal at home, and they are likely to at least avoid defeat on Tuesday.

Iceland’s displays at the back have room for improvement, and the hosts will feel they can take advantage of their visitors’ vulnerability.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Lewis Nolan

Previews by email