Luxembourg will welcome Northern Ireland to the Stade de Luxembourg on Friday evening for an international friendly.

Both sides failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup but produced respectable campaigns in tough groups and will now aim to push on in a game lacking the same pressure.

Match preview

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An impressive qualification campaign for Luxembourg ended with something of a whimper back in November, as they fell 3-0 at home to the Republic of Ireland.

The Red Lions will have been delighted with their efforts nonetheless, though, having produced their best-ever World Cup qualification attempt, winning three of their eight matches and collecting nine points.

That was no mean feat in a tough group also featuring Serbia and Portugal, and the 1-0 win away during the reverse fixture in Dublin was a momentous occasion for the European minnows - Dynamo Kyiv's Gerson Rodrigues finding the winner in the 85th minute.

Luc Holtz's side will now look to build on that momentum as they take on the team from the other side of the Irish border.

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Northern Ireland have perhaps lacked a sense of identity since the departure of Michael O'Neill, with the heroics under their former manager a little hard to live up to.

Having reached their first-ever European Championship in 2016 - and then impressively making it to the round-of-16 stage in a group featuring Germany, Poland and Ukraine - fans will perhaps have been disappointed not to have continued that trajectory under Ian Baraclough.

They did end 2021 and their qualification campaign strongly, though, with a goalless draw against Italy in Belfast that denied the European champions automatic qualification.

That was actually one of three 0-0 draws for the Green and White Army, also holding out for stalemates with group winners Switzerland and their rivals for third spot Bulgaria.

Whilst they finished seven points shy of the Italians in second, third was realistically the best Baraclough's side could have hoped for, and they will be confident of securing a result against Luxembourg on Friday.

Team News

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Goalscorer Rodrigues looks set to lead the line for Luxembourg, whilst Sebastien Thill - one of three Thill brothers in the squad - has impressed for Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League this season and will also be a likely candidate to start.

The visitors are confirmed to be without Paddy McNair, Conor Bradley and Bailey Peacock-Farrell for their first game of the international break.

McNair suffered a foot injury during Middlesbrough's FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Chelsea on Saturday and right-back Bradley has a knee problem, whilst Peacock-Farrell is yet to join up with the squad but is not injured so may come into contention for the following match with Hungary.

Baraclough's options were boosted by the fact that Leicester's Jonny Evans will be available, despite not having been named in the original 25-man squad, as he returns from a long-term foot injury.

Luxembourg possible starting lineup:
Schon; Jans, Chanot, Carlson, Pinto; S. Thill, Barreiro, Martins, O. Thill, Deville; Rodrigues

Northern Ireland possible starting lineup:
Hazard; Hume, Cathcart, J. Evans, Flanagan, Dallas; McCann, Davis, Saville, Whyte; Magennis

We say: Luxembourg 1-1 Northern Ireland

Luxembourg secured a famous 3-2 victory over Northern Ireland back in 2013 and will fancy their chances again after their strong recent form. The visitors have proven tough to break down under Baraclough, however, and we can see this ending as a score draw.

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