Ireland vs Finland: A clash of the Celtic nations

Two proud Celtic nations, Ireland and Finland, will face off in a crucial UEFA Nations League clash in Dublin on Thursday evening. Both teams need a win to keep their hopes of promotion to League A alive, and a thrilling encounter is in prospect.
Ireland, ranked 51st in the world, will be hoping to continue their recent good form. Stephen Kenny's side have won their last three games, including an impressive 3-2 victory over Scotland in their last Nations League outing.
Finland, ranked 54th in the world, will be no pushovers. The Finns have lost just one of their last six games, and they will be looking to make it two wins from two in this campaign after beating Armenia 2-0 in their opener.
The two sides have met on just three previous occasions, with Finland winning twice and Ireland winning once. The most recent meeting was a friendly in 2020, which Finland won 1-0.
Ireland will be without the suspended John Egan, while Finland will be missing the injured Teemu Pukki.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm Irish time, and the game will be shown live on RTÉ2.

Here is a more detailed look at the two teams:

Ireland
Manager: Stephen Kenny
Key players: Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy, Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady
Strengths: Strong defence, good team spirit
Weaknesses: Lack of creativity in midfield, goal-scoring problems
Finland
Manager: Markku Kanerva
Key players: Lukas Hradecky, Joona Toivio, Tim Sparv, Glen Kamara
Strengths: Well-organized defence, dangerous on set-pieces
Weaknesses: Lack of pace in attack, can be vulnerable on the counter-attack

• Prediction: Ireland 1-1 Finland

This is a tough game to call, but I think Ireland will just edge it. They have the home advantage and they have been in good form in recent months. However, Finland are a dangerous side and they will be looking to make a statement. I expect a close and entertaining game, with both teams having chances to win.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.