📏 Form Guide

Waterford

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Waterford head into this fixture after a 0-0 Premier Division stalemate against Dundalk.

In that match, Waterford had 49% possession and 7 shots on goal with 2 on target. On the other side, Dundalk got 14 shots at goal with 6 on target.

It has been a rare occasion in recent games that Waterford haven’t conceded. In fact, Waterford have been scored against in 5 of their previous 6 matches, giving up 8 goals during that time. That sort of pattern might not be sustained into this next game, however.

Analysis of their past results shows that Waterford:

• are unbeaten in the league by Sligo Rovers in their previous 2 matches.
• are undefeated in their last 4 league matches at home.

Sligo Rovers

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Sligo Rovers come into this game after a 3-1 Premier Division win in the defeat of Drogheda United in their previous outing.

In that match, Sligo Rovers had 48% possession and 11 shots on goal with 4 of them on target. For Sligo Rovers, the scorers were Max Mata (21', 26') and Wilson Waweru (86'). Drogheda United got 19 attempts on goal with 6 of them on target. Andrew Quinn (58') scored for Drogheda United.

A succession of outstanding showings by the Sligo Rovers defensive players has resulted in the number of goals they’ve conceded amounting to 4 from their previous 6 clashes combined. In that period, the number of goals that they have scored themselves amounts to 10.

👥 Head to head

Checking on their most recent head to head meetings dating back to 18/08/2020 tells us that Waterford have won 2 of them and Sligo Rovers 3, with the number of drawn matches being 1.

A combined total of 13 goals were shared by the two clubs throughout the course of those matches, with 5 of them from The Blues and 8 being from The Bit o' Red. That’s an average goals per game of 2.17.

The last league clash featuring these sides was Premier Division match day 29 on 02/10/2021 when it finished Sligo Rovers 1-1 Waterford.

The match was refereed by John McLoughlin.

ℹ️ Team News: Waterford

The Waterford manager Keith Long will be grateful to have no fitness worries whatsoever before this game owing to a completely injury-free squad ready to go.

It seems likely that The Blues look set to line up in a 5-4-1 formation this time, handing starts to Sam Sargeant, Harvey Macadam, Grant Horton, Kacper Radkowski, Darragh Leahy, Ryan Burke, Maleace Asamoah, Rowan McDonald, Barry Baggley, Connor Parsons and Padraig Amond.

🗞️ Team News: Sligo Rovers

In an otherwise full-strength group, there is just a single fitness problem for the Sligo Rovers manager John Russell to be concerned with. John Mahon (Achilles tendon problems) misses out for this game.

We reckon that The Bit o' Red seem likely to elect for a 4-3-3 lineup using Ed McGinty, Conor Reynolds, Ollie Denham, Nando Pijnaker, Reece Hutchinson, Niall Morahan, Connor Malley, Ellis Chapman, Fabrice Hartmann, Max Mata and Simon Power.

⚡ Prediction

Our feeling is that Sligo Rovers and Waterford should play out a closely-fought contest here.

Little in this one, and it’s almost too close to call. We’re therefore expecting a tight encounter with a 1-1 draw at the end of the 90.

Our expert partners are tipping over 1.5 goals for this match. Check out their VIP predictions here.

Victor Martins, 19:09 29/03/2024