The United States men’s national team gets right back to work in preparation for 2022 World Cup qualifying when it faces Northern Ireland on Sunday in an international friendly in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Americans cruised to a 4-1 victory Thursday night in a friendly match with Jamaica, but the U.S. team is likely to look a bit different Sunday. A handful of players had to return to their club teams because of coronavirus protocols, and coach Gregg Berhalter will get a look at some different faces as the team gears up for the CONCACAF Nations League final four and Gold Cup this summer before World Cup qualifying begins in September.

Kickoff from Windsor Park is set for 12:05 p.m. ET. The latest USA vs. Northern Ireland odds from William Hill Sportsbook list the United States as the 0.5-goal and +100 money-line favorite, while the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in your Northern Ireland vs. USMNT picks, be sure to see the soccer predictions and betting advice from stats analyst Mike Goodman.

A soccer editor for CBS Sports, Goodman is at the forefront of the advanced statistics and analytics movement in soccer, with eight years of experience working with cutting-edge predictive statistical analysis. Among his credits are work for FiveThirtyEight and StatsBomb, and he has immense experience diving deep into the analytics involved in dissecting the sport.

All of Goodman’s bets hit in Thursday’s victory against Jamaica, and he nailed the final score, which paid off at +2500. “Look for a couple of early goals, a couple of late goals for the U.S., and a sloppy consolation goal late for Jamaica to spoil the perfect night,” Goodman told SportsLine. That’s exactly how it played out, and bettors who followed Goodman’s advice saw a massive return.   

Now Goodman has taken a close look into USMNT vs. Northern Ireland. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several odds and trends for Northern Ireland vs. USMNT:

Northern Ireland vs. USA spread: United States -0.5Northern Ireland vs. USA over-under: 2.5 goalsNorthern Ireland vs. USA money line: Northern Ireland +290, United States +100, Draw +240USA: The American have posted a clean sheet in five of the last seven matches.NI: The team has not allowed more than two goals in its last six games.Why you should back the USA

The Americans are likely to mix up the rotation to allow more players to prove themselves before stiff competition begins in a few months. Still, the squad has plenty of firepower, and Berhalter is taking these matches seriously. The USA has scored 23 goals in its last four matches, allowing just three, and it outshot Jamaica 28-9 and had possession for 70 percent of the contest. Defender Sergiño Dest scored early, Brenden Aaronson tallied just after halftime and fellow midfielder Sebastian Lletget put it away with a pair of goals in the final seven minutes.

Northern Ireland is on an 11-match winless streak and comes in off a 2-0 loss to Italy in a World Cup qualifier Thursday. It plays Bulgaria on Wednesday, so it is unlikely to field its top lineup. The Americans have a deep squad, with 16 of the 26 players 22 or younger, and 18-year-old newcomer Yunus Musah and 20-year-old Daryl Dike are intriguing options. Dike has five goals in his last eight appearances for Barnsley in England’s Championship. “Veteran” Christian Pulisic, 22, will look to break a slump before returning to Chelsea in the English Premier League.  

Why you should back Northern Ireland

The Green and White Army is 1-0 against the Americans, though the only meeting was way back in 1948, a 5-0 Northern Ireland victory. It plays a disciplined defensive game and is likely to field a squad of hungry young players. Daniel Ballard, a 21-year-old defender, could assume a leadership role Sunday, and likely partner Ciaron Brown of Cardiff City is an aggressive player who can win balls in the air. Reserve goalkeeper Conor Hazard is expected to get the start, and at 6-foot-6, the Celtic backup can control the action in the box.

With the veteran defenders likely to take the day off, manager Ian Baraclough could opt to rely on the team’s depth at forward. Dion Charles, a 25-year-old striker, has 17 goals in 32 League One appearances with Accrington Stanley and could get his chance to shine in the friendly confines. Shayne Lavery, 22, could also make an impact after being a late call-up, and 6-foot-4 Kyle Lafferty is a dangerous target and has 20 goals in 80 caps. Defender Shane Ferguson, a midfielder with his club team, can strike from distance and is a potent option on set pieces.  

How to make Northern Ireland vs. USMNT picks 

Goodman is leaning under the total, and he also has revealed his best bets and analysis, including another prop bet that would bring a big plus-money payout. You can only get that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Northern Ireland vs. USMNT? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the USMNT vs. Northern Ireland money line has all the value, and which prop bet could lead to a huge payout, all from the stats expert who is at the forefront of soccer analytics.

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