Ireland are playing with house money heading into Thursday’s World Cup Playoff clash with Czechia, but their luck is about to run out.
Nine points from their final three qualifiers got them here, but this is a different test entirely.
My Czechia vs. Ireland predictions and free betting picks for March 26 have no problem 'Splitting the G' and fading the Irish.
Czechia vs Ireland picks and predictions
My Czechia vs Ireland best bet: Czechia moneyline (+105 at Sports Interaction)
Czechia’s soft qualifying group will get nitpicked, but their home form is no joke, and that’s what matters here. The Czechs are unbeaten in their last 16 at home (13 wins), scoring 42 goals while tightening up defensively with four clean sheets in their last five.
Ireland, meanwhile, are slow starters, with just three of their last nine goals coming before halftime. They're also prone to conceding on the road, with just one clean sheet in their last 10 away matches.
Falling behind in this environment against a team that can score in bunches is a death sentence.
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Czechia vs Ireland same-game parlay (SGP)
Czechia moneyline
Both teams to score — No
Tomas Chory to score
It's tough to fancy Ireland's attack here, given their penchant for slow starts. Once trailing, they'll have to chase the game, abandon their tactics, and the offense will suffer in a big way.
The main man for the hosts will be Tomas Chory. He's in excellent form, having scored in six of his last seven games for Slavia Prague, and in his last game with the National team vs. Gibraltar.
Czechia vs Ireland predicted lineups
Czechia (3-5-2): Kovar; Hranac, Holes, Krejci; Coufal, Sulc, Darida, Provod, Jurasek; Chory, Schick
Ireland (3-4-2-1): Kelleher; O'Brien, Collins, O'Shea; Coleman, Taylor, Molumby, Manning; Ogbene, Azaz; Parrott
Czechia vs Ireland odds
| Czechia | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| +105 | Moneyline | +270 |
| +240 | Draw | +240 |
| Over 2.5 (+104) | Total | Under 2.5 (-152) |
Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.
How to watch Czechia vs Ireland
| Location | Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czechia |
| Date | Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
| Time | 3:45 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS2 |
| Weather | Cloudy but dry conditions. |
Czechia vs Ireland key injuries
Czechia: Adam Hlozek (Out), Vaclac Jemelka (Out).
Ireland: Gavin Bazunu (Out), Max O'Leary (Out), Liam Scales (Out).
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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