Europe’s play-off participants learn fate

• Russia 2018’s European play-off pull took place on 17 Oct in Zurich
• Northern Ireland drawn conflicting Switzerland, Croatia interconnected with Greece
• Denmark to face Republic of Ireland, 2006 winners Italy to accommodate Sweden

The match-ups to competition a final 4 European tickets to a 2018 FIFA World Russiaâ„¢ have been decided, as a play-off ties featuring a organisation stage’s 8 best second-placed sides were reliable in Zurich on Tuesday.

Drawn by Spain fable Fernando Hierro during a Home of FIFA, a formula meant Germany 2006 winners Italy will face Sweden, while Switzerland were interconnected with Northern Ireland, Croatia accommodate Greece and Denmark will take on Republic of Ireland.

The initial and second legs will take place between 9-11 and 12-14 Nov respectively, with a winners clinching one of a final remaining World Cup tickets and fasten a 9 member from a continent already set for a finals.

“It was engaging to be a initial group out,” Northern Ireland manager Micheal O’Neill pronounced after a draw. “We knew whatever group we got was going to be a really formidable game, and Switzerland have had a good subordinate campaign: 9 wins, one defeat.  We’ve usually mislaid one rival diversion in Belfast in 4 years, that was conflicting Germany, so we intend to make it a really formidable night for Switzerland.”

Sweden manager Jan Andersson likewise expects a tough challenge, carrying been drawn conflicting a side that usually finished second to a near-perfect Spain in Group I. “We will start now and historically Italian football is good, with good particular players who have been to a universe championships before, so they will have good experience,” he admitted. “They are a good team, though we will go for it.”

There is also set to be an intriguing reunion when Republic of Ireland take on Denmark. “I know Denmark and a manager Age Hareide, he and we used to play together, so it is going to be an engaging confrontation,” Martin O’Neill pronounced of his conflicting number.

But, carrying clinched a nail-biting win to validate conflicting Wales, he feels it will work in their advantage. “Momentum is very, really important, it was a good win for us – we won a final dual games to get here into this position. I’m only endangered now about a subsequent integrate of weeks and a players not picking adult injuries during bar level.”

“I would perspective this as carrying a second event and that we will be personification in a 180-minute final,” Hierro, who was capped 89 times for Spain, pronounced during a ceremony. “They all know how critical it is to make it to a World Cup in Russia. Good fitness to them all.”

Growing line-up
Qualifying as hosts, Russia have given been assimilated by France, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Poland, England, Spain, Belgium and Iceland, with 23 of a 32 nations now motionless for subsequent year’s festival of football.

On tip of a 4 additional European places, a remaining 5 spots will be motionless between 10-15 November, as 3 sides from Africa are nonetheless to book their tickets, while a intercontinental play-offs will endorse a final dual names in a shawl for a Final Draw.

That will take place on 1 Dec in Moscow, where a 8 groups will be decided, regulating pot allocations formed on the Oct book of a FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Pot 1, that is already confirmed, will underline Russia, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland and France.

Fixtures in full (all times local)
First leg:
Croatia-Greece (Thursday 9 November, 20.45)
Northern Ireland-Switzerland (Thursday 9 November, 19.45)
Sweden-Italy (Friday 10 November, 20.45)
Denmark-Republic of Ireland (Saturday 11 November, 20.45)

Second leg:
Greece-Croatia (Sunday 12 November, 21.45)
Switzerland-Northern Ireland (Sunday 12 November, 18.00)
Italy-Sweden (Monday 13 Nov 20.45)
Republic of Ireland-Denmark (Tuesday 14 November, 19.45)

23
RUS
BRA
IRN
JPN
MEX
BEL
KOR
KSA
GER
ENG
ESP
NGA
CRC
POL
EGY
ISL
SRB
FRA
POR
ARG
COL
URU
PAN

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 11, 2017

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=10/news=europe-s-play-off-participants-learn-fate-2915188.html