Ireland face France for World Cup spot
Reuters - Monday 19 October 2009, 12:23
LONDON - France must get past Ireland to
reach the 2010 World Cup finals after they were drawn together
on Monday for next month's two-legged European play-offs.
Portugal, who scraped into the play-offs by winning their
last three Group One fixtures to seal runners-up spot, face
Bosnia, Euro 2004 champions Greece tackle Ukraine and Russia
will play Slovenia.
Bosnia, runners-up to Spain in their qualifying group, are
attempting to reach their first major finals while Slovenia are
looking to repeat their feat of reaching Euro 2000.
France, the 1998 world champions, 2000 European champions
and beaten World Cup finalists in 2006, will have the advantage
of playing the second leg on home soil against an Ireland side
coached by Giovanni Trapattoni.
While France, the highest ranked team in the playoffs at
nine, will be favourites, the pressure will be on coach Raymond
Domenech who came underfire during a qualifiying tournament in
which they were outshone by group winners Serbia.
He will be wary of an Ireland side who went through a
qualifying group containing world champions Italy and Bulgaria
without losing a match.
"We know what we have to do," Domenech told RTL radio. "The
goal was always to qualify for the World Cup, whoever we faced.
We know Ireland. They're very much like England, they all play
in the Premier League.
NO SURPRISES
"The France players know them well from having played either
with or against them. There won't be any surprises. We know
what's coming.
"They're a team who have not lost in qualifying, who drew
with Italy in their last game after conceding a late goal. We
know they're tough, but so are we."
Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney
said he expected a tight tussle.
"I've spoken to the manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, he's quite
relaxed about it," Delaney told Irish radio.
"We don't lose games on many goals, we don't win games on
many goals. I wouldn't expect that pattern to change."
Portugal, Greece and Russia, the other seeded nations in a
draw performed at FIFA headquarters in Zurich by midfielder
Steven Pienaar of World Cup hosts South Africa, will have to
play the second legs away.
"Russia are clear favourites in our two matches and I am
worried about the conditions we will have in Russia," said
Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek.
"But mainly I hope my players will be well prepared in the
middle of November because this time the matches are decisive."
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said Bosnia would be tough
opponents for his side.
"Reputation has no weight or significance in these
circumstances," Queiroz told RTP TV channel. "We have to prepare
well to play against an excellent side that has a very dangerous
attack."
Queiroz's Bosnian counterpart Miroslav Blazevic conceded
Portugal would be favourites but did not rule out an upset.
"To be honest, I think the Portuguese are favourites. But it
is not always the favourites that win," he said.
The first legs take place on November 14 with the returns on
November 18.