Morning:
6°c
Irish face tough finals showdown against France
Andrew Hodgson19 Oct 2009
The Republic of Ireland must overcome a tough play-off against France if they are to qualify for next year's World Cup in South Africa.
France, the 1998 champions, will have home advantage in the second leg after being paired with Giovanni Trapattoni's side in today's draw in Zurich.
The teams last met in 2005 when a great goal by Thierry Henry won the game 1-0 for France.
The size of the task facing the Irish is highlighted by the fact they have not defeated the French for 28 years.
On that occasion they won 3-2 in Dublin on their way to the World Cup in Spain, where they famously beat hosts Spain at the Bernabeu in
Madrid thanks to a goal from Gerry Armstrong.
In the other European play-offs, Portugal face Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece will play Ukraine and Russia take on Slovenia.
Trapattoni had criticised FIFA for seeding the play-offs — Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine and Slovenia were all unseeded meaning they could not play each other.
France, beaten finalists in the last World Cup, and Portugal were viewed as the teams to avoid.
The Irish, who last played in the finals in 2002, had hoped for an easier fixture against Greece but at least Trapattoni can feel relieved that the Republic do not have to play Russia on the artificial pitch at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
Reader views (2)
I hope Ireland stuff em......
- Mark, St Albans, 19/10/2009 16:41
Report abuse
This is so unfair. FIFA have shown their true colours and made the World Cup into a sham. Where is the democracy in this. It's nonexistent. It's pure and unaldultrated DICTATORSHIP.
How can you be expected play 10 matches in a difficult group, reach the play-off's only to be told 'we've decided we only want the bigger Nations at the tournament' so we have decided to seed the play-offs, therefore giving the four seeded teams the chance to enhance the tournament and generate more money.
This decision should be overturned but unfortunately the President of UEFA is a Frenchman and probably along with the other seeded teams think it's only fair that the big boys should be given a second chance seeing as the messed the qualifiers.
These people are not fit to run a Public Toilet.
- Kevin, London, 19/10/2009 14:56
Report abuse
