The World Cup playoff puzzle - what Ireland need to skip semi
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Ireland manager Vera Pauw will hope to lead her squad through the playoffs. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Think of Ireland playoffs and its usually Iran, France, Denmark – or further back Belgium and Turkey – that springs to mind.
All men’s playoffs and all two legs.
Ditto for Noel King’s women in 2008, their Euros dream infamously skidding off-course on an icy Icelandic pitch following a drawn first leg.
Welcome to the modern era of one-off playoffs.
We have some experience of it from Covid times when Stephen Kenny’s side fell at the semi-final stage in the Euros deciders two years ago.
Uefa have persisted with it post-pandemic and it’s a convoluted, clunky process that would test the most ardent of Mensa fanatics.
Thursday’s win against Finland sealed Ireland's entry to the playoff but don’t expect a straight shootout for a place at next year’s World Cup.
Of the nine runners-up across the groups, three teams with the best points total bypass the ‘semi-final’ hurdle within the Uefa playoff series to be contested between October 3-11.
Otherwise, the other six get paired at next Friday’s draw into three one-off deciders at the semi-final stage. Whichever three emerge from that series will meet the best three in the final phase.
First things first, will Ireland be part of the semi or final? Results before they face Slovakia in Tuesday’s concluding game should inform them if the win will be decisive.
We detail the relevant games below which Vera Pauw and her team will be monitoring.
– Ireland need Norway to win or draw.
If Belgium claim a point, they will be ahead of Ireland by three on goal difference, making Tuesday’s mission a goal fest.
Ireland need Portugal to draw or win.
– Ireland need England to win.
Assuming all those results go in their favour, three points in Senec lifts Ireland into the top three and so leap straight into the final.
Their next task is to win that but it still doesn’t guarantee a World Cup ticket.
Only the two winners with the best records over the group and playoffs campaign progress directly to the showpiece.
The third of these victors drops into the intercontinental playoff system next February, staged by the co-hosts for the finals four months later. More about that anon if it comes into play.
Enough permutations for now.
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