IRELAND’S 3-2 win over Hungary today has seen them secure second-place in Group F on 10 points, with Marco Rossi’s side having to settle for third, two points adrift of the Boys in Green.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s 9-1 victory against Armenia confirms their status as group winners on 13 points, while Yegishe Melikyan’s side knew before today they would finish bottom of the group, with their only points in the campaign secured during the 2-1 win over Ireland in Yerevan.
So while Portugal have booked their place at next summer’s World Cup, Ireland still have work to do.
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They will go into the play-offs, the draw for which takes place on Thursday at 12pm Irish time.
That will involve two one-off games on 26 and 31 March, in other words, a semi-final and a final.
Countries will also be seeded into Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4. Pot 1 teams will face Pot 4 countries in the semi-final, with Pot 2 and Pot 3 sides clashing in the last four.
Ireland will be in either Pot 2 or Pot 3, but won’t know for certain which pot they are in until the remaining qualifiers have been played on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Ireland will be hoping that their coefficient is good enough to see them seeded in Pot 2, which would ensure that they play their play-off semi-final at home in the Aviva Stadium.
However, for that to happen, they will need some results over the next 48 hours to fall their way.
What is unequivocal is that Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland have all been confirmed for Pot 4 — that’s because none of that trio secured a top-two finish in their group but get in via the backdoor thanks to their Nations League performances.
At the time of writing, Albania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic are the only other sides whose second-place finish has been confirmed and are definitely in the playoffs, although Italy are virtually certain to join them pending the outcome of tonight’s late kick-offs.
The reliable @FootRankings earlier today published a state of play, with Ireland in Pot 3 as it stands.
They highlighted how the Boys in Green could be moved into Pot 2 if Ukraine do not beat Iceland, or Wales fail to overcome North Macedonia, and Bosnia don’t prevail away to Austria.
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The bad news is that since then, Ukraine have defeated Iceland, although Pot 2 is still possible if the other two results go Ireland’s way.
🚨 🇮🇪 Ireland will host their UEFA Play-offs Semifinals if they secure spot in Pot 2.
📈 🇮🇪 Ireland will move up to Pot 2 if:
❌ 🇺🇦 Ukraine do NOT defeat 🇮🇸 Iceland! OR ❌ 🏴 Wales do NOT defeat 🇲🇰 North Macedonia!
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Ireland are through to the World Cup play-offs... so what happens next?
IRELAND’S 3-2 win over Hungary today has seen them secure second-place in Group F on 10 points, with Marco Rossi’s side having to settle for third, two points adrift of the Boys in Green.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s 9-1 victory against Armenia confirms their status as group winners on 13 points, while Yegishe Melikyan’s side knew before today they would finish bottom of the group, with their only points in the campaign secured during the 2-1 win over Ireland in Yerevan.
So while Portugal have booked their place at next summer’s World Cup, Ireland still have work to do.
They will go into the play-offs, the draw for which takes place on Thursday at 12pm Irish time.
That will involve two one-off games on 26 and 31 March, in other words, a semi-final and a final.
Countries will also be seeded into Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4. Pot 1 teams will face Pot 4 countries in the semi-final, with Pot 2 and Pot 3 sides clashing in the last four.
Ireland will be in either Pot 2 or Pot 3, but won’t know for certain which pot they are in until the remaining qualifiers have been played on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Ireland will be hoping that their coefficient is good enough to see them seeded in Pot 2, which would ensure that they play their play-off semi-final at home in the Aviva Stadium.
However, for that to happen, they will need some results over the next 48 hours to fall their way.
What is unequivocal is that Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland have all been confirmed for Pot 4 — that’s because none of that trio secured a top-two finish in their group but get in via the backdoor thanks to their Nations League performances.
At the time of writing, Albania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic are the only other sides whose second-place finish has been confirmed and are definitely in the playoffs, although Italy are virtually certain to join them pending the outcome of tonight’s late kick-offs.
The reliable @FootRankings earlier today published a state of play, with Ireland in Pot 3 as it stands.
They highlighted how the Boys in Green could be moved into Pot 2 if Ukraine do not beat Iceland, or Wales fail to overcome North Macedonia, and Bosnia don’t prevail away to Austria.
The bad news is that since then, Ukraine have defeated Iceland, although Pot 2 is still possible if the other two results go Ireland’s way.
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Explainer Soccer Armenia Hungary Ireland Republic Portugal