Who will Ukraine play in the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup: what is known about the rivals
Ukrainians must pass two Euro 2020 participants to go to Qatar.
“British teams are good, but I wanted this opponent. It will be interesting to play. I have not seen these teams yet. We will study them.” With these words the head coach of the national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Petrakov summed up the draw for the playoffs of the 2022 World Cup.
Ukraine won rivals in the playoffs for the World Cup. In order to qualify for the World Cup, Ukrainians need to defeat not one, but two or two opponents – from the innovations of this qualifying team.
In the semifinals, the Ukrainian national team will play against Scotland, and this match will be away for the team. In the final, the “blue-yellows” will meet against the winner of the pair Wales – Austria, and his Ukrainians also play on the opponent’s field.
Read also: Ukraine has learned rivals in the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup: the result of the draw
She already played against one of the opponents of the Ukrainian national team in 2021. The match of the third round of the European Championship 2020 was held by the Ukrainian national team against Austria, and in this match with a score of 0: 1, almost losing a place in the playoffs.
perhaps Rose Austria is just one of Ukraine’s possible rivals. Public Sports to get acquainted with the national team of Ukraine in the playoffs at the 2022 World Cup and with rivals at this stage.
Scotland
- Place in the FIFA rankings: 45th
- Participation in the World Cup: 1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998 (use – group stage)
- Yakyli spoke at the meeting at the 2022 World Cup: 10 matches, 23 points
Zna Scotland became the best stadium in the world in the group selection at the 2022 championship. The Scots scored the most points among all the selection teams and in the list of seeded lost only to Portugal.
For Scotland, the World Cup playoffs are a chance to play in the tournament for the first time in 24 years. The last time the Scots took place at the World Cup was in 1998, when they scored only one point in the group stage against Norway, finishing last.
In the national team at the 2022 World Cup, Ukraine competed for the first place only for the semifinalists of Euro 2020 – the Danish national team. Moreover, the Scots became the only team that was able to take points from the Danes and even defeat in the home match with a score of 2: 0. And although the Danes have won the group, the Scots can overtake Israel, Austria, the Faroe Islands and Moldova.
Ukraine and Scotland have previously met. In the assembly for Euro 2008, the teams played two matches: at home, the Ukrainians defeated the Scots 2: 0, but lost away 1: 3. Although the Ukrainian national team was already in Scotland in 2021, it was there that it defeated Sweden in the 1/8 finals of the European Championship.
“From the very beginning, I identified Ukraine as the most difficult opponent for us during the draw. At the same time, we know that Wales has shown itself very well lately. We are very good with the Austrian national team. familiar“.
Wale
- Place in the FIFA rankings: 19th
- Participation in the World Cup: 1958 (quarterfinals)
- Yakyli spoke at the meeting at the 2022 World Cup: 8 matches, 15 points
The Welsh national team can close six seeded teams based on the results of the group stage of the qualifying round. And this is due to the night result in the last round against Belgium, which at that time had already decided for itself the issue of victory in the group.
Like Scotland, the Welsh national team has not been to the World Cup for a long time. And, on what from Scots, Welsh people in general managed it only once – in 1958. However, the only World Cup was successful for Wales: the team overcame the group stage and played in the quarterfinals, where they lost to the future winner – Brazil.
However, the Welsh national team will approach the playoffs of the 2022 World Cup as an experienced team. Welsh played twice in a row in the final of the European Championship, and each time reached the group stage. The best result is Euro 2016, where Wales reached the semifinals, where he was also the future winner – Portugal.
Ukraine and Wales officially met 20 years ago. In the 2022 World Cup, the teams played 1: 1 twice. And in March 2016, they met in front of the European team in a friendly match – then the Ukrainians won a minimal victory of 1: 0.
“We worked very hard to finish others and get the right to play at home. We have everything to play,” said Welsh head coach Robert Page.
Austria
- Place in the FIFA rankings: 29th
- Participation in the World Cup: 1934 (4th place), 1954 (“bronze”), 1958 (group stage), 1978, 1982 (second group stage), 1990, 1998 (group stage)
- Yakyli spoke at the meeting at the 2022 World Cup: 10 matches, 16 points
The Austrian national team reached the playoffs of two national teams that entered the list of participants due to one innovation – the ranking of the League of Nations. There, the Austrians took the highest place among the teams that did not qualify for the playoffs. In the selection itself, Austria took fourth place, ahead of Denmark, Scotland and Israel.
As for Scotland, Austria may reach the 2022 World Cup through the playoffs for the first time in 24 years. The last time the Austrians performed there was in 1998, taking the place with two points. Although in Austria the successful history of performances at the World Cup, and in 1954 they can even become bronze medalists.
Austria is one of the regular participants of the last European football champions. At home in Europe in 2008 and eight years later in France, Austria stopped performing in the group stage. And only for the last Europe in 2020 came out of the playoffs in second place.
It is possible to reach the Euro Austria playoffs thanks to the victory over Ukraine in the third round. This match remains the only official team. Twice more (in 2011 and 2012) the national teams played friendly matches, in which they exchanged victories – 2: 1 in Lviv and 3: 2 in Tyrol.
“On our way, all four teams are counting on you to play in the World Cup. Everything is balanced, there is no separate favorite. Our goal is to focus entirely on the game against Wales. We played against Scotland and Ukraine this year, and in this sense already considering the home game as a probable final, our wish came true, “- said the sports director of the Austrian federation Peter Schottel.
What is known
- 10 European national teams have already taken part in the 2022 World Cup. According to the results of the playoffs, three more will be determined.
- The format of the semifinals and playoff finals at the 2022 World Cup will be the first. The team played 2-match series, the winners of which passed in the next round.
- Ukraine has only once played in the playoffs at international tournaments. In 2016, Ukrainians passed Slovenia.
What’s next
- March 24-25, 2022. Semifinals of the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.
- March 28-29, 2022. The final play-off selection for the 2022 World Cup.