UEFA World Cup Qualifiers – Playoffs preview

Places at Qatar 2022 are at stake, with the two UEFA World Cup qualifying play-off finals set to take place on Tuesday. If you fancy a bet on the World Cup qualifiers, use this Stake promo code to help you get started, but make sure you read our previews first.

The betting odds have been upset a bit with Italy being knocked out by surprise package North Macedonia, who will hope for another miracle as they hope to block Portugal’s path to the upcoming World Cup finals in Qatar.

Poland and Sweden will lock horns in the other 2022 World Cup play-off final, with the Poles being handed home advantage for this high-stakes fixture.

Poland vs Sweden

Stadion Slaski is the venue as Poland and Sweden go head-to-head in a ‘winner takes all’ 2022 World Cup play-off finals.

Robert Lewandowski and co earned an automatic berth in the play-off finals due to FIFA’s decision to ban Russia following their invasion of Ukraine.

Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side finished runners-up to England in 2022 World Cup qualifying Group I despite boasting a decent 80% unbeaten record in this section (W6, D2, L2).

Seeking back-to-back qualifications for the showpiece event for the first time in the 21st century, the Poles face a formidable challenge in the shape of Sweden.

The Swedes have defeated Poland in each of their three competitive meetings this century, most recently picking up a 3-2 win in the Euro 2020 group phase. 

Robin Quaison’s extra-time winner handed Janne Andersson’s men a crucial 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the World Cup play-off semi-finals last Thursday. 

However, after winning just three of their last 11 World Cup qualifiers on foreign soil (D1, L7), Sweden will have a point to prove in Chorzow.

Lewandowski, who agreed personal terms with Barcelona while away on international duty (via The Sun), will lead the line for Poland, while the Swedes will be without veteran superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic due to injury.

Portugal vs North Macedonia

Goals from Otavio, Diogo Jota and Matheus Nunes helped Portugal edge out Turkey 3-1 in their 2022 World Cup play-off semi-finals tie. 

Fernando Santos’ star-studded side will be overwhelming favourites to overcome North Macedonia when the two nations lock horns at the Estadio do Dragao. 

With Cristiano Ronaldo hell-bent on reaching winter’s showpiece event that could be his last shot at World Cup glory, the Euro 2016 winners will be buoyed by their impressive seven-game home form (W6, L1).

Portugal have featured in each of the last five World Cup finals, and anything other than another qualification for the final tournament would be an upset of epic proportions. 

Meanwhile, North Macedonia’s heroic 1-0 victory over reigning European champions Italy in the play-off semi-finals has lifted the spirits in Blagoja Milevski’s camp. 

The Lynxes defied the odds at the Stadio Renzo Barbera, courtesy of Aleksandar Trajkovski’s last-gasp winner, but they now have another uphill battle on their hands. 

North Macedonia are out to make history and qualify for their first-ever World Cup finals as an independent country, yet Portugal are in the driving seat to book a place at Qatar 2022.

But Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Joao Moutinho issued a warning to his teammates ahead of their meeting with FIFA’s #67-ranked nation.

“Anybody can beat anybody. Names, numbers and statistics don’t matter,” he said as relayed by Gulf News.

UEFA World Cup Qualifiers – Playoffs preview

Comments 0 Comments
 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.