European champion Italy and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal had been drawn in the identical World Cup qualifying playoffs bracket, that means no less than one among them will miss subsequent 12 months’s event in Qatar. Italy and Portugal on collision course in World Cup playoffs (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTS Italy host North Macedonia, Portugal play Turkey in semisScotland play at residence to Ukraine, Wales entertain AustriaRussia face guests Poland, Sweden welcome Czech RepublicItaly and Portugal, the final two European champions, may face off for a spot on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after they had been drawn on Friday in the identical path for the playoffs. Italy will face North Macedonia at residence in a playoff semifinal subsequent March, and the winner will play away at both Portugal or Turkey for a spot within the World Cup.
Italy didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup — shedding within the playoffs to Sweden — and now will seemingly need to beat Ronaldo and Portugal to keep away from lacking the event for a second straight time.Portugal has at all times certified throughout Ronaldo’s profession. He first performed on the 2006 World Cup.Also within the 12-team draw, Scotland will face Ukraine at residence, and the winner will play at Wales or Austria within the ultimate of their bracket.Russia will host Poland for the proper to face Sweden or the Czech Republic of their ultimate bracket. Russia or Poland will host the ultimate.The six playoff semifinals will likely be performed as single-leg elimination video games on March 24. The three finals are performed 5 days later.The three winners will full Europe’s entry of 13 nations within the 32-team lineup in Qatar.FIFA will make the event draw on April 1 in Doha.The playoffs function the ten groups who completed second of their qualifying teams together with two groups — Austria and the Czechs — who gained Nations League teams final 12 months.Click right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.