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MULTIMEDIA
May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

France battles Ireland today, Portugal without Ronaldo

French national soccer team players jog during a training session at Clairefontaine, south of Paris, on Wednesday, ahead of their 2010 World Cup playoff qualifying match today.
14 November 2009 / REUTERS, LONDON
France faces a severe test of its resolve in Dublin on Saturday when Raymond Domenech’s under-achieving side takes on Ireland in the first leg of their World Cup playoff at what will be a raucous Croke Park.

The 1998 world champion and runner-up in 2006 was beaten to automatic qualification by Serbia and must now take its chances along with seven other European sides hoping to take a second chance at qualifying for next year’s finals.

Failure to overcome the Irish would leave Domenech almost certainly looking for a new job.

Portugal, another glamour nation in danger of missing out, must get past Bosnia and will look for a healthy lead from today’s first leg to take to the Balkans for the second leg on Wednesday.

Russia hosts Slovenia today while Euro 2004 champion Greece starts at home against Ukraine.

The Irish were impressive in their qualifying campaign and pushed Italy hard to the top spot. Defender Richard Dunne believes they can break French hearts.

“I think over the last World Cups and Euros, they haven’t run smoothly for France but they’ve always got through and maybe it’s time we put a stop to that,” the Aston Villa player said.

Portugal would be more comfortable taking on Bosnia, which is bidding to qualify for their first major finals, had Cristiano Ronaldo been declared fit. However, the Portuguese will have to do without the Real Madrid winger after he was ruled out of both legs with an ankle injury.

Even so they will start big favorites. “I’ve never been more worried in my life because this is the biggest test of my career and it will take a world class performance over two legs to eliminate Portugal,” Bosnia coach Miroslav Blazevic said.

Bahrain set to build on lessons

 Bahrain will be hoping to build on a dominant second-half display in last month’s scoreless draw with New Zealand as the platform for a better result in today’s Asia/Oceania World Cup qualifier second leg.

The winner of the match at a sold-out Westpac Stadium in Wellington will advance to the 2010 World Cup finals after the side’s battled out a 0-0 draw in Manama, with Bahrain failing to convert several clear-cut chances. Despite the stalemate, Bahrain coach Milan Macala said the match had been a tremendous learning experience for his side as they had only previously seen the All Whites on television. New Zealand trained all week with the 3-4-3 formation they used in Manama, and Rory Fallon is likely again to join Killen and Smeltz up front. Wellington Reuters

Costa Rica-Uruguay clash today

Costa Rica and Uruguay waged a war of silence rather than words as they prepared for the first leg of their 2010 World Cup playoff at the Saprissa Stadium today (0200 GMT on Sunday). “Today I’m not saying anything, like (Uruguay’s Oscar) Tabarez,” Costa Rica’s Brazilian coach Rene Simoes said. “He’s not talking either, he’s not saying if he’s going with three or four defenders.”

Costa Rica is hoping to reach their fourth World Cup and third in a row, while twice winner Uruguay, which last played in the finals in 2002, is in its third successive playoff. Simoes looks set to field three central defenders and two wing backs as he seeks an advantage to take to next Wednesday’s second leg at the Centenario, where Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930. San Jose Reuters

 
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© Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş. 2007, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cad. No: 6, Bahçelievler - İstanbul 34194 Turkey, +90 (212) 454 1454, +90 (212) 454 1497(fax)