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The draw placed Portugal in Group A, along with Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg. The story clearly favors the Quinas team, which is seeking a presence in the final eighth stage of a World Cup.
If there were a possibility to choose and it would hardly be far from it. Right or wrong, you will soon see yourself on the pitch, but theoretically Portugal has nothing to complain about in the draw to qualify for the next World Championship, which will be held in two years. Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg are the other teams in Group A and everything that separates the team from the corners of Qatar, was dictated yesterday by luck, via video by the covid-19 pandemic in Zurich (Switzerland).
It’s true that being in Pot 1 freed Portugal from the other great European soccer teams, and that was an advantage. Still, the other boats welcomed respectful opponents, but almost all went to other groups. The exception is perhaps Serbia, even though the individual quality of people like Matic, Milinkovic-Savic, Jovic, Tadic or Mitrovic is far from collectively relevant: for example, the Serbs will fail the European, after being eliminated by Scotland in the play-off and having fallen behind Portugal in the qualifying round.
Portugal has never lost to Serbia (three wins and three draws), but has already been beaten by the Republic of Ireland, the other predictably tougher rival in the group. The Irishman won four of the 13 games against the Portuguese team, but the last time it happened was in 2005, in a private match. For its part, Azerbaijan, which lost five of the six previous matches with the Portuguese team, and Luxembourg, which, in 17 games against Portugal, lost 15, drew one and won another, this in 1961, are the teams that are candidates for the last two. tournament places. classification. In addition, there is also the fact that Group A is made up of only five teams, something that is common to four of the ten groups that make the qualifying round for the World Cup. The remaining groups have six selections.
Fight and competitiveness
The draw dictated more or less easy lives for Spain, Germany, England, France and Belgium. Group G, with the Netherlands, Turkey and the promising Norway, and Group H, with Croatia, Slovakia and Russia, all present in the next European Championship, are the ones that promise more struggle and competitiveness for the first place, the only one that guarantees access straight to the Qatar. The games take place between March and November of next year.
Diplomacy at stake in Group B
Kosovo is no longer an opportunity for the Portuguese group due to civil problems with Serbia, but will play in Group B with Spain, Sweden, Greece and Georgia. Of these four, only Sweden recognizes the independence of Kosovo, something that, however, does not inspire concern.
First World Cup in winter
The 2022 World Cup will be the first to be played during the winter months. To avoid the hottest period in Qatar, FIFA scheduled the competition for the end of the year, between November 21 and December 18.
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