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On the night of December 7, a very important event will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, which will predetermine the life of the national football associations for the coming year. The draw for the qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup, which will be organized by Qatar, will take place at the FIFA headquarters.
Europe delegates 13 teams to the World Cup. A certain number of lucky ones will be known immediately after the selection ends, that is, in November of next year. And to be precise, ten: the teams that occupy the first places in ten groups will go directly to the World Cup. Three more UEFA playoff tickets will be awarded, which will include the top ten teams that ranked second in their groups, and the top two teams from their division winners in the Nations League (Ukraine will not be among them, so there will be no “alternative airfield” we are not present this time). This event is scheduled for March 2022 and will consist of two stages. First, 12 teams in the play-off matches will eliminate half, and then six teams in the final matches will determine the names of three more lucky ones who will advance to the final part of the World Cup.
As mentioned above, European teams will compete for tickets to Qatar in ten qualifying groups. Five of them will have six teams, the other half will have five.
The groups will be filled according to the ranking of the national teams. All European national teams are divided according to personal indicators into six baskets. The Ukraine team got into the second basket. Consequently, for the moment we can definitively say that in no case will we play in the selection phase against the national teams of Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia and Romania. But with whom we can be in the same basket, let’s dream now.
So which can be the “vital group” of the Ukrainian team in the selection for the 2022 World Cup?
In the first group, a priori, there can be no simple rivals. But nevertheless, there are some downright undesirable ones, like France, and there are some that you can try to compete with in the race. Let’s take Denmark from the first basket. Russia will definitely not come out of the third basket (we are still “servants”). And let it fall, say, Finland. In the fourth basket, the opponents will be easier. But there are still those with whom it is better not to meet. But who can you meet, yes, even Luxembourg: they will probably drink blood again, but we still have to win twice. In the fifth and sixth pot, almost all the opponents are digestible. Take, for example, Andorra and Gibraltar from there. Here it is, the “dream fish”: Denmark, Ukraine, Finland, Luxembourg, Andorra and Gibraltar… Not to be at least second in such a group would be a crime. Although it is better, of course, to take the first: in such a group we would have excellent leadership possibilities.
What is the acceptable normal lot variant?
Here it will be more difficult. Let’s take Croatia from the first basket. Yes, these are the reigning runners-up of the world, but now they have a “shift change”, game problems, so now you can play against “chess”. And with success. In this case, we take the Hungarians out of the third basket. Strong team, but nothing more. Let Bulgaria and Kazakhstan delegate us the fourth and fifth baskets: biting peasants, but still middle. Well, let Malta take him out of the “bonus” basket: we must beat this opponent with “eyes closed” both times anyway. Total: Croatia, Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Malta… A very even group, but Ukraine is clearly “softer” on it. With Croatia, of course. Although today’s Croats, as mentioned above, now hardly need to be afraid.
Well, the option I’d like to avoid: the “death” group
It already sounds threatening. In this case, we unconditionally remove France from the first basket. World Champions, 1: 7 not long ago in Paris – what could be worse? In the third “space” are also those who can drink blood. Well, for example, Ireland: we always play hard against British teams. Let’s take the Bosnians in the fourth basket: they are clearly stronger than the rest there. Well, in the fifth, let it be the Armenian national team, which at some point often put a spoke on our wheels. Let’s leave this group with five members. This is what happened: France, Ukraine, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia. A very difficult group, where, except perhaps the French, absolutely everyone will lose points.
But, as practice shows, there is life even in the “death” group. And our team has already proven this thesis many times. So, on the eve of the draw procedure, our team would like to wish such a group, from which it could finally reach the final part of the world championship.
Sport.ua will host an online text broadcast of the 2022 World Cup qualification draw.
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