Ireland play France world cup play offs

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Ireland have been drawn to play France in the world cup play offs
Has to be the worse draw possible for Ireland, and playing the first leg at home makes the mission even more difficult.
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Republic of Ireland to face France in play-offs
The Republic of Ireland will meet France in the World Cup play-offs after the draw was made at FIFA headquarters in Zurich this afternoon.
The two legs will be played on Saturday, 14 November and Wednesday, 18 November, with the Republic at home for the first leg.
Manager Giovanni Trapattoni, who did not attend the draw, had expressed a strong desire to play the first leg of the play-off away from home.
In the other play-offs, Portugal will play Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece will face Ukraine and Russia take on Slovenia.
Trapattoni had criticised FIFA for seeding the play-offs - the Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine and Slovenia were all unseeded meaning they could not play each other.

The Republic, who last played in the finals in 2002, had hoped for an easier fixture against Greece but in the draw in Zurich, Everton's South African midfielder Francois Pienaar drew them first out of the hat against the French.

Trapattoni at least can feel relieved that his side do not have to play Russia on the artificial pitch at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

Draw for the European World Cup play-offs:

Republic of Ireland v France
Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece v Ukraine
Russia v Slovenia

The Republic of Ireland are 11-5 to qualify for the finals in South Africa with Paddy Power, while France are the raging hot favourites at 1-3.

Given still furious over seeding
Shay Given has once again condemned FIFA's decision to seed the World Cup play-offs after the Republic of Ireland were handed a daunting clash with 1998 winners France.

The Republic will play Raymond Domenech's side at Croke Park on Saturday, 14 November with the return leg in Paris the following Wednesday.
That is just the kind of scenario Ireland feared when it emerged a week before their ultimately decisive Group Eight showdown with Italy the draw would be seeded after all.

Now the Manchester City keeper and his team-mates must get past Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery and company if they are to reach next summer's finals in South Africa.
The 33-year-old launched a bitter attack on the governing body a fortnight ago, and remains angry at the decision.
He said: 'The seeding thing is totally unfair. As one of the smaller countries, it is hard enough to qualify at the best of times.
'To change the rules a couple of weeks before the end of the campaign is ridiculous. But that is what they have done. I do think it is very unfair.
'But we went to Bari and got a result. We also went to Bulgaria. There is great belief that we can go to these big nations and get results.
'We should have beaten Italy last week. They scored with the last kick of the game. We have to learn from that.
'We have enough experience to see the game out but we didn't do it. We do get great belief and confidence from matches like that.
'The seeding thing has spurred us a bit more. You think the whole world is against you. If they had made the rules from day one, you would have got your head round it. Just to change it a couple of weeks ago was farcical, as far as the smaller countries are concerned.
'But that is what they have done and we have to get on with it.
We want to be in South Africa. Every player wants to play in the World Cup finals against the best players in the world.
'It is a special World Cup when the Irish supporters are there. Hopefully we can get there.'

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Ireland play France world cup play offs