Football. ua presents preview of the playoff selection match at the 2018 World Cup, in which Northern Ireland will take Switzerland.

Northern Ireland - Switzerland Thursday, 21:45, Belfast, Windsor Park. The arbitrator of the meeting is Ovidiu Hachegan.

Live broadcast on the channel Football 1.

Northern Ireland has never before taken part in the play-offs for the World Cup. Prior to this, the "northerners" played three times at the biggest tournament, but all times (1958, 1982, 1986) they went to the mundial directly. The best result - 1/4 finals in 1958. Then Northern Ireland managed to leave Czechoslovakia and Argentina behind the tournament in the first round and together with Germany went to the next stage. However, in the quarterfinals the team ran into the French and flew out of the tournament (0: 4).

The Swiss in this regard are much more experienced than their rivals. So, this European team took part in the final part of the world championships 10 times (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994, 2006, 2010, 2014) and unlike the Northern Ireland recently did it all the time. The best result is also the game at the quarterfinal stage. This happened three times - in the distant 1934, 1938 and 1954.

In contrast to Northern Ireland, Switzerland already knows what the play-offs are. In 2006, this team issued an incredible thriller with the Turks, defeating them at home with a score of 2-0, and then losing 2-4 on the road and thanks to the rule of the away goal came on the mundial. By the way, that year was the most successful in the history of the Ukrainian national team. Why did we remember our guys? But because at the stage of 1/8 "blue-yellow" in the penalty shoot-out beat just Switzerland.

In their groups Northern Ireland and Switzerland did not experience any problems and quietly guaranteed themselves a way out of the group for a few rounds to the finish. The Swiss and all the time were the first, but lost in the last round to the Portuguese and dropped to second place. Northern Ireland, in turn, could not compete with the current world champions Germans, but left behind the tournament Czech Republic and Norway.

The favorite of the confrontation and the clearer candidate for the World Cup is Switzerland, but those who think that Northern Ireland will not fight - they are mistaken. At least at home, Michael O'Neill's team is able to catch on to the desired result and deliver problems to more skillful opponents. In such games, the character and the fighting spirit often come to the forefront, and in this respect Northern Ireland will give odds to many.

The Swiss will come to Belfast with the hope to provide the right result already here, but do not think that they will immediately run forward. In the butt games, the price of the error is so great that the risk in the end can lead to failure. We are already accustomed to that such games, where the result is at the forefront and are the most important in a career for many, rarely come out spectacular. Today's match is unlikely to be rich in events, and the fight will come to the forefront.

Approximate compositions:.

Northern Ireland:

McGovern - McLaughlin, J. Evans, Macaulie, Brant-Davies, K. Evans - Magenis, Norwood, Dallas - Washington Switzerland: Sommer - Lichtsteiner, Cher, Akandzhi, Rodriguez - Jaca, Froyler - Shakiri, Dzemaliili, Mehmedi - Seferovich Disqualified: - Injured: - In doubt: - 1: 0 forecast Alexander Puzik, Football. ua Do you want to learn the main football news first? Subscribe to our channel in Telegram! You can also follow our website in Viber and Twitter.

Author: Alexander Puzik.