France will have to make history if they are to book their place in Brazil by becoming the first team to reverse a two-goal deficit in a World Cup play-off match.
Les Bleus trail 2-0 following defeat in Ukraine on Friday, a result and performance which saw the French press label their team ‘one of the worst ever’.
Les Bleus trail 2-0 following defeat in Ukraine on Friday, a result and performance which saw the French press label their team ‘one of the worst ever’.
No other country in play-off history has fallen behind by two or more goals and then recovered to qualify.
But that is the task facing a France side which, in Kiev, started with six Premier League players.
Abject: Samir Nasri (right) and Olivier Giroud look perplexed after France concede against Ukraine
Red mist: Laurent Koscielny was dismissed for palming Oleksandr Kucher in the face
The timing of their date with destiny will not be lost on those who carry an expectant – and unforgiving – nation’s hopes. It was 20 years ago this week that France last failed to qualify for a major tournament.
But that is the task facing a France side which, in Kiev, started with six Premier League players.
Abject: Samir Nasri (right) and Olivier Giroud look perplexed after France concede against Ukraine
Red mist: Laurent Koscielny was dismissed for palming Oleksandr Kucher in the face
The timing of their date with destiny will not be lost on those who carry an expectant – and unforgiving – nation’s hopes. It was 20 years ago this week that France last failed to qualify for a major tournament.
Needing just a draw against Bulgaria in Paris to confirm their participation at USA ’94, Gerard Houllier’s men - including the likes of Eric Cantona, current boss Didier Deschamps and Marcel Desailly - succumbed to a shock 2-1 defeat.
The future Liverpool chief was in no doubt as to where blame lay. David Ginola, then with PSG, had surrendered possession in stoppage-time, the Balkans broke upfield and Emil Kostadinov climaxed their last-gasp attack with his second goal of the game.
Blame game: In November, 1993, David Ginola lost possession during injury-time allowing Bulgaria to break and steal a 2-1 win which cost France their place at USA 94. Manager Gerard Houllier later criticised the winger
Houllier said Ginola had ‘murdered’ French hopes and, after finding himself derided in his homeland, the winger eventually moved to Newcastle United in 1995. Should this current vintage come up short in their bid for Brazil then they will no doubt be the subject of similar ignominy.
Elsewhere, Romania will also be striving to turn around a two-goal deficit against Greece, Sweden and Portugal meet in Solna with the visitors one goal to the good and Croatia and Iceland, who drew 0-0 on Friday, face off in Zagreb.
Round two: Both sets of players clash in the wake of Koscielny's red card
The future Liverpool chief was in no doubt as to where blame lay. David Ginola, then with PSG, had surrendered possession in stoppage-time, the Balkans broke upfield and Emil Kostadinov climaxed their last-gasp attack with his second goal of the game.
Blame game: In November, 1993, David Ginola lost possession during injury-time allowing Bulgaria to break and steal a 2-1 win which cost France their place at USA 94. Manager Gerard Houllier later criticised the winger
Houllier said Ginola had ‘murdered’ French hopes and, after finding himself derided in his homeland, the winger eventually moved to Newcastle United in 1995. Should this current vintage come up short in their bid for Brazil then they will no doubt be the subject of similar ignominy.
Elsewhere, Romania will also be striving to turn around a two-goal deficit against Greece, Sweden and Portugal meet in Solna with the visitors one goal to the good and Croatia and Iceland, who drew 0-0 on Friday, face off in Zagreb.
Round two: Both sets of players clash in the wake of Koscielny's red card
Roman Zozulia and Andriy Yarmolenko have manoeuvred the Eastern Europeans into a position of control. The former opened the scoring just after the hour mark while the latter profited from a penalty conceded by Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny, who was later sent off.
Ukraine will be bidding to make just their second-ever World Cup appearance following on from their last-eight showing in 2006.
Head start: Cristiano Ronaldo wheels away in celebration after his diving header gave Portugal the advantage in their play-off with Sweden
In the tie billed as ‘Cristiano Ronaldo versus Zlatan Ibrahimovic’, it was the Portugal man who drew first blood with a diving header in the 82nd minute in Lisbon.
Ukraine will be bidding to make just their second-ever World Cup appearance following on from their last-eight showing in 2006.
Head start: Cristiano Ronaldo wheels away in celebration after his diving header gave Portugal the advantage in their play-off with Sweden
In the tie billed as ‘Cristiano Ronaldo versus Zlatan Ibrahimovic’, it was the Portugal man who drew first blood with a diving header in the 82nd minute in Lisbon.
That, though, was merely round one in the battle of the heavyweights and another enthralling encounter awaits in Solna.
Kos I'm worth it: Kostas Mitroglou celebrates his goal in Greece's 3-1 win over Romania
Kos I'm worth it: Kostas Mitroglou celebrates his goal in Greece's 3-1 win over Romania
Since winning Euro 2004, the Greeks have missed just one major tournament and their place at the top table of world football continues to contradict the financial turmoil in Athens.
Romania, like France, will have to make play-off history if they are to return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1998. But unlike France they do have an away goal to take into tonight's game, meaning a 2-0 win would see them through without the need of extra-time.
Deadlock: Croatia striker Ivica Olic and Iceland defender Ari Freyr Skulason challenge during their play-off stalemate
Deadlock: Croatia striker Ivica Olic and Iceland defender Ari Freyr Skulason challenge during their play-off stalemate
Iceland could yet become the first country with fewer than a million people to reach the finals. They were reduced to 10 men in the first leg when Olafur Skulason was sent off early in the second half but they held out to retain parity.
Niko Kovac, in just his second game in charge, will be looking to maintain what has been a strong recent history of Croatian qualifications; they have made it to three of the last four editions.
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Niko Kovac, in just his second game in charge, will be looking to maintain what has been a strong recent history of Croatian qualifications; they have made it to three of the last four editions.
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