Sports 5 Big European Matches To Watch in World Cup Qualifiers

kemi

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European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia resumes this week with every nation playing twice after starting their campaigns last month.

russia 2018 world cup.jpg

Here are the picks amid a vast array of matches:

1. Southgate leads troubled England

England turn their back on the brief Sam Allardyce era as caretaker manager Gareth Southgate leads the team in a double-header of Group F matches against minnows Malta at Wembley and away to Slovenia.

Southgate, the England Under-21s coach, has recalled Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard and confirmed that Wayne Rooney will continue as captain, describing him as “the outstanding leader in the group.”

2. Spain seek Italy revenge

Italy and Spain meet in a heavyweight clash in Turin just over three months after the Azzurri knocked the reigning champions out of Euro 2016 in the last 16 at the Stade de France.

In other fixtures, Spain visit Albania on Sunday while Italy go to Macedonia.

3. France look for kick-start

Didier Deschamps’ France return to the Stade de France when they play Bulgaria on Friday, their first match there since losing in extra time to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final.

Since that agonising defeat, Les Bleus got off to something of a false start in their World Cup qualifying campaign, drawing 0-0 away to Belarus. They could really do with a win against Bulgaria before facing their main Group A rivals, the Netherlands, in Amsterdam next Monday.

4. Kosovo play first ‘home’ game

Kosovo’s competitive debut last month ended in a creditable 1-1 draw away to Finland, with Valon Berisha scoring their maiden World Cup goal in the Group I encounter. It was a remarkable result given that FIFA only gave their approval for a host of players to represent the Balkan outfit on the day of the game. Now Albert Bunjaki’s side play their first “home” game, although they will face Croatia in the Albanian city of Shkoder because the facilities in Pristina, the Kosovan capital, are not yet deemed up to the standards of FIFA.

5. Iceland, Turkey meet again

Iceland’s remarkable journey to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 started with a 3-0 home win against a stunned Turkey in Reykjavik in their opening qualifier in September 2014. Now with Heimir Hallgrimsson in sole charge after Lars Lagerback departed following the Euros, Iceland host Turkey again in World Cup qualifying Group I. Both teams drew 1-1 in their opening matches, Iceland in Ukraine and Turkey in Croatia.


Source: AFP
 
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