Nov 19,2024
The Republic of Ireland's potential play-off opponents have been narrowed down to five teams, following the conclusion of the C league fixtures tonight.
The Boys in Green will take on Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia or one of Romania or Kosovo.
The last pairing is still up in the air as we await a decision from UEFA on the resolution to Friday's game, where Kosovo players left the field towards the end of the match with Romania due to alleged pro-Serbian chanting from supporters in Bucharest.
For many, Romania and World Cup 1990 go hand in hand. The greatest victory the national side has ever secured assured us of a place in the quarter-finals in Italy, the furthest we've ever managed to go in the game's biggest competition.
The countries have met on a further four occasions but it's over 20 years since the last one, a 1-0 victory under Brian Kerr in Dublin in May 2004.
Ireland are yet to face Kosovo at international level.
Slovakia were already assured of second place before kick off against Estonia. Ireland's last meeting with them was in the play-offs for Euro 2020 which ended in defeat on penalties in Bratislava.
The last round of fixtures in Nations League C, Group 4 were played last night when Eduard Spertsyan helped Armenia to a 2-1 over Latvia, thus assuring them of a play-off spot.
Ireland met Armenia for the first time under Giovanni Trapattoni in September 2010 when Keith Fahey scored the only goal in Yerevan. There have been a further three meetings, including a 1-0 defeat in Dublin under Stephen Kenny when Spertsyan got the only goal.
Bulgaria hold a special place in Irish footballing folklore as the first side to play us in a competitive game at the 1924 Paris Olympics, when Paddy Duncan's goal handed the boys in... blue a 1-0 triumph. The countries have met a further 12 times since, with a 0-0 Nations League clash in November 2020 the most recent of these.
The draw for the Nations League B/C promotion/relegation play-off will take place in Nyon on Friday, with the ties being decided over two legs in late March next year.
