The Longshot: Can it be ladies’ night in Glasgow?

THE IRISH ladies team are on the precipice of qualifying for a first World Cup.

Well sort of. If they beat Scotland tonight at Hampden Park they might go through, but they have to hope Iceland and Switzerland lose against Portugal or Wales respectively in the other playoff games.

So far, so confusing.

It’s’because Switzerland (19 - their final points tally in their qualifying group) and Iceland (18) are currently ranked ahead of Ireland (17). Should all three sides get the three points taken for playoff wins, Ireland will not qualify automatically and instead enter an Inter-Confederation tournament playoff early next year.

Do you want it to get more convoluted?

Under playoff rules, if a tie goes to penalties, it only earns a country one point, so countries could finish up level on goal difference - Ireland are level with Iceland on goal difference and three up on Switzerland.

What may benefit our women is that they will hear the results of the other playoffs when they reach half-time in Hampden Park (kick-off 8pm, RTE 2).

This will leave them knowing what they need to do, although they may also find out that even a win might still mean another round of play-offs in New Zealand next year (the tournament itself is being hosted in Australia and New Zealand next summer.).

I am not even going to elaborate now about what will happen at that Inter-Confederation competition (in includes 10 teams and we would be ranked highest), I’ll just say this whole qualification process is the most ludicrously labyrinthine I’ve ever come across.

Let’s just hope the ladies can get the job done tonight.

There is, again, a startling lack of interest from betting shops and we have yet to find a price on what would be one of the greatest achievements in the history of football on this island.

The closest the Girls in Green have ever come to reaching a major tournament was for Euro 2009 when they were defeated 4-1 on aggregate by Iceland in a playoff.

Scotland have home advantage (because of world rankings!) after overcoming Austria in a qualifier for this qualifier last Thursday.

They won that one 1-0, but the game went to extra time, so you’d imagine Ireland will be coming into the game a bit fresher, as they haven’t been in action together since the fine win over Finland in their final group game.

Vera Pauw’s squad includes Cork’s own Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly and Saoirse Noonan, Fingers crossed!

A group of death that may finally kill off Kenny

STEPHEN KENNY is getting too soft a time of it say many pundits and Irish fans.

Whatever about the performances, the results have not been good enough and he should be out on his ear, is their refrain.

Anyone in that corner will probably have got a little thrill when the draws for Euro 2024 were announced. It’s probably fair to say we have very, very little chance of going to Germany that summer.

France, the Netherlands, Greece andsilly little Gibraltar.

The top two teams from each of the 10 groups will qualify and the remaining three places (Germany are already there as hosts) will be determined by a play-off process based on performances in the recent Nations League.

Scotland, as winners of our League B group, are guaranteed a play-off place even if they fail to qualify automatically (so that’s why that was important).

We are certainly within our rights to label it a Group of Death, even if we have struggled to prosper when given handier draws.

It brings to mind the 2002 World Cup group that paired us with Holland again and Portugal, except this time we don’t have Roy Keane.

The games will be held between March and November next year, with France travelling to Dublin first and it ending with a trip to Amsterdam.

France are 4/5 to top Group B, while the Netherlands are 6/5.

And just in case the ladies above were feeling lonely about not having odds being given on their chances of reaching the World Cup, no firm has yet provided a price on us getting to 2024 - although we are quoted as low as 200/1 to win it.

Scotland drew Spain and Erling Haaland (otherwise known as Norway) and are 12/1 to win their group.

England (sans Southgate presumably) will face the side who beat them on penalties at Wembley in the final last year. They are 7/1 to win it outright, while Italy ar 9/1.

Our neighbours haven’t beaten Italy in a competitive fixture since 1977 with the Azzurri losing just one friendly to them.

It’s not just England who are seeking some revenge, though, with Italy and North Macedonia set to lock horns once again in this group.

That’s the side that beat Roberto Mancini’s men in a World Cup play-off in March, denying them a place at the event in Qatar, although NM subsequently went on to lose to Portugal in the play-off final Germany are 5/1 favourites to win the competition for a fourth time.

The kibosh seems to have been put on Kenny and even building on good performances in this group might not be enough to see him keep his job. If we are to take some solace it’s that the weather in Athens in June should be nice.

Post match analysis

A STRANGE one from the week- end in the Championship.

It was established before kick-off in Wigan’s home game to Cardiff that one goal frame was approximately two inches taller than the other.

After being informed it would delay kick-off for two hours — to sink the posts — the clubs and match officials agreed the game should go ahead as neither team would gain an advantage.

“I did ask if we could attack that end in both halves but they weren’t having it,” said Cardiff boss Mark Hudson.

The Welsh side still won 3-1.

Chelsea odds coming in

CHELSEA shortened to 20/1 after dismantling AC Milan at home last week in the champions League.

The two sides meet again tonight in Lombardy and the Blues London club are 5/4 favourites, while the Rossoneri are 2/1, even after beating Juventus 2-0 at the weekend.

Manchester City remain 2/1 favourites to lift the trophy after keeping up their 100% record with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Copenhagen at the Etihad Stadium, Erling Haaland scoring twice. The Norwegian of course scored again at the weekend.

Napoli in pole

LIVERPOOL are 8/1 and after a poor start in their first match against Napoli, they comfortably dispatched Rangers 2-0 at Anfield last Tuesday evening.

They travel to Glasgow tomorrow night on the back of Jurgen Klopp saying their domestic chances are over following a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

Napoli took sole possession of top spot in Serie A and are in pole position to top the group. they are 28/1 for outright success in Europe after demolishing Ajax last week.

PSG and Bayern Munich are both 6/1. Holders Real are 10/1.

The Bet

LAST Friday’s choice was for 7/1 outsiders Kenmare to beat East Kerry in the Kerry County Championship. The post saved the divisional side from extra-time in a game that saw several contentious refereeing decisions go their way.

We’d love to be tipping Ireland to be going to a World Cup but a lack of odds means we’ll plump for a four-timer on PSG, Milan, and Dortmund tonight and Napoli tomorrow at 11/1.