World Cup Qualifiers: How have Portugal and Italy performed in play-offs?

Portugal and Italy find themselves in not an entirely unchartered territory as they head into the European Playoffs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup that is set to be hosted in Qatar.

Portugal missed the chance to qualify directly for the marquee event after they were beaten 2-1 by Serbia in the final group stage matchday. Whereas, Italy came second to Switzerland in Group C by two points to lose the direct qualification spot to the Red Crosses.

Hence Portugal and Italy will be involved in a playoff semifinal against Turkey and North Macedonia respectively on March 25. The winners will clash in a final on March 30 to secure their path to Qatar.

Despite being footballing giants, both these teams have had to participate in World Cup qualifying playoffs in the past and are well aware of what it takes to succeed at this stage.

How have Portugal performed in World Cup qualifying playoffs?

Only two of the 27 nations to have participated in the European playoffs boast a 100 per cent record in matches. Erstwhile Yugoslavia have won the two play-off matches they were a part of in 1997. They defeated Hungary 7-1 away and 5-0 at home in their two appearances. The second team to do so is Portugal who have won all four of their games – all by one-goal margins - two-legged ties against Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2009 and Sweden in 2013.

In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo missed both the matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and yet The Navigators made their way to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa courtesy of two 1-0 victories. However, in 2013 it was a one-man-show as Ronaldo scored all four goals including a hat-trick to oust Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden.

Reuters

How have Italy performed in World Cup qualifying playoffs?

Italy had successfully negotiated the playoffs in 1997 where they beat Russia 2-1 on aggregate. Incidentally, all three goals were scored by Italians including an own goal by Fabio Cannavaro. Gianluigi Buffon, then a teenage goalkeeper was sent on in the 31st minute for the injured Gianluca Pagliuca in Moscow, and he went on to produce a magnificent performance. In the second leg, Pierluigi Casiraghi scored the only goal in Naples to send the Azzuri to the World Cup.

However, in 2017, Buffon failed to reproduce the magic as Italy went down to Sweden. Jakob Johansson scored the only goal in the two-legged tie to break Italian hearts.

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