A DAUNTING challenge awaits the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in next year’s Euro 2016 finals after being placed in extremely competitive groups in today’s draw in Paris.
Martin O’Neill’s men have been paired with Belgium, Sweden and Italy in Group E. The Republic had hoped for a kinder draw than their last appearance at a major tournament in Poland and Ukraine in 2012, when they found themselves up against Croatia and eventual finalists Spain and Italy.
Once again they have been pitted against the Italians, who were only seeded in Pot Two despite being one of the strongest tournament sides in football. Ireland will also take on a Belgium team that top the FIFA rankings for the first time since they were introduced in 1992.
The Republic’s opener will be against Sweden on June 13 in Paris. Erik Hamren’s side required a play-off against Denmark to qualify for next year’s tournament, winning 2-1 at home and drawing 2-2 away, with their talismanic 34-year-old striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring three of their goals over the two legs.
Northern Ireland fans could claim to have received an even tougher group, having been drawn against World Champions Germany, Ukraine and Poland in Group C.
Michael O’Neill’s side are the lowest-seeded team to ever win a qualifying group, topping Group F with six wins and three draws, and their opening match is a tough encounter against Poland in Nice, who boast one of the world's best strikers in Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
Their second match is against Ukraine, who qualified by virtue of a 3-1 win on aggregate against Slovenia in last month’s play-off round. Solid defensively, Mykhaylo Fomenko’s side kept six clean sheets in their 10 matches in the group stages but finished third behind Spain and Slovakia in Group C.
Northern Ireland’s final match is against pre-tournament favourites Germany. Jogi Löw’s side have lost Miroslav Klose, Per Mertesacker and Philipp Lahm to retirement since winning the World Cup last year, but Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan should be available after missing last summer's triumph through injury.
Elsewhere, England and Wales will meet for the first time in a major tournament after they were drawn in the same group.
Roy Hodgson's men take on Chris Coleman's side on Thursday June 16 in Lens in what will be the teams' second match in Group B.
It was the draw Coleman had been hoping to avoid, but Russia and Slovakia are the other opponents in the group meaning the most highly-rated rivals had been avoided.