North Macedonia moves one step closer to World Cup berth with win over Iceland
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/11/2021 (1779 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
North Macedonia made history this past summer by debuting at the European championship, and now the country has its sights set on qualifying for another major soccer tournament.
The team clinched a spot in the European playoffs of World Cup qualifying with a 3-1 home win over Iceland on Sunday, securing second place behind Group J winner Germany, which last month became the first nation to qualify for next winter’s tournament in Qatar.
Thirteen European nations will earn a World Cup spot out of the first round of qualifiers, which began in March and included 55 nations. Winners of the 10 qualification groups advance automatically; Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Serbia and Spain have secured their spots.
The three remaining European berths in Qatar will be decided by the 10 group runners-up, as well as the two best-ranked group winners from the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League who did not finish in the top two in their qualifying group. They will compete in playoffs to be held in March.
Countries will be separated into three groups of four teams, with each group playing two semifinals and a final. The winner of each group will advance to the World Cup.
A draw for playoff groups will be held Nov. 26, with seeding based on qualifying round points. North Macedonia is expected to be an unseeded nation, which means it will play on the road in its group semifinal. The location of each final will be decided by a draw.
North Macedonia lost all three of its matches at the Euros this past summer, but was a tough underdog to beat. The country’s first match, against Austria, was a particularly impressive performance. The 3-1 score line flattered the Austrians, who needed until the 78th minute to break a 1-1 tie.
The team’s European championship debut was a point of pride for many in Toronto’s Macedonian community, one of the largest such communities outside the country.
“Being part of such an impactful sporting event like the Euro cup, words can’t describe how proud and what a joyous moment it is,” Todor Kajcevski, a first-generation Canadian whose family is from Macedonia, told the Star this summer. “I think I can say this for every Macedonian out there.”
Securing a spot at the World Cup would be just another feather in North Macedonia’s cap, for the team and fans alike.
Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy
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