Wales and Scotland in World Cup showdown

WALES and Scotland will meet in a battle of britain showdown for a place at next year’s World Cup, should they win their play-off semi-finals.

The seeded pair were guaranteed home ties for the one-off semis during yesterday’s draw in Zurich, and Wales will now take on austria while Scotland face Ukraine.

If they are both victorious then it will be the Welsh who play host to the Scots on March 29, with the winner advancing to Qatar.

The biggest news elsewhere in the draw was that at least one of Italy and Portugal will not be at the finals after they were paired in the same pathway.

European champions Italy slipped into the play-offs on the final night of qualifying when they were unable to beat Northern Ireland in belfast.

roberto Mancini’s side will play North Macedonia in their semi-final, and the likelihood is that Portugal will be waiting for them in Lisbon, should Cristiano ronaldo and Co get past Turkey.

Wales boss robert Page and Scotland counterpart Steve Clarke will be mightily relieved that they have avoided the big guns.

Clarke’s side won six on the spin to take second spot in their group and they currently rank as one of Europe’s most in-form nations.

The Tartan army are bidding to make it to their first World Cup since 1998 and will fancy their chances against Ukraine at a sold-out hampden Park, where they have not lost a qualifying match in more than two years.

Wales, meanwhile, have not been to the finals since 1958 but will be buoyed by knowing they must win two matches in Cardiff to end that exile.