Why Ireland need to LOSE to Netherlands in Euro 2024 qualifier to have best chance of qualifying for tournament
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND are in a bizarre scenario where their Euro 2024 hopes would actually be boosted if they LOST to Netherlands next month.
Stephen Kenny’s side suffered a crushing blow on Friday when they were beaten by Greece at home in qualification.
That was Ireland’s fifth defeat in six matches and leaves them fourth in Group B, six points behind Netherlands, nine behind the second-placed Greeks and 15 behind leaders France.
They head to Gibraltar today already knowing that a play-off place is out of their grasp and their hopes of qualifying automatically out of the group are over.
However, the dream of reaching this summer’s European Championship in Germany is not quite over thanks to a very strange predicament.
The introduction of the Nations League in 2018 now means that nations have two means of qualification.
The Euro play-offs will include the best-performing sides from the Nations League that failed to qualify automatically for Euro 2024.
That means Ireland cannot have more than seven teams above them in the Nations League ranking that fail to qualify automatically from the groups.
The Netherlands are one of the sides above Ireland in the Nations League rankings.
That, therefore, means it would be beneficial for Kenny’s men if Ronald Koeman’s team qualify ahead of Greece as the latter are ranked below the Irish.
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An Ireland defeat to Netherlands, who face Greece tonight, on November 18 in the final qualifier would create an additional play-off spot for Ireland.
However, a win would almost certainly take away their chance of advancing due to the bonkers situation they find themselves in.