Seeded four set for play-off draw

The main event in the footballing world this coming Monday, 19 October takes place at Home of FIFA in Zurich, with the spotlight focused on the eight European nations who have claimed places in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying play-offs. The draw for the final eliminators, to be played on a home-and-away basis on 14 and 18 November, will be held at 14:00 local time, with France, Portugal, Russia and Greece entering it as the seeded teams.

Fans, media representatives and football lovers around the globe can stay abreast of the very latest developments and follow the draw ceremony as it happens, by tuning in to our FIFA.com live stream here at the world governing body's official website. The eight remaining nations have battled their way through to the play-offs, and will now go head-to-head for the four remaining spots at the 2010 finals:....[source]

Who will win the play-offs?

On Monday 19 October, the European play-offs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ were drawn in Zurich. The continent's eight best group runners-up now have a second shot at realising their dream of qualifying for next summer's finals, vying for a place at the tournament alongside group winners Denmark, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Spain, England, Serbia, Italy and the Netherlands...[source]

European play-offs (14 and 18 November):
Republic of Ireland - France
Portugal - Bosnia Herzegovina
Greece - Ukraine
Russia - Slovenia

Samaras: We can't have regrets

Georgios Samaras was just a boy when Greece made their one and only FIFA World Cup™ appearance. It does not count among his most vivid or treasured childhood memories. USA 1994 ended for Greece, after all, with three defeats, ten goals conceded and none scored; typical, some say, of the nation's uneasy relationship with football's premier competition.

Failing to reach Germany 2006 just two years after becoming European champions hardly helped to ease this tension, and Samaras remembers only too well that it was a 1-0 home defeat by Ukraine that effectively sealed their fate. Now, four-and-a-half years on, that same fixture is set to be replayed in Athens as the two sides square off in the first leg of their play-off for a place at South Africa 2010. As the Celtic striker, a key member of Greece's flourishing attacking line-up, told FIFA.com: "Maybe it's destiny."[source]

Huh recalls Kim, Kwak

Huh Jung-Moo has sprung a few surprises in his 25 players for the forthcoming friendlies against the Republic of Korea Denmark and Serbia.

The former West Bromwich midfielder Kim Do-Heon is named for the first time since returning to the K-League in the summer and there is a recall for defender Kwak Tae-Hwi. Chunnam Dragons star is back to full fitness after a long injury.

Park Ji-Sung is included despite a knee injury, while star-shaped Bolton Lee Chung-Yong has been summoned along with fellow English Premier League players Seol Ki-Hyeon, Fulham and Wigan Athletic, Cho Won-Hee .

South Koreans against Denmark in the Parken on November 14 and Serbia four days later at Craven Cottage as the Taeguk Warriors step up preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa ™....[source]