Sweden handed Russian test in Euro 2016 draw
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 23 Feb, 2014 CET.
Updated: Sun 23 Feb 2014 14:05 CET
Sweden will have to contend with Russia and Austria if they are reach the Euro 2016 tournament after the draw for the qualifying rounds for the finals was made on Sunday.
Erik Hamrén's side were drawn in Group G along with Russia, Austria, Montenegro, Moldova and Liechtenstein. Sweden will be familiar with Russia after meeting them in the group stage at Euro 2008 while they also have previous with Austria, having faced them twice in qualifiers for World Cup 2014. The Swedes have qualified for the last four European Championship finals but have only got beyond the group stage once, back in 2004. Sweden, known as the Blågult (blue-yellow), reached the semi finals of Euro 92 when it was held on home turf. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the finals in France along with the best third-placed side while the remaining eight third-placed teams will play off in November 2015 for the final four berths. The first qualifiers will be played on September 7 and the campaign will see matches spread over six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, during every international break in a format that UEFA have championed as the 'Week of Football.' As for the tournament itself, it will run from June 10 to July 10, 2016 as has been expanded to 24 teams for the first time in its history.
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Erik Hamrén's side were drawn in Group G along with Russia, Austria, Montenegro, Moldova and Liechtenstein. Sweden will be familiar with Russia after meeting them in the group stage at Euro 2008 while they also have previous with Austria, having faced them twice in qualifiers for World Cup 2014.
The Swedes have qualified for the last four European Championship finals but have only got beyond the group stage once, back in 2004. Sweden, known as the Blågult (blue-yellow), reached the semi finals of Euro 92 when it was held on home turf.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the finals in France along with the best third-placed side while the remaining eight third-placed teams will play off in November 2015 for the final four berths.
The first qualifiers will be played on September 7 and the campaign will see matches spread over six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, during every international break in a format that UEFA have championed as the 'Week of Football.'
As for the tournament itself, it will run from June 10 to July 10, 2016 as has been expanded to 24 teams for the first time in its history.
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