SCOTLAND boss Steve Clarke reckons his side won’t face Ukraine for a spot at the World Cup until SEPTEMBER.
And it could mean Wales face a lengthy wait to find out if they will react Qatar 2022 in December.
Steve Clarke does not believe Scotland will face Ukraine in June, with September more realistic Credit: PA Scotland were set to face Ukraine this month in a World Cup semi-final playoff.
But Fifa delayed the match until June after Ukraine was invaded by Russia.
However, the eastern European country continues to come under siege from Vladimir Putin.
And Scotland boss Clarke can’t see how Ukraine will be able to play the game this summer.
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England face bitter battle with Russia in bid to host Euro 2028 The winner of Scotland vs Ukraine is set to take on the winner of Wales vs Austria.
And should Gareth Bale’s side come through, they could be waiting a while to play the crunch playoff final.
Clarke said: “Is that [a further delay] looking more and more likely given the situation on the ground?
“If you’re honest about the situation, then, yes.
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“It’s difficult to see how we’ll be playing them in June. It’s not just about the fixture.
“It’s the fact they need to get together, have a training camp and get players on the pitch with a proper period to prepare for such an important game.
“Andriy Shevchenko, who I know from my time at Chelsea, spoke well about the situation and said they’d want to play.
“But the way the situation is, I think they should get as much time as possible to try to make our game happen.
“It’s a horrible situation and the quicker we know we’re going to play Ukraine at Hampden the better, because it’ll mean the war has stopped and we’re all trying to move forward.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
