Sheffield United trio's World Cup dreams on the line ahead of crunch play-off ties
Representing your country at a World Cup is the pinnacle of any player’s career.
For Sheffield United trio Adam Davies, Rhys Norrington-Davies and Chiedozie Ogbene those dreams could move one step closer when Wales and the Republic of Ireland resume their European qualifying campaigns this evening (Thursday).
After falling short of automatic qualification, both nations have a second opportunity to try and join England and Scotland at this summer’s showpiece event via the play-offs.
Wales host Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Cardiff City Stadium and the Republic of Ireland travel to Prague to take on the Czech Republic in their respective semi-final showdowns. A victory would move them to within just one more win of securing a place at this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
For Wales, they are bidding to try and reach a second consecutive World Cup for the very first time after ending their 64-year wait for a second World Cup appearance in Qatar in 2022. The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, will be hoping to clinch their first World Cup spot since 2002.
If Wales get the better of Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight, they will host the winner of the other semi-final in Path A between Italy and Northern Ireland next Tuesday evening. A victory for the Republic of Ireland in Prague will see them entertain the winner of the other semi-final in Path D between Denmark and North Macedonia.
For United shot-stopper Davies, who has recently had to step into the void vacated by Michael Cooper after he was ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury, the coming days could see him reach a second World Cup after being part of the Wales squad that qualified in 2022. He was on the bench for their three matches at tournament in Qatar.
Unfortunately for him, he is unlikely to start tonight’s game against Bosnia and Herzegovina amid the presence of Karl Darlow as Wales’ No.1. Nevertheless, everyone has a part to play and Davies will be hoping to be part of the group that writes history by reaching a second World Cup in succession.
Meanwhile, Norrington-Davies will be desperate to help Wales get themselves over the line after missing out on the 2022 World Cup through injury. He suffered a hamstring blow just weeks before the tournament, sidelining him for over a year.
Norrington-Davies said earlier this week: “Yes, I missed out on the World Cup, literally in the build-up to the tournament, probably two or three weeks prior.
“I picked up a significant injury. And then I struggled to get back into the squad afterwards because of related injuries here and there.
“It was tough [missing out on the 2022 World Cup]. I can remember being sat in bed, I was bed-bound. Obviously watching the boys thinking, ‘Yes, I should be there and I should be playing.’”
For Ogbene, who has spent this season on loan at Bramall Lane from Ipswich Town, this is the closest he has ever come to representing his country at a major tournament. The Republic of Ireland last qualified for a tournament when they reached the 2016 European Championship - five years before Ogbene made his international debut.
Having secured a play-off spot in such dramatic fashion in November, beating Hungary 3-2 in Budapest, the Republic of Ireland will be hoping to feed off the energy created by winning in such a fashion to try and push their way past the Czechs and then either Denmark or North Macedonia next week.
Ogbene has been a key figure in the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign up to this juncture, starting five or their six regular qualifiers, meaning he could be in line for a place in the starting XI in the event of them qualifying.
It could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to represent his country at the greatest show on earth, meaning he will be determined not to let it slip through his fingers.
United teammate Davies, who will be dreaming of going to his second World Cup, will have no doubt filled him in what it is like to be a part of such a prestigious event.