Wales set for Scottish showdown
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Article summary
Wales are to play Scotland in a friendly international at the Millennium Stadium on 18 February.
Article body
Wales are to play Scotland in a friendly international at the Millennium Stadium on 18 February, the Football Association of Wales have announced.
Lengthy gap
The match will be the first meeting between the two teams since 1997, when Wales won 1-0 in a friendly in Kilmarnock. The last time they met in Wales was in 1985, the two sides drawing 1-1 at Cardiff City FC.s Ninian Park in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Play-off failures
Both sides fell at the final hurdles as they sought a place in the finals of UEFA EURO 2004™, with each losing out in the play-offs. Wales were eliminated 1-0 on aggregate by Russia while, after defeating the Netherlands 1-0 at Hampden Park, Scotland lost 6-0 in the second leg.
World Cup rivals
Wales have been drawn in Group 6 in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, alongside England, Austria, Northern Ireland, Poland and Azerbaijan. Scotland, meanwhile, are in Group 5, which includes Italy, Norway, Belarus, Moldova and Slovenia. Qualification begins in September 2004.