The Republic of Ireland will play 1998 champions France in the play-offs for the World Cup finals. The French will have the advantage of playing the second leg on home soil.

Portugal, meanwhile, will face Bosnia-Herzegovina and it is Greece-Ukraine and Russia-Slovenia. France and Ireland were in the same qualifying group for the 2006 World Cup. There was just one goal in the two games between the sides as Thierry Henry scored a 68th-minute winner at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.

Portugal may be relieved to be drawn against a nation with no experience of previously qualifying for a finals, especially as neighbours Spain found it easy to play against them in scoring five goals last week.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter awaits the draw for the European play-offs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich October 19, 2009

Russia, who came close to being drawn against neighbours Ukraine, will face Slovenia who reached the finals in 2002. Slovenia conceded just four goals in qualifying, only bettered by Netherlands, which will make them a tough opponent.

And Greece, European Champions in 2004, will play Andriy Shevchenko’s Ukraine for a place on the plane to South Africa.

source images via daylife