Euro 2012: Who will take playoff places? | CNN

Euro 2012: Who will take playoff places?

Tom McGowan, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 12:27 PM EST, Tue November 15, 2011
The last four of 16 places at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine will be decided on Tuesday as the second legs of the four playoff ties are played.
Road to Poland and Ukraine —
The last four of 16 places at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine will be decided on Tuesday as the second legs of the four playoff ties are played.
Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal face a delicately poised tie with Bosnia-Herzegovina after a 0-0 draw in Zenica on Friday. Portugal, finalists on home soil in 2004, will be hoping the crowd at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz can help deny the visitors a historic first chance to play at a major tournament.
Last chance in Lisbon —
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal face a delicately poised tie with Bosnia-Herzegovina after a 0-0 draw in Zenica on Friday. Portugal, finalists on home soil in 2004, will be hoping the crowd at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz can help deny the visitors a historic first chance to play at a major tournament.
Two years ago, Portugal prevented the Bosnians from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after winning their playoff 2-0 on aggregate.
Deja vu —
Two years ago, Portugal prevented the Bosnians from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after winning their playoff 2-0 on aggregate.
Turkey endured a nightmare in Istanbul on Friday, losing 3-0 at home to Croatia thanks to goals from Ivica Olic, Mario Mandzukic and Vedran Corluka. Home advantage for Tuesday's second leg in Zagreb should be enough to see Slaven Bilic's Croatia reach the finals for a third successive time.
Turkey stuffed? —
Turkey endured a nightmare in Istanbul on Friday, losing 3-0 at home to Croatia thanks to goals from Ivica Olic, Mario Mandzukic and Vedran Corluka. Home advantage for Tuesday's second leg in Zagreb should be enough to see Slaven Bilic's Croatia reach the finals for a third successive time.
The Republic of Ireland routed Estonia 4-0 in Talinn, a result which should see Giovanni Trapattoni's team reach a major tournament for the first time since the 2002 World Cup. The Irish have only once qualified for the Euro finals, in 1988. Estonia had hoped for a historic first finals appearance after surprisingly finishing above Serbia and Slovenia in Group C.
A four-mality for Ireland? —
The Republic of Ireland routed Estonia 4-0 in Talinn, a result which should see Giovanni Trapattoni's team reach a major tournament for the first time since the 2002 World Cup. The Irish have only once qualified for the Euro finals, in 1988. Estonia had hoped for a historic first finals appearance after surprisingly finishing above Serbia and Slovenia in Group C.
Tomas Sivok's late goal in the Czech capital of Prague gave Michal Bilek's team a 2-0 win over Montenegro on Friday. Montenegro need a historic win in Podgorica in order to reach a first major championship.
Czech mate? —
Tomas Sivok's late goal in the Czech capital of Prague gave Michal Bilek's team a 2-0 win over Montenegro on Friday. Montenegro need a historic win in Podgorica in order to reach a first major championship.
Euro 2012 playoff deciders

Story highlights

The playoffs for Euro 2012 will be completed on Tuesday

The second-leg ties will decide which final four countries will qualify

Next year's championship will be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine

Spain will defend their 2008 title from 16 other competing nations

CNN  — 

The last remaining places for European football’s showpiece tournament will be decided on Tuesday when eight nations compete in the second leg of the Euro 2012 playoffs.

Ten countries have already qualified, along with co-hosts Poland and Ukraine, for the four-yearly tournament taking place in June and July.

The most evenly-poised tie is in Lisbon, where 2004 hosts Portugal take on Bosnia-Herzegovina following Friday’s 0-0 draw in Zenica.

Turkey reached the semifinals in 2008, but face an uphill struggle to appear at the 14th staging of the event after Croatia won 3-0 in the first leg in Istanbul.

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Montenegro, competing for the first time as an independent nation, will also have to overhaul a deficit at home after losing 2-0 in Prague to the Czech Republic – who finished runners-up on debut in 1996 after the split with Slovakia.

Estonia caused a surprise by reaching the playoffs after taking second place in Group C behind Italy, meaning 2010 World Cup qualifiers Serbia and Slovenia missed out.

However, the East Europeans are unlikely to be included in the December 2 group-stage draw after losing 4-0 in Tallinn to the Republic of Ireland on Friday. The Irish have qualified for the finals only once, in 1988.

Next year will be the last time the tournament is played by 16 teams ahead of an expansion to 24.

World champions Spain will defend their European title, having qualified as group winners along with Germany, Russia, France, the Netherlands, Greece, England and Denmark.

Sweden went through as the second-placed team with the best record.