UEFA's Runner-Up Draw: Sweden Gets Short Straw

First of all, what in the name of underachieving is Italy doing in the playoff round?

Could it be that the UEFA World Cup qualifying group draw was the first one held after the FBI moved against FIFA's racketeers top officials?

Not being protected by such hijinks as, say, heating the balls containing top teams, the Azurri wound up in Group G with Spain.

That should be whom, but the idea's conveyed.

As a result, Italy's run in a two-horse race fell short:

Thus, they joined a group of eight second-place finishers to vie for the remaining four slots UEFA's allotted for World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Yes, there were nine groups, but that just would've complicated everything.

Tschüss, Slovakia.

Maybe you can hook up a friendly with the USA. They've got time on  their hands, too.

Balls representing the top four clubs in this cluster were placed in one bowl so they wouldn't be drawn against each other. The other four, obviously, were dropped in the other bowl, awiting to discover which dragon they'd have to slay.

Here's the result:

The Blågult -- Blue-Yellow -- were probably the side Italy would've preferred to avoid.

Their last meeting was in 2006, with the Azurri prevailing, 1-0. Clearly, there's been mass turnover since then.

The Swedes have made the World Cup 11 times, with a loss to Pelé and Brazil in the 1958 final as their best showing.

Italy, on the other hand, has claimed four World Cup championships in 18 appearances. Their nation's level of expectation is such that when they lost to France in the 1968 World Cup preliminaries and didn't advance, they returned to chants of Italy vomits on you!

Actually, its the Ulstermen who are in tough.

Switzerland had a perfect record in Group B until the last match, when Portugal gained revenge for the only loss on their record. Those squads are currenly ranked 11th and 3rd, respectively.

So, the reality is Northern Ireland drew the short straw.

Games will be played -- home-&-home -- on 9-14 November.