All roads point to Cardiff – three games, three different reasons

All the footballing eyes of South Wales (and areas beyond) could be on Cardiff in the next ten days with three very different games meaning three very different feelings with World Cup qualification, fundraising and South Wales bragging rights at stake over those ten days.

First and foremost it is the small matter of a World Cup play off for Wales on Thursday evening when Austria arrive in the capital city.  Robert Page’s side know that two wins in their play offs and a first finals appearance since 1958 will be secured and they will be backed by a capacity crowd for the game as they look to create another slice of history.

Of course, events in Ukraine have meant that, should they win, they will need to wait for a rescheduling of the Scotland v Ukraine semi final to find out their opponents meaning that we could become the very last team to secure a place in Qatar for the end of the year.   That said it will not take away from the occasion and the nation will watch on in the hope that we finally put to bed some of the near misses and painful memories of the past.   Once again we find that we are daring to dream.

Of course Cardiff could have been hosting the final of that World Cup play off next Tuesday night but now that will be replaced by a match to raise money for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Wales’ opponents are not yet confirmed and will be dictated by whether we win against Austria or not on Thursday evening.   Should we win then it will be the losing team from the Path B semi-final between Sweden and Czech Republic and should we lose then Scotland will be our opponents.

Tickets for the game are now on sale and can be purchased here and are available at just £5.00.

Once the international games are over then the focus turns to the first Saturday in April and the small matter of the second South Wales derby of the season.   The Swans are in search of another piece of history having won the game at the Liberty 3-0 earlier this season and with a full allocation of Jacks making the short trip up the M4 for the game it really is pride and history that both teams are playing for.

So three very different games for three very different causes and whilst the result in the middle one is the least important thing on display as Swans fans we hope for the results that we desire in the first and third of the games.

All footballing roads for 10 days point to Cardiff.