World Cup 2010: Qualifying schedule decided

Portugal start and end campaign against minnows Malta

Portugal will start and end the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup against the weakest team in their group, Malta.

Group 1 of the European section pitted the national team against Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Albania and Malta, and the match calendar was thrashed out in a meeting held in Brondby this Sunday.

Portuguese Football Federation representative Carlos Godinho managed to come out of tough negotiations with what he wanted - namely to end the campaign with two home matches against theoretically weaker teams - reportedly against the wishes of Sweden.

Should Portugal make it to the World Cup to be held in South Africa, it will be the sixth consecutive major tournament the Selecção das Quinas has participated in.

The European section is split into nine groups, with the winners of each group automatically qualifying, and the eight best second-placed teams then involved in four play-off ties to book their place in the World’s biggest football party.

Portugal schedule:

Malta-Portugal, 6 September 2008
Portugal-Denmark, 10 September 2008
Sweden-Portugal, 11 October 2008
Portugal-Albania, 15 October 2008
Portugal-Sweden, 28 March 2009
Albania-Portugal, 6 June 2009
Denmark-Portugal, 5 September 2009
Hungary-Portugal, 9 September 2009
Portugal-Hungary, 10 October 2009
Portugal-Malta, 14 October 2009

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