Group B: The Republic of Ireland's opponents

Russia World ranking: 13 Ireland's record: P5 W1 D2 L2

THE Russians are a strong side and will deservedly kick off the group as favourites to progress but they look a little less formidable than some of the alternatives and could be weakened in the event that Guus Hiddink departs over the summer.

They were semi-finalists at the last European Championship but looked erratic, starting the tournament poorly and going out tamely. In between, though, they turned in a couple of great performances with Andriy Arshavin electrifying.

Performed well in the qualifying group for the World Cup but a defeat by Germany consigned them to the play-offs where they lost on away goals to Slovenia.

Slovakia

World ranking: 36

Ireland’s record: P2 W1 D1 L0

QUALIFIED for South Africa after winning their group despite losing home and away to Slovenia.

The team is hardly falling down with stars – Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel would be their best known player is these parts – but in the likes of Lille’s Robert Vittek, Miroslav Kerhan of Mainz and Napoli’s Marek Hansik they possess some pretty decent players.

They also work very hard collectively at taking games to their opponents. They conceded a goal a game last time out but scored 22, the fifth highest tally of any European country in qualifying behind the likes of England and Germany.

FYR Macedonia

World ranking: 64

Ireland’s record: P4 W2 D1 L1

IT’S more than a decade now since a late goal conceded in Skopje cost Ireland a place at a European Championship finals and with the team having lost there a couple of years before that, there will be some alarm at having drawn Macedonia.

Their biggest star, Inter Milan striker Goran Pandev, who scored against Cagliari in yesterday’s 3-0 win, has the potential to cause major problems.

But overall their results tend to be poor and their best result in recent years, a home defeat of Scotland, was achieved with the help of considerable heat.

Armenia

World ranking: 102

Ireland’s record: Never played

THERE are some minor warning signs that a successful trip to Yerevan cannot be taken entirely for granted with the former Soviet country having beaten Belgium there last September before pushing Spain reasonably hard a month later only to lose 2-1 in the end.

The Armenians have limited resources of playing talent, though, and a poor track record.

They took four points from 10 games in the recent World Cup and the Irish should really be looking to beat them both home and away.

Andorra

World ranking: 202

Ireland’s record: P2 W2 D0 L0

OFFICIALLY Europe’s second worst team which would be more encouraging if it weren’t for the fact that the only one ranked beneath them, San Marino, gave Ireland quite a scare a couple of years back.

Still, an actual slip up against a side that hasn’t avoided defeat since a friendly against Armenia three years ago (oddly, their last win, a couple of years before that, was against Macedonia) and which conceded 39 goals while scoring just three in its last campaign, would be unforgivable.