Fixtures announced for World Cup Brazil 2014 qualification Group C

The Football Association of Ireland today (November 18) announced that it has reached agreement on fixtures for UEFA qualification Group C for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014. In order to reach final agreement, the participating teams agreed to play one match, Faroe Islands v Austria in early June 2012. This proposal has been supported by UEFA. Ireland's fixtures for the group were agreed at the headquarters of the DFB in Frankfurt as follows:

September 7, 2012
Kazakhstan v Republic of Ireland

October 12, 2012
Republic of Ireland v Germany

October 16, 2012
Faroe Islands v Republic of Ireland

March 22, 2013
Sweden v Republic of Ireland

March 26, 2013
Republic of Ireland v Austria

June 7, 2013
Republic of Ireland v Faroe Islands

September 6, 2013
Republic of Ireland v Sweden

September 10, 2013
Austria v Republic of Ireland

October 11, 2013
Germany v Republic of Ireland

October 15, 2013
Republic of Ireland v Kazakhstan

Welcoming the announcement, Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni said, "This is a good fixture schedule for our team with a good balance to the matches. We finish the campaign at home and start with a single away match against Kazakhstan which was important given the long distances involved. I am also happy with the balance obtained in the double headers and the timing of what we would