UEFA World Cup Qualifying 2013: Predicting Results for Tuesday's Playoffs

The list of entrants to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has almost been finalised, with eight playoffs deciding who will complete the tournament's roster for the summer.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 16 teams hailing from Europe, South America, Africa, Asia and Australasia will compete for the right to enter football's most prestigious and global competition, with pivotal matches taking place around the world.

While the nations of Europe and Africa will face other countries from their own continent, the singular finalists from North America, South America, Asia and Australasia will clash in two intercontinental playoffs.

Below is a full list of Tuesday's playoffs with predictions for how each tie will turn out and a rundown of the potential winners.

Time (GMT)	Location	Hosts	Prediction	Visitors
6 p.m.	Cairo	Egypt	2-1 (3-7 agg.)	*Ghana
7 p.m.	Wellington	New Zealand	1-2 (2-7 agg.)	*Mexico
7:15 p.m.	Blida	Algeria	1-1 (3-4 agg.)	*Burkina Faso
8:15 p.m.	Zagreb	*Croatia	2-1 (2-1 agg.)	Iceland
8:45 p.m.	Solna	Sweden	2-1 (2-2 agg.)	*Portugal
9 p.m.	Saint-Denis	France	1-1 (1-3 agg.)	*Ukraine
9 p.m.	Bucharest	Romania	0-0 (1-3 agg.)	*Greece
9 p.m.	Montevideo	*Uruguay	4-0 (9-0 agg.)	Jordan

Ghana

Ghana have all but sealed qualification to Brazil 2014 after winning their first-leg game 6-1 at home against Egypt.

Even with home advantage in the second leg, the Pharaohs would need to record a 5-0 victory or, if the Black Stars manage to score an away goal, win by a margin of six goals.

You can never say never, but such a comeback is highly improbable.

Burkina Faso

Having won 3-2 at home in the first leg, Burkina Faso will be hoping to keep things tight in their away leg against Algeria in Blida.

The more experienced hosts will be the favourites to win, yet just a single away goal could send the visitors through.

A Burkina Faso strike would require Algeria to win by a margin of two goals rather than the single finish, should the tie leaders fail to find the net in the decider.

Uruguay

Asian finalists Jordan face Uruguay in Montevideo with the daunting task of reversing their 5-0 first-leg defeat at home.

It's more likely that Luis Suarez and Co. will repeat the scoreline rather than suffer the same fate as the Middle Eastern minnows.

Yet in the unlikely circumstances whereby they manage to keep a clean sheet, they would only have to score five goals to seal their progress to Brazil.

Should they concede, the Jordanians would need to win by six clear goals.

Mexico

Mexico head to New Zealand in a similar situation to Uruguay.

Javier Hernandez and his countrymen blitzed the All Whites in a 5-1 first-leg victory in Mexico City.

Don't be surprised if the visitors are able to score an away goal in Wellington to add even more space between them and their qualification rivals.

Croatia

Iceland had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home in the first leg of their playoff tie with Croatia.

With the second leg being played in Zagreb, the hosts are likely to find a breakthrough if they remain patient and in control to unlock Lars Lagerback's tenaciously organised defence.

Just one goal could seal it, and with Mario Mandzukic ready to pounce on any service Luka Modric can provide, that strike is most likely to come from the Croatians.

Portugal

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only man who can save Sweden, but it looks like the Scandinavians will miss out on Brazil with Cristiano Ronaldo ready to stake his claim on the Ballon d'Or with another decisive intervention in Stockholm.

The Real Madrid star scored the winner in the 1-0 first-leg match in Lisbon and could well be the player to smash home a counter-attack in the follow-up fixture.   

Ukraine 

France's World Cup campaign looks to be over, with Les Bleus staring down at their first failure to qualify in 20 years.

Ukraine's 2-0 first-leg win will be too much for Didier Deschamps' talented yet disjointed squad, who proved to be no match for the unity and understanding of the hosts in the tie's opening game.

Greece

Another side showing impressive chemistry and form are Greece, who savaged Romania 3-1 at home in their first-leg win.

The Greeks can now head to Bucharest with a defensive plan in mind to shut down the tie and proceed to Brazil as playoff winners.