Hungary set for Norway test in Euro playoffs

NYON, Switzerland (Reuters) - Hungary will have to overcome Norway if they are to qualify for their first major tournament in 30 years following Sunday's draw for the Euro 2016 playoff round while Sweden and Denmark will clash in a Scandinavian derby. Hungary, who have been in the international wilderness since they appeared at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, will play the first leg away against the Norwegians, who themselves have not played at a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden, who lost out to Portugal in a playoff for the last World Cup, will be at home in the first leg against their neighbours. In the other ties, Ukraine, who co-hosted Euro 2012 with Poland, will meet Slovenia and Bosnia will face Ireland. Hungary, semi-finalists in the 1964 and 1972 European championships, have won six and lost five of their 16 meetings with Norway but have not beaten the Scandinavians since a 4-1 win in Budapest in 1981, a run of nine games. Their last appearance in a playoff was in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers when they crashed to a 12-1 aggregate defeat to Yugoslavia. "I know Norwegian football very well -- no one needs to introduce the opposition to us -- so we know an excellent team awaits us," Hungary coach Bernd Storck told reporters. History does not favour Ukraine, who have yet to beat Slovenia in four games, with two draws and two defeats, and lost out to their opponents in the playoffs for a place at Euro 2000. "There is no need to look for motivation against the teams of Spain or France's calibre, but we have to play with double motivation against the likes of Slovenia," said Ukraine midfielder Taras Stepanenko. "We have a great chance to qualify to the finals and everybody has to give their all to achieve this aim." Sweden and Denmark have met 104 times with 45 wins for the Swedes and 40 for the Danes, who are the only former European champions in the playoffs. Bosnia have lost on both their previous two appearances in a playoff round, having been eliminated by Portugal in the final qualifying stages of the 2010 World Cup and then Euro 2012. They qualified directly for Brazil last year when they made their first appearance at a major tournament as an independent nation. (Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by John O'Brien)