Scotland v Ukraine: What will happen to World Cup play-off semi-final?
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Zinchenko reflects on war in Ukraine - extended interview
At the end of March, Scotland and Ukraine were scheduled to be duelling on a date of destiny, with one nation creeping tantalisingly closer to a place at this year's World Cup finals.
Instead, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has understandably taken the focus off that play-off semi-final.
Ukraine's request to Fifa that the Hampden fixture on 24 March be postponed has been accepted, but what now for the tie?
Right, so when might it be played?
Most probably June. Remember, the World Cup in Qatar doesn't kick off until November, so there is a bit more time to play with. Despite that, crowbarring in the fixtures into an already-congested calendar isn't easy.
The draw for the finals takes place on 1 April, and training camps and preparations will need to be planned well in advance of the first game on 21 November. It may well be there's a group slot/private jet/training base/fancy spa hotel reserved for four teams with a big asterisk next to it.
The window of opportunity is the Nations League international break at the start of June. As fate would have it, Scotland are due to face Ukraine anyway on 7 June, along with an Armenia double header and a trip to Dublin to play Republic of Ireland.
While the rescheduling of those games would fall to Uefa - you still following? - it is likely Fifa will try and shoehorn the play-off semis and final into those dates.
Indeed, Shakhtar Donetsk's director of football Darijo Srna has reportedly, external been told by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin that June is the preferred option.
When Uefa attempt to reschedule those games could be tricky due to contracts and the number of games that must be played in a calendar year, but you'd hope this was a speed bump rather than a barrier.
There is one more international break prior to the finals, with two Nations League fixtures scheduled for late September. But with the showpiece in Qatar kicking off less than two months later, fair to say that would be leaving it a bit late.
What about Wales v Austria?
Good question. Now Scotland v Ukraine is delayed, two nations that will take great interest in what happens next are the Welsh and the Austrians, with one of them due to host the winner in the play-off final.
That decisive contest is due to take play in either Cardiff or Vienna on 29 March, but obviously that can't happen now as Steve Clarke's side don't take on the Ukranians until well after that date.
The Wales v Austria match will go ahead as originally scheduled on the same date as Scotland v Ukraine, with the losers playing Steve Clarke's side on 29 March.
Could things still change?
As with everything in football, never say never.
Russia have already been suspended by both Uefa and Fifa, meaning they will be unable to play their own World Cup play-off semi-final against Poland and dealing with that is the governing bodies' immediate focus.
As things stand, the Poles will get a free pass into the final, where either Sweden or Czech Republic will be waiting.
While that situation is unlikely to alter, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine will decide what happens to the fixture with Scotland. There are no guarantees the crisis will have improved enough for a game to take place in June, far less later this month.
Fifteen out of the 23-man squad chosen for the World Cup qualifiers in November play in their homeland, so it's unclear how able the Ukrainians will be to field a team if the conflict continues.
What should have been something dominating the headlines in both countries has now faded into insignificance. That much won't change any time soon.