World cup qualifying update

[SpiderBee]

World Cup Euro Round Up @ 10th September 2013


EUROPE - Round 2 - “CONTINENTAL PLAY-OFFS”
The eight best group runners-up will contest Round 2. The teams will be paired into four home-and-away ties. The matches will likely be played between 15 and 19 November 2013. The four winners qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

Group A – Belgium look nailed on now. Five points clear of Croatia with two games remaining. Croatia have already sealed a play off spot.

Group B – Italy virtually there with Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Armenia and Denmark covered by one point for the play off place.

Group C – Germany almost there with Sweden favourites for play off place, 3 points ahead of Austria.

Group D – Holland virtually there with Rumania, Hungary and Turkey vying for the play off place.

Group E – Switzerland four points clear. Norway, Iceland, Albania and Slovenia all in with a good chance of getting the play off place.

Group F – Portugal 2 points ahead of Russia, who have a game in hand. Israel waiting on any slip ups.

Group G – Between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece with Slovakia four points behind.

Group H – Looks between England and Ukraine who meet tonight in Kiev. Defeat for England will, probably mean a play off place although Montenegro would then be a strong threat. Poland look too far behind now.

Group I – Spain should win this with France second.

AFRICA - Round 3
The ten group winners below from Round 2 will play off in Round 3. (5 to qualify). Draw not made yet.
Ethiopa, Cape Verde Islands, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal.

Asia
Iran, South Korea, Japan and Australia have qualified. Jordan and Uzbekistan will play off (first leg 1-1 - 2nd leg today) for a place in the intercontinental play off v 5th placed South American team.

Concacaf
Three teams qualify from the final group of six. Costa Rica and USA look in a strong position with Honduras, Mexico and Panama fighting for the third spot. The team finishing fourth face a play off against Oceania winner, New Zealand.

South America
The top four teams from the group qualify with the fifth placed team facing a play off v Jordan or Uzbekistan. Argentina and Colombia look nailed on with Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay and, possibly Venezuela fighting for other positions.
Brazil qualify as hosts.

 

[Mr Tree]

Group C – Germany almost there with Sweden favourites for play off place, 3 points ahead of Austria

 

[hanworthbee]

best thing that can happen is for us not to qualify then maybe the fa will try and do something about the lack of English talent in the top flight be it international non eu quotas or the pile em up bloated academy systems

 

[SpiderBee]

best thing that can happen is for us not to qualify then maybe the fa will try and do something about the lack of English talent in the top flight be it international non eu quotas or the pile em up bloated academy systems

Never gonna happen!

 

[Adam]

best thing that can happen is for us not to qualify then maybe the fa will try and do something about the lack of English talent in the top flight be it international non eu quotas or the pile em up bloated academy systems

You not hear Greg Dyke's speech then? Plans are already been drawn up to address this.

Although we haven't won anything for nearly 50 years with loads of British players playing in our leagues, maybe having foreign players will actually have a benefit. I still don't buy the fact foreign imports are affecting the England team. The average top flight British players we had 10 years ago are now just in the Championship that's all. I would rather have our top prospects learning off the likes of Ozil on a weekly basis than Gareth Barry. The problem is the coaches in England, not the 'foreign imports'.

 

[hanworthbee]

what about the academy's piled high with foreigners and our youngsters never getting a chance...and the average foreigner like a papis cisse or these Hondurans Wigan used to sign....no problem with quality imports but there is an awful lot of imported dross

I also question why teams like us are recruiting foreigners that to me seem no better than what is available here

 

[Bristolian Bee]

Which of the 9 European groups is the worst i.e. no play off spot for the runner up?

 

[nocoat]

Before Friday it was our group. Not sure about now.

 

[Bristolian Bee]

best thing that can happen is for us not to qualify then maybe the fa will try and do something

In many ways maybe England not qualifying is a good thing as yes it might give the FA a kick up the arse however I hope we get through as a world cup without your home team playing is a miserable experience.

 

[SpiderBee]

In many ways maybe England not qualifying is a good thing as yes it might give the FA a kick up the arse however I hope we get through as a world cup without your home team playing is a miserable experience.

Agreed 1974 and 1994 were crap although I loved 1978.

 

[wibs]

World Cup Euro Round Up @ 10th September 2013


EUROPE - Round 2 - “CONTINENTAL PLAY-OFFS”
The eight best group runners-up will contest Round 2. The teams will be paired into four home-and-away ties. The matches will likely be played between 15 and 19 November 2013. The four winners qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

Group A – Belgium look nailed on now. Five points clear of Croatia with two games remaining. Croatia have already sealed a play off spot.

Group B – Italy virtually there with Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Armenia and Denmark covered by one point for the play off place.

Group C – Germany almost there with Sweden favourites for play off place, 3 points ahead of Austria.

Group D – Holland virtually there with Rumania, Hungary and Turkey vying for the play off place.

Group E – Switzerland four points clear. Norway, Iceland, Albania and Slovenia all in with a good chance of getting the play off place.

Group F – Portugal 2 points ahead of Russia, who have a game in hand. Israel waiting on any slip ups.

Group G – Between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece with Slovakia four points behind.

Group H – Looks between England and Ukraine who meet tonight in Kiev. Defeat for England will, probably mean a play off place although Montenegro would then be a strong threat. Poland look too far behind now.

Group I – Spain should win this with France second.

AFRICA - Round 3
The ten group winners below from Round 2 will play off in Round 3. (5 to qualify). Draw not made yet.
Ethiopa, Cape Verde Islands, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal.

Asia
Iran, South Korea, Japan and Australia have qualified. Jordan and Uzbekistan will play off (first leg 1-1 - 2nd leg today) for a place in the intercontinental play off v 5th placed South American team.

Concacaf
Three teams qualify from the final group of six. Costa Rica and USA look in a strong position with Honduras, Mexico and Panama fighting for the third spot. The team finishing fourth face a play off against Oceania winner, New Zealand.

South America
The top four teams from the group qualify with the fifth placed team facing a play off v Jordan or Uzbekistan. Argentina and Colombia look nailed on with Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay and, possibly Venezuela fighting for other positions.
Brazil qualify as hosts.

Interesting summary thanks. Two things of note, firstly South Africa clearly haven't kicked on since they held the tournament. Secondly, surprised to see Mexico struggle.

 

[mhead bee]

Not looking forward to tonight. Roy usually plays 9 in our six yard box away from home but knowing that a draw is good enough and with the great excuse of having no forwards available (what is wrong with defoe by the way, he as always done OK for england) I expect we will play 10 inside our six yard box like we did against italy.

Could be a long and painful night.

 

[Judio1999]

Group B

Race for second
Bulgaria 10
Czech 10
ARMENIA 10
Denmark 9

ARMENIA have 2 home games v Bulgaria and Denmark

Czech have to go to Bulgaria and Italy

So it is Possible that ARMENIA would make the play offs

Hodgson would really get out of jail if we drew them if we lose tonight !!!!

 

[horshambees]

Russia 2 up against Israel.

Sweden 1 up in Kazakhstan.Difficult place to get a result.

Egypt win 4-2.

Lithuania 2 up at home to Luxembourg who have nothing to play for except pride.

Interesting night ahead.

 

[Judio1999]

Group B

Race for second
Bulgaria 10
Czech 10
ARMENIA 10
Denmark 9

ARMENIA have 2 home games v Bulgaria and Denmark

Czech have to go to Bulgaria and Italy

So it is Possible that ARMENIA would make the play offs

Hodgson would really get out of jail if we drew them if we lose tonight !!!!

So they lost at home tonight !!!

What do I know about these small countries

 

[beebopalula]

I see he's playing with one up front

 

[SpiderBee]

Italy and Holland have qualified and Switzerland just about there.
Jordan drew 1-1 in Uzbekistan (2-2 on agg) and won 9-8 on penalties!

 

[Billy Hunt]

Italy and Holland have qualified and Switzerland just about there.
Jordan drew 1-1 in Uzbekistan (2-2 on agg) and won 9-8 on penalties!

Didn't she do well!?

 

[sherril]

Interesting summary thanks. Two things of note, firstly South Africa clearly haven't kicked on since they held the tournament. Secondly, surprised to see Mexico struggle.

Indeed, this is
I support the Brazilian. Looked after since the Confederations Cup. Neymar momentum is very strong.
Rely on close co-operation between the teams.

 

[Judio1999]

PLAY OFFS UPDATE

For those who forsee England messing up here is a brief Summary

The 8 Runners Up in the 9 Groups with the best results
against other teams in the Top 5 in your Group (We ignore San Marino results)

will be paired in a 2 legged Play Off in November

The Play Offs will be seeded on FIFA Rankings


It looks like the second team in Group B (Bulgaria or Denmark) look likely to
be the side who misses out.

This is because in their group the 5th Side have won some matches and the Top Side have mostly won all of their matches.

Our record would potentially be Won 3 Draw 5 Lost 0 if we came second

Bulgaria's record is Won 1 Drawn 4 Lost 1 with 2 to play

 

[kevalutonbee]

Russia 2 up against Israel.

Sweden 1 up in Kazakhstan.Difficult place to get a result.

Egypt win 4-2.

Lithuania 2 up at home to Luxembourg who have nothing to play for except pride.

Interesting night ahead.

Which makes the Luxembourg result all the more impressive as they not only played two matches on the same night but also had to travel

 

[Mr Tree]

Group B

Race for second
Bulgaria 10
Czech 10
ARMENIA 10
Denmark 9

ARMENIA have 2 home games v Bulgaria and Denmark

Czech have to go to Bulgaria and Italy

Czechs ended up losing in Italy last night, and the coach has resigned. been saying it for a while but they're really not the same team they were a few years ago - all the quality has gone and they're left with very little. a period in the international wilderness beckons (though to be fair that was a pretty tricky group).

 

[SpiderBee]

USA beat Mexico 2-0 and qualified along with Costa Rica last night.
Honduras, Panama and Mexico will battle it out for the 3rd qualifying spot and play off spot.
Mexico v Panama next up and defeat for Mexico would eliminate them.