Lots of tasty head to head European battles coming up from Sunday onwards.
- Portugal v Serbia in Portugal. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Serbia must win to qualify. A draw is enough for Portugal.
- Spain v Sweden in Spain. As above, both teams already guaranteed top two. After dropping points in Georgia, Sweden must win to qualify. Luckily for Spain, a draw is now enough for them.
- Croatia v Russia in Croatia. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Croatia must win to qualify but a draw away from home is enough for Russia.
Not to mention the battle between Italy and Switzerland for group winners and between North Macedonia and Romania for runners up of Germany's group.
Bollox. Almost felt like a loss, when Faroe Islands scored (end result 3-1). If they hadn’t and Denmark had won up at Hampden Park without conceding a goal, I assume it would have been a new record as it would’ve been max points and zero goals conceded.
1-0 Canada at full time. Canada tidy and skillful but lacking a bit in cutting edge. Probably decent League 1 kind of level. Hit the bar with an overhead kick, had a goal disallowed that looked fine to me, and should’ve had a penalty. Costa Rica were shite.
Millar subbed part way through the second half. A performance a lot like a lot of his showings for us. Alfonso Davies unsurprisingly the class act on show, and an Edmonton boy to boot.
Great wins for both Canada and the US. Still a long way to go in qualifying but you’d have to fancy they both have excellent chances at qualifying now.
Great wins for both Canada and the US. Still a long way to go in qualifying but you’d have to fancy they both have excellent chances at qualifying now.
USA and Mexico will probably be the top 2, so Canada have to beat Panama to get 3rd and qualify.
If they finish 4th they go into a play off, which is ok if they draw a side from Oceania or Asia, but if it's the team from South America i don't think they'd win.
Scotland have reached the Play-Offs after a 2-0 win in Moldova
This is the furthest they've got in World Cup Qualifying amazingly since 1998!!
At present they're one of the six seeded teams yet currently in the last available spot, only down side is they've got Denmark next so its highly likely they'll be unseeded for the next stage.
Currently its:
Seeded: Serbia | Switzerland | Sweden | Croatia | Poland | Scotland Unseeded: Czech Republic | Norway | North Macedonia | Ukraine
(Wales | Austria as the best two from the Nations League not to qualify join the unseeded teams)
Its worth nothing though that only Scotland have a confirmed spot in the Play-Offs.
Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.
Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.
Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.
Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.
Can’t they just put NZ through to the playoff stage and be done with it? No other team gets close do they?
Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.
Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.
Can’t they just put NZ through to the playoff stage and be done with it? No other team gets close do they?
Surprisingly they do... You had Tahiti win the 2012 OFC Nations Cup (their Euros), and then New Zealand only just managed to win the last one by beating Papua New Guinea on penalties.
Although I do wonder if New Zealand dont completely take that seriously as last Qualifying Campaign they got to the Play-Offs by demolishing the Solomon Islands 8-3 on agg in the final round.
Bollox. Almost felt like a loss, when Faroe Islands scored (end result 3-1). If they hadn’t and Denmark had won up at Hampden Park without conceding a goal, I assume it would have been a new record as it would’ve been max points and zero goals conceded.
Quite possibly, England (Italia 90) and Italy (1974) are the only sides in the last 60 years to qualify without conceding, and neither side won every game.
Going back any further than that, teams played a lot less qualifiers too.
Great wins for both Canada and the US. Still a long way to go in qualifying but you’d have to fancy they both have excellent chances at qualifying now.
USA and Mexico will probably be the top 2, so Canada have to beat Panama to get 3rd and qualify.
If they finish 4th they go into a play off, which is ok if they draw a side from Oceania or Asia, but if it's the team from South America i don't think they'd win.
Canada are at home to Mexico on Tuesday and there’s a strong chance of snow by then (we’re already several weeks late in the year for there to be none on the ground yet). Mexico, I would imagine, are a bit better than Canada but the cold will level things up a bit. Canada were better than I expected last night. They played some really nice stuff last night, albeit against weak opponents, but tried to walk it in at times. They have a very decent chance of qualifying but I agree any South American side would start as strong favourites against them.
Norway (without Haaland) have blown their chances of winning the group. Needing a win at home to Latvia tonight to take qualification to a winner takes all match v Holland in midweek.........they were held 0-0.
To make matters worse, Turkey smashed Gibraltar 6-0 and go above them on goal difference (1 better) so now Norway might even miss out on a play off spot as well.
Norway (without Haaland) have blown their chances of winning the group. Needing a win at home to Latvia tonight to take qualification to a winner takes all match v Holland in midweek.........they were held 0-0.
To make matters worse, Turkey smashed Gibraltar 6-0 and go above them on goal difference (1 better) so now Norway might even miss out on a play off spot as well.
That could be huge for Scotland - Had Norway won today then Scotland would drop into the unseeded section of the Play-Offs.
They ideally need a result against Denmark to secure that seeded spot, but if neither Norway (play Netherlands) and Turkey (play Montenegro) win their last group game then their result against Denmark wont matter.
Netherlands were 2-0 up after 80 minutes but draw 2-2 in Montenegro which means they still need a win against Norway at home to guarantee qualification. Goal difference means that a draw should be enough though.
Netherlands were 2-0 up after 80 minutes but draw 2-2 in Montenegro which means they still need a win against Norway at home to guarantee qualification. Goal difference means that a draw should be enough though.
+23 goal difference and Turkey have +10. A draw will definitely be enough for Holland.
It's a crazy group though when a draw puts them through as group winners but a defeat could send them down to 3rd and out completely.
Both North Macedonia and Romania are currently winning 1-0. As it stands, North Macedonia cling on to their playoff place. Romania will be praying for an Iceland equaliser which would send them into the playoffs.
Finally later this evening both Portugal v Serbia and Spain v Sweden will determine who qualifies as a group winner and who has to settle for playoffs.
Comments
- Portugal v Serbia in Portugal. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Serbia must win to qualify. A draw is enough for Portugal.
- Spain v Sweden in Spain. As above, both teams already guaranteed top two. After dropping points in Georgia, Sweden must win to qualify. Luckily for Spain, a draw is now enough for them.
- Croatia v Russia in Croatia. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Croatia must win to qualify but a draw away from home is enough for Russia.
Not to mention the battle between Italy and Switzerland for group winners and between North Macedonia and Romania for runners up of Germany's group.
Millar subbed part way through the second half. A performance a lot like a lot of his showings for us. Alfonso Davies unsurprisingly the class act on show, and an Edmonton boy to boot.
If they finish 4th they go into a play off, which is ok if they draw a side from Oceania or Asia, but if it's the team from South America i don't think they'd win.
This is the furthest they've got in World Cup Qualifying amazingly since 1998!!
At present they're one of the six seeded teams yet currently in the last available spot, only down side is they've got Denmark next so its highly likely they'll be unseeded for the next stage.
Currently its:
Seeded: Serbia | Switzerland | Sweden | Croatia | Poland | Scotland
Unseeded: Czech Republic | Norway | North Macedonia | Ukraine
(Wales | Austria as the best two from the Nations League not to qualify join the unseeded teams)
Its worth nothing though that only Scotland have a confirmed spot in the Play-Offs.
Some unknown team called Brazil have qualified for the World Cup
Bet in a few years we'll be talking how they've won it more than anyone else previously.
Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.
Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.
Although I do wonder if New Zealand dont completely take that seriously as last Qualifying Campaign they got to the Play-Offs by demolishing the Solomon Islands 8-3 on agg in the final round.
Going back any further than that, teams played a lot less qualifiers too.
To make matters worse, Turkey smashed Gibraltar 6-0 and go above them on goal difference (1 better) so now Norway might even miss out on a play off spot as well.
They ideally need a result against Denmark to secure that seeded spot, but if neither Norway (play Netherlands) and Turkey (play Montenegro) win their last group game then their result against Denmark wont matter.
In that group, big result for Finland winning 3-1 in Bosnia. That knocks Bosnia out and gives the Finns a two point advantage over Ukraine.
Spotted a “Charlton Cymru” flag in one of the corners.
Belgium win 3-1. They have also qualified.
It's a crazy group though when a draw puts them through as group winners but a defeat could send them down to 3rd and out completely.