2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying

[BigHewer]

17 minutes ago, gummy said:

Well at least the Cloggies got through last night, would have been a shame if they had to go through the play-offs

True that. Kind of disappointed Norway didn’t grab second spot. I wanted to see Haaland at the World Cup.

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Wales did well with a draw with Belgium, gets them into the playoffs together with Scotland.

Surprisingly Portugal , Italy and Sweden also only managed a playoff spot.

England easily through qualifying, but let’s be honest if they didn’t make it through that group they should hang their boots up. Banging in 5 and 10 goals against the also rans has got to be good for their egos but Poland and Hungary could have easily thwarted their campaign. Poland managing a play off spot, Hungary going home “ famished “

Edited November 17, 2021 by DwizzleyMatthews

[BigHewer]

World Cup qualifying restarts this week with some crucial games around the traps. 13 out of 32 teams are confirmed starters for Qatar 2022 and three more could join them this week. A few others could bow out altogether.

Asia (AFC) 

Iran and South Korea are cruising towards qualification in group A and may do so this week with wins against Iraq and Lebanon, respectively.

Group B is more complex and with Saudi Arabia and Japan occupying the top two spots, the Aussies are in trouble. Nothing short of two wins (vs Vietnam and Oman) will keep them in the hunt for an automatic spot.

North America (Concacaf)

Nobody will secure qualification this week but a pivotal clash will set the tone, with #1 Canada taking on #2 USA . I’m hoping for both to qualify so maybe a draw in this one is the best result.

South America (Conmebol)

With Brazil and Argentina both through, plucky Ecuador could join them as the third team through, with a win and a draw. Brazil vs Ecuador will be a key fixture. Elsewhere, Uruguay, Chile and Colombia will want to get their faltering campaigns back on track.

USA, Canada, Australia - how many of these three will make it?

 

 

[BigHewer]

Bad news for the Aussies with a 2-2 draw against Oman yesterday. Group B standings now as follows:

Australia need to beat Japan and the Saudis in their last two games AND hope Japan don’t put too many past Vietnam in the final fixture.

Otherwise, they’ll have to go through the play-offs. 

Not looking great for the Aussies.

[King Cotton]

21 hours ago, BigHewer said:

Bad news for the Aussies with a 2-2 draw against Oman yesterday. Group B standings now as follows:

Australia need to beat Japan and the Saudis in their last two games AND hope Japan don’t put too many past Vietnam in the final fixture.

Otherwise, they’ll have to go through the play-offs. 

Not looking great for the Aussies.

Oh, those poor Aussies - never the same since Tim Cahill hung his boots up . . . or I'm assuming he has!

[BigHewer]

European World Cup qualifiers are facing a crisis, with Poland boycotting their upcoming match with Russia:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-poland-russia-world-cup-26335591

Schedule had been:

Russia vs Poland

Sweden vs Czech Republic 

(winners play off for a spot at the World Cup)

I was expecting a Sweden vs Poland showdown for the available spot. Sad that Poland are potentially giving up World Cup participation in protest, because UEFA will probably award a 3-0 victory to Russia.

Doubly sad because Lewandovski’s Poland would have easily accounted for the second-rate Russian side.

[Pinetree]

Hopefully this will be the start of the end for football, at least the soccer version.  A good idea in theory, but professionally played by over paid pussies.  

Edited February 26, 2022 by Pinetree

[Poolie]

6 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

Hopefully this will be the start of the end for football, at least the soccer version.  A good idea in theory, but professionally played by over paid pussies.  

Ooooff! And we need helmets for motorbikes? You need one for walking around with ideas like that mate.

[BigHewer]

Russia have been expelled from the World Cup by FIFA, after initially being allowed to compete as “Football Union of Russia”. I feel a bit sorry for the Russian players, but in all fairness, they probably wouldn’t have qualified anyway.

So now Poland get a bye to the final of their qualifying stream, and will play the winner of Sweden vs Czech Republic for a spot in Qatar.

Scotland vs Ukraine postponed now as well from late this month until June. Question is, will they be able to play then at all?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ukraine-scotland-world-cup-delayed-26399328

[BigHewer]

So, the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers resume tomorrow. 15 out of the 32 spots have already been taken. Some big games coming up in the next few days to see which teams will join them. I’d love to see Australia, Canada and the USA get in. Here are the permutations:

Australia  

vs Japan (home) 

vs Saudi Arabia (away)

The Socceroos must win both games. Anything other than that, and it’s off to the play-offs, a daunting prospect.

Canada  

vs Costa Rica  (away)

vs Jamaica (home)

Win either game or get a draw in both, and Canada are through to a first World Cup since 1986.

USA  

vs Mexico (away)

vs Panama (home)

Two wins and the USA will likely be through, depending on other results. The key here is, don’t lose to Panama! Do that, and it’s probably off to the play-offs like the Aussies (unless they beat Mexico).

Portugal, Italy, Wales, Sweden, New Zealand also in action. 

Who do you want to see qualify?

 

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Would like to see Scotland make it through but think Wales will clinch it possibly at the expense of Scotland unfortunately. Portugal and Poland to fill the other two spots i hope.

New Zealand should make it through to the play offs but are likely to miss out to Costa Rica .

Australia are always entertaining to watch and hopefully they can squeeze through , expecting them to clinch the 3rd spot from UAE but then have to face 5th place South America , a tough route for them.

After Brazil and Argentina have already qualified I don’t have preference from S America.

Likewise , don’t care who qualifies from Africa as they are all entertaining teams imo.

USA and Mexico will be there and hopefully Canada won’t fall at the last fence !

[BigHewer]

19 hours ago, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Would like to see Scotland make it through but think Wales will clinch it possibly at the expense of Scotland unfortunately. Portugal and Poland to fill the other two spots i hope.

I’m exactly the same on all counts. It would mean Italy missing out for the second time in a row, but the Portuguese lads have more of a Premier League connection. 

19 hours ago, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Australia are always entertaining to watch and hopefully they can squeeze through , expecting them to clinch the 3rd spot from UAE but then have to face 5th place South America , a tough route for them.

Well, the Aussies just got rolled 2-0 by Japan at home. Japan and Saudi Arabia now through. Just had a look at the Aussie line up. Never heard of any of them except the goalkeeper (ex Brighton) and one of the midfielders (ex SPL). What happened to the days of Kewell, Cahill and Viduka?

[DwizzleyMatthews]

31 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

I’m exactly the same on all counts. It would mean Italy missing out for the second time in a row, but the Portuguese lads have more of a Premier League connection. 

Well, the Aussies just got rolled 2-0 by Japan at home. Japan and Saudi Arabia now through. Just had a look at the Aussie line up. Never heard of any of them except the goalkeeper (ex Brighton) and one of the midfielders (ex SPL). What happened to the days of Kewell, Cahill and Viduka?

Shame that but Japan have a good WC record, I like to watch them play.

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Wales well on the way after beating Austria 2-1,  last hurdle  Scotland or Ukraine

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Italy proving they are not up to the challenge and will miss the 2022 World Cup with a 1-0 loss to North Macedonia !!

[BigHewer]

7 hours ago, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Italy proving they are not up to the challenge and will miss the 2022 World Cup with a 1-0 loss to North Macedonia !!

What a shocker. Two World Cups missed in a row. Well, at least there will be 16 teams from Europe in the 2026 World Cup, so they should be back then.

Canada lost to Costa Rica but another bite of the cherry coming up. Avoid defeat against Jamaica on Tuesday and they are through. 

I’m starting to worry about the USA. Must avoid defeat against Panama on the same day.

 

[DwizzleyMatthews]

28 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

What a shocker. Two World Cups missed in a row. Well, at least there will be 16 teams from Europe in the 2026 World Cup, so they should be back then.

Canada lost to Costa Rica but another bite of the cherry coming up. Avoid defeat against Jamaica on Tuesday and they are through. 

I’m starting to worry about the USA. Must avoid defeat against Panama on the same day.

Only 8 months ago Italy were the best in Europe, wonder what happened !!

Canada and the US have to keep their cool, Jamaica are out of it so have nothing to lose, Panama still in with a chance. Both games could go either way imo.

[BigHewer]

On 3/25/2022 at 10:17 PM, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Canada and the US have to keep their cool, Jamaica are out of it so have nothing to lose, Panama still in with a chance. Both games could go either way imo.

Canada have booked their place after beating Jamaica 4-0 in Toronto.

The USA are all but qualified and play Costa Rica away on Wednesday. They’ll go through with any result better than a six-goal defeat. So yeah, USA are basically through too and Costa Rica are off to the play-offs. 

Meanwhile, New Zealand edged Tahiti 1-0 to make the OFC final. Now it’s NZ vs Solomon Islands on Wednesday for a spot in the playoffs. Wowsers, what a classic. Anyone know if that game will be on Sky?

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Portugal clinched it with a win over North Macedonia.

Plenty of action in the Africa group, Egypt , Algeria and Nigeria missing out and Cameroon, Senegal, Morroco, Tunisia and Ghana headed to Qatar.

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Poland 2 Sweden 0 

Poland booked their place at the WC

[BigHewer]

12 hours ago, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Portugal clinched it with a win over North Macedonia.

Plenty of action in the Africa group, Egypt , Algeria and Nigeria missing out and Cameroon, Senegal, Morroco, Tunisia and Ghana headed to Qatar.

Ronaldo and Lewandowski in, Salah and Mahrez out. 

Normally I would be neutral watching Poland vs Sweden, but I wanted Sweden to win for our good friend @Slacker77

[Slacker77]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

Ronaldo and Lewandowski in, Salah and Mahrez out. 

Normally I would be neutral watching Poland vs Sweden, but I wanted Sweden to win for our good friend @Slacker77

Thanks BH :)

The match started good for Swe but they couldn't score and then Pol got a penalty and Lewandowski had no problem to score .

after that Swe had no chance so then Pol scored one more ,the audience with 54000 Polish peeps carried them to their win,congrats to Pol but will miss Swe in the WC .

[Noble_Design]

Is this Canada's first time to qualify for WC? And feels weird not seeing USA/Mexico get a spot...

[BigHewer]

26 minutes ago, Noble_Design said:

Is this Canada's first time to qualify for WC? And feels weird not seeing USA/Mexico get a spot...

Canada qualified once before, back in 1986. The USA and Mexico are in too, qualified yesterday. Canada qualified a few days earlier.

[BigHewer]

21 hours ago, Slacker77 said:

Thanks BH :)

The match started good for Swe but they couldn't score and then Pol got a penalty and Lewandowski had no problem to score .

after that Swe had no chance so then Pol scored one more ,the audience with 54000 Polish peeps carried them to their win,congrats to Pol but will miss Swe in the WC .

I thought Sweden would go through. Italy must be hurting, two in a row missed for them. So which team will you be supporting now?