Final stages of World Cup Qualification rounds

[Pangur Bán]

A Greece Turkey playoff would be pretty nasty if it happened ... pity Turkey have made it so hard for themselves (they have such good players, it's a real shame they mess qualification up so often).

 

[North King]

The last time Turkey made it to the World cup, they got 3rd place; they haven't qualified since.

It's hard not to root for Iceland.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

I foresee a Sweden - Iceland match-up.

 

[BirraImperial]

I hope Iceland makes it.

 

[Gucumatz]

That Ibra goal was heartbreaking for Austria. I think Sweden would have lost its last game heavily to Germany as revenge for the last match. Anyhow, now that Sweden is to the next round they certainly have surprise capability vs. any of the potential ranked sides. And so Denmark is the nation most likely not to get a playoff? That's a shame, they outplayed Italy at times and if they had won then maybe they would have still gone through

 

[Grisu]

so apparently Switzerland could make it into pot 1 if they win their final game against Slovenia (and a bit of luck)....FIFA rankings are crazy

 

[Quackers]

The Swiss beat Spain at the last World Cup which according to the mystical and confusing ways of Football Logic means they are the greatest team of all time. Fact.

Anyway, I see my Ibra/Alaba maths worked out

 

[Loppan Torkel]

The worst one which at the moment is Bulgaria. You take away the results against the last placed team (to get a fair table as one group consists of one team less). And it will most likely be the team from group B, Iceland/Slovenia are certain to be in.

I'm not sure how the play-offs afterwards are drawn, but if they split the pots by the table of the group-second-placed-teams, it could get interesting, at the moment (before last round), we would have (in order of points):
seeded: Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, France
unseeded: Sweden, Iceland, Croatia, Turkey

Things are supposed to change though, Croatia f.e. should move up still. In any case, the two pots will be quite alike in strength (with noteable exceptions), so there should be some nice matches coming up

I believe the go by they latest Fifa ranking. A new one will soon come, but as for now Sweden would be seeded. Latest ranking in the 6th post.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Sweden's up against one of the seeded teams: Portugal, Greece, Croatia or Ukraine.
This after a fun, but defensively terrible 3-5 game against Germany.

 

[IrishDragon]

Great result for Iceland


Anyone remember around this time four years ago, France had a whinge and got the seedings changed because they ended up in the playoffs? They're at it again, this time the draw is seeded in advance to favour the big teams, but the French have managed to miss out on being seeded. Apparently not having San Marino in your group isn't fair and things need to change again to ensure they meet Iceland in the qualifiers

France believe the seeding system is unfair for the World Cup play-offs in November and plan to ask soccer’s ruling body Fifa to review it ahead of next week’s draw.
World and European champions Spain are three points ahead in Group I and host Georgia in their final qualifier today when second-placed France, who look certain to go through to the play-offs, play Finland.
The play-off seeds will be determined by Fifa rankings and 25th-placed France face a likely meeting with another big footballing nation.
France believe the system is flawed because fewer ranking points were available in five-nation Group I while the other sections had six teams.
“We’re going to contact [Fifa],” French federation president Noel Le Graet told the radio station RMC. “There is a little injustice between the group of five and the groups of six.
“Our rivals from other groups have been able to score more points . . . that’s a fact.”
Asked if he had discussed the issue with Le Graet, coach Didier Deschamps said he was not aware of a potential appeal.
“I don’t know if my president will bring the case,” he said. “I wouldn’t go that far in saying there’s an injustice but the fact is that we are sanctioned.”
Captain Hugo Lloris also found it hard for a team who won the 1998 World Cup and reached the final in 2006 not to be seeded although he recognised it was up to the players to improve the rankings.
“France should be seeded because of their history,” he said.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...m-world-cup-play-off-seeding-unfair-1.1561312


I hope they meet Croatia or Portugal and get hockeyed, they're the Cork of the soccer world

 

[mitsho]

Funny, due to Italy drawing to Armenia, Switzerland is now one of the seeded games for the world cup. Both Belgium and Switzerland are now in front of Italy and the Netherlands in the world ranking. Why? Because both of those played fewer counting games due to not qualifiying for the last European Cup and/or the last World cup. This means there are 3 respectively 6 (for Belgium) games less that the total points are divided by. The Dutch lost their games in Poland/Ukraine and thus are lower than the Swiss and Belgians who watched those games in front of their tv's

FIFA's ranking, always good for a laugh

(I'd rather have been in the unseeded pot and have a chance at Argentinia or Brazil btw., as the unseeded European Pot at the WC will consist of the likes of Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, France, England, etc. it won't make a big difference anyways...).

 

[MacAttack]

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers couldn't have gotten any more dramatic. The USA saves Mexico's bacon in dramatic fashion. And the dumpster fire the Mexican National Team is, moves on to the playoff with New Zealand. Which should never ever have had to happen with this now so called "Golden Generation".

 

[Pangur Bán]

A footballing fairy normally looks after Greece, so my guess is that Greece will get Iceland!

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Draws October 21th and the double meeting is played on 15 and 19 November.


Edit - Nations in Play off:
Portugal (1)
Croatia (1)
Greece (1)
Ukraine (1)
Sweden (2)
France (2)
Romania (2)
Iceland (2)

Jordan - Uruguay
New Zealand - Mexico

 

[azzaman333]

I hope Jordan and New Zealand both qualify, because that'd just be hilarious. Also that way there'd definitely be worse teams that the current Australian one at the WC.

 

[BirraImperial]

The All Whites should definetly do the haka when they face Mexico, just like the All Blacks:


Link to video.

 

[mitsho]

Uruguay kinda just belongs at a world cup set in Brazil. Can't really miss them there when they need to kick out the Brazilians just like old time

Jordan would be the only other newcomer to the world cup besides Bosnia, right? (Can't see Iceland make it and all the African playoff-teams seem to have been at a WC already as well).

That must probably a new low record, but of course doesn't mean anything

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Jordan would be the only other newcomer to the world cup besides Bosnia, right? (Can't see Iceland make it and all the African playoff-teams seem to have been at a WC already as well).

Ethiopia and Burkina Faso have never been to a World Cup.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Link to video.
Hysén 3-4 goal against Germany. Contender for goal of the Euro qualies?!

I wouldn't count out Iceland after them getting this far.

 

[Quackers]

I ain't convinced by this German defense. Neur and Lahm are worldclass but i'm uncertain about the rest. I reckon they should start producing some defenders rather than consistently making world class number 10s.
Jogi needs to be replaced too. It is too late now mind.