football thread No11

[Takhisis]

We should start a drinking game.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Take a drink every time the Bulgarian NT makes you lose a portion of your will to live.

 

[Takhisis]

I already follow Scotland and the CONMEBOL qualifiers, y'know. It's a bit Mithridatic, but Bulgaria's woes are comparatively minor.

 

[BirraImperial]

And We're off to Russia!!! It was an ugly match, and a last minute equalizer might seem lame, but Costa Rica is now part of the 32 nations going to Russia!

 

[Snerk]

Our Icelandic overlords continues their march of glory. With a win over Kosovo tonight they'll secure the top spot in a tough group.

 

[warpus]

Watched the Poland - Montenegro game today with my family a couple hours before Thanksgiving dinner. What a day full of beer and celebrations and large cooked birds

Can't believe Poland is going to be in pot 1. This is the best team we've had since 1982 and might actually be better than our 1982 team. Looking forward to the draw, whenever that happens again

 

[Takhisis]

Egypt gets in, and they will likely feature the oldest player ever in 45-year-old Essam el-Hadary. They stopped winning the African title every year and eventually they managed to qualify for the World Cup. Hmmm.

Scotland manages yet another glorious failure, Spain qualify…

CONMEBOL achieve yet another landmark in this crazy season. With 17 rounds already played, this Tuesday will see all teams playing their matches simultaneously, given that each match features at least one team which can qualify if they win.

Uruguay - Bolivia
Ecuador - Argentina
Brazil - Chile
Venezuela - Paraguay
Peru - Colombia

Venezuela and Bolivia are already out, Brazil are #1 by far. Right now Uruguay, Chile, Colombia and Peru are taking the next four positions. But it's seven teams for four slots (or 3½ slots if you prefer) and anything's possible. Ecuador have lost the last five matches in a row; they started by winning the first four. Argentina are a wreck. Brazil are expected/suspected to throw the match, but I wouldn't be so sure. Who knows how it turns out?

 

[W|M]

Brazil has never been defeated at home during World Cup qualifiers. I don't expect the first defeat to happen on Tuesday, even if it would screw Argentina

 

[ThERat]

They had never lost a semi-final by that score against Germany....

Anyway, it will be a very exciting final match day. Also, will the Dutch beat Sweden by 6-7 goal margin?

 

[Takhisis]

Brazil has never been defeated at home during World Cup qualifiers. I don't expect the first defeat to happen on Tuesday, even if it would screw Argentina

They're widely expected/suspected/speculated/etc. of throwing the game to screw Argentina. But Argentina's worst rivals are Argentina. Missing a penalty at home to Paraguay, missing a dozen goals against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru… they could easily have six or more points than they do.

It would appear the players are still hungover from the last three finals lost in as many years.

 

[AdrienIer]

Scotland manages yet another glorious failure

The Scottish coach blames genetics for their elimination, saying Scottish players are too small. I'm not even kidding.

Anyway, it will be a very exciting final match day. Also, will the Dutch beat Sweden by 6-7 goal margin?

The Netherlands only need to win the match because the tie-breaker is not overall goal differential it's the result of their games against Sweden. They drew the first match, so if they win this one they win the overall confrontation and finish second

 

[W|M]

They're widely expected/suspected/speculated/etc. of throwing the game to screw Argentina. But Argentina's worst rivals are Argentina. Missing a penalty at home to Paraguay, missing a dozen goals against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru… they could easily have six or more points than they do.

It would appear the players are still hungover from the last three finals lost in as many years.

 

[Takhisis]

^Amazing insight by wim. Try and get that past the heads of the super-duper team AFA have put together.

The Scottish coach blames genetics for their elimination, saying Scottish players are too small. I'm not even kidding.

 

[BirraImperial]

The Scottish coach blames genetics for their elimination, saying Scottish players are too small. I'm not even kidding.



The Netherlands only need to win the match because the tie-breaker is not overall goal differential it's the result of their games against Sweden. They drew the first match, so if they win this one they win the overall confrontation and finish second

Goal differential is the first criteria for a tie-breaker...So the Dutch have to beat Sweden by 6 goals or they're out...

From FIFA's rule book:

"In the league format, the ranking in each group is determined as follows: a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches; b) goal difference in all group matches; c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches. If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings shall be determined as follows: d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned; e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned; f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned; g) the goals scored away from home count double between the teams concerned (if the tie is only between two teams). h) fair play points system in which the number of yellow and red cards in all group matches is considered according to the following deductions: – fi rst yellow card: minus 1 point – second yellow card/indirect red card: minus 3 points – direct red card: minus 4 points – yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points; i) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee."

 

[Arwon]

Australia through to the CONCACAF playoff, barely. Took two Tim Cahill headers, the second in extra time. The team is stuffed when he retires.

 

[BirraImperial]

Speaking of CONCACAF, the qualification ends tonight. Panama and Honduras will fight to reach the playoff vs Australia. Honduras must defeat Mexico at home and hope for Panama to stumble at home vs Costa Rica...The US is practically qualified to Russia 2018 barring a setback vs Trinidad & Tobago...

 

[dutchfire]

Let's see if Robben can ruin his own farewell party.

 

[AdrienIer]

Only 4 more goals to go.

 

[ThERat]

The Dutch have to go back to their roots when they actually played football in style. Not too sure how to get there with the current batch of players they have but what we have seen from them since 2006 is just awful.( In a way the reversal of Dutch and German football with the difference that Germany was successful even when playing awful football)

 

[Takhisis]

Second half of the CONMEBOL Eliminatorias is about to start… it's do or die for everyone involved.

btw it'd just be the ticket for Uruguay to qualify with a narrow loss at home to a team that's already been eliminated.