WC 2006 draw

[MCdread]

The draw for the WC 2006 in Germany has just ended and you can see all the groups here.
We got the easiest group together with the groups of England and Italy. The Netherlands have the worst group They paired with Romania, Finland and... the Czech Republic.

 

[MCdread]

The European groups:

Group 1: Czech Republic, Netherlands, Romania, Finland, Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra

Group 2: Turkey, Denmark, Greece, Ukraine, Georgia, Albania, Kazakhstan

Group 3: Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg

Group 4: France, Rep. Ireland, Switzerland, Israel, Cyprus, Faroe Islands

Group 5: Italy, Slovenia, Scotland, Norway, Belarus, Moldova

Group 6: England, Poland, Austria, Wales, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan

Group 7: Spain, Belgium, Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania, San Marino

Group 8: Sweden, Croatia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Hungary, Malta

The group of Turkey promises to be fun too.

The winners of each qualify plus the 2 best runners-up, and the remaining runners-up go for a play-off.

The seedings were the exact same ones of the Euro draw, so I found out that under that scheme, Portugal was still the 2nd best behind France, and ahead of the swedes and the czechs.

 

[Håkon]

The other groups:

ASIA
Group 1: Iran, Qatar, Jordan, Laos
Group 2: Uzbekistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chinese Taipei
Group 3: Japan, Oman, India, Singapore
Group 4: China, Kuwait, Malaysia, Hong Kong
Group 5: United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Yemen, North Korea
Group 6: Bahrain, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Group 7: South Korea, Lebanon, Vietnam, Maldives
Group 8: Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka

OSEANIA:
Group 1: Tahiti, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tonga, Cook Islands
Group 2: Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, American Samoa
(Australia and New Zealand are automatically qualified for the next round)

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (sp?)
Grenada or Guyana v USA
Bermunda or Montserrat v El Salvador
Haiti or Turks Caicos Island v Jamaica
British Virgin Islands or St. Lucia v Panama
Cayman Islands or Cuba v Costa Rica
Aruba or Surinam v Guatemala
Antiuga og Barbuda or Netherlands Antilles v Honduras
Canada v Belize
Dominica or Bahamas v Mexico
US Virgin Islands or St. Kitts & Nevis v Barbados
Dominican Republic or Anguilla v Trinidad and Tobago
Nicaragua v St. Vincent & Grenadines

AFRICA
Group 1: Senegal, Mali, Zambia, Togo, Liberia, Congo-Brazzaville
Group 2: South Africa, DR Kongo-Kinshasa, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Uganda, Cape Verde
Group 3: Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan, Benin
Group 4: Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Angola, Gabon, Rwanda
Group 5: Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya, Guinea, Malawi, Botswana.

I think Norway should be able to get second place in our group. It'll be a tough fight with Slovenia, I think Scotland are too weak, but that could change (optimistic outlook here )

 

[Suppersalmon]

Originally posted by MCdread
The European groups:

Group 6: England, Poland, Austria, Wales, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan

Could Wales qualify for a major tournement after over 50 years they maybe able to get to 2nd

 

[Inter4]

In Italy's gruop, Norway and Scotland are quite tricky..

 

[Håkon]

Slovenia and Belarus too, Inter. Slovenia always do better than you think, Belarus are hard to beat at home. Moldova is a walker. I think Scotland will be fourth behind Norway, they were less than impressive in their Euro group, in the play-off, and in a friendly against Norway in August.

My predictions for Group 6:

1) Italy, 2) Slovenia, 3) Norway, 4) Scotland, 5) Belarus, 6) Moldova.

Thanks for overestimating us. Just what we need...wait...that was underestimating...blast.

 

[Mariusz]

Originally posted by Suppersalmon
Could Wales qualify for a major tournement after over 50 years they maybe able to get to 2nd

Wales could be 2nd only if England finishes on 3rd place, because we won't be any lower than 2nd.

 

[Dell19]

[cough] Latvia [end of cough]

 

[Mr Black]

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Grenada or Guyana v USA


SWEET!!! We've a bit of history with those Grenadians.


BTW, what the hell is a South American nation doing in CONCACAF. And there is a second, Suriname.

 

[Håkon]

The other South American nations don't want them, on account of them being too poor.

What's an American doing being interested in men's soccer (thought I'd never use that word)?

 

[Zwelgje]

The Czech Republic, again...

 

[jeriko one]

Originally posted by MCdread


Group 2: Turkey, Denmark, Greece, Ukraine, Georgia, Albania, Kazakhstan

The group of Turkey promises to be fun too.

Yes other countries will have great fun when they see ud beatem by Kazakhstan and Albania(I am not mentioning Greece factor). But of course that will happen if current manager does not resign.

I think Group 6 would be more fun if Scotland were drawn to it.

 

[Pangur Bán]

Our group sucks

 

[Mega Tsunami]

Group 6: England, Poland, Austria, Wales, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan

jeriko one

I think Group 6 would be more fun if Scotland were drawn to it

And even better if Ireland was drawn in it too. (Could theoretically have happened).

England’s group looks OKish and we ought to qualify. “Not Poland again” I thought (we play them sooooo often). Still, we usually beat them so I can’t complain too much.

I worry about the potential hooligan problems playing Wales and of course England playing in Belfast Will that happen? Will they have to play at a neutral ground?

 

[willemvanoranje]

Man we gotta have the toughest group in this qualification :S

Group 1:
Czech Republic ---> AGAIN???!!!
Netherlands ---> they rock
Romania ---> 3rd pot? WTH! Chivu, Lobont...says enough
Finland ---> keep your eyes open or you're dead...Litmanen, Nurmela, Forssell, Hyypia, Pasanen...
Macedonia ---> hmmm....England?
Armenia ---> that's not even Europe!
Andorra ---> they can still bring up 11 players ay?

 

[Stapel]

No France or Italy... So why complain?

 

[Hitro]

I like our group.

 

[Rhye]

Hey our group is not that easy. I would have prefered France's

 

[willemvanoranje]

Originally posted by Hitro
I like our group.

You should. If you don't qualify the world must go upside down.

 

[Dell19]

You never know...