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Soccerpost: FIFA World Cup Qualifying the next few days...

Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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(all times CST)

Beginning Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 13:

9 a.m. Jordan versus Uruguay
2:30 p.m. Mexico versus New Zealand

The first of two legs. A Uruguay win means they will be seeded in the World Cup. If Jordan advances, the Netherlands will be seeded. Will Mexico advance even with all their travails this year?

Edit to add: Uruguay with the 5-0 road win. Jordan's chances are slimmer than Egypt's against Ghana because at least the Egyptians gave up their goals on the road. Mexico wins 5-1 at home. The Kiwis have slightly better chances to advance than Egypt, but expect El Tri to win.

Friday, November 15:

1 p.m. Iceland versus Croatia (I had listed 2 pm - the website gave me the wrong time - grrrr)
1:45 p.m. Greece versus Romania
1:45 p.m. Portugal versus Sweden
1:45 p.m. Ukraine versus France

Edit to add: Final scores: Iceland 0, Croatia 0. Portugal 1, Sweden 0. Ukraine 2, France 0. Greece 3, Romania 1.


All matchups are the first of two legs.

Saturday, November 16:

9 a.m. Nigeria versus Ethiopia (Nigeria leads 2-1 after 1st leg)
1 p.m. Ivory Coast versus Senegal (Ivory Coast leads 3-1 after 1st leg)

Both Nigeria and Ivory Coast are seeded and hosting 2nd leg contests after winning on the road last month. Expect both to advance to the World Cup.

Nigeria wins the second leg 2-0 and wins 4-1 on aggregate-- advancing to the World Cup. Ivory Coast and Senegal draw 1-1-- sending Ivory Coast to the World Cup.

Sunday, November 17:

8 a.m. Cameroon versus Tunisia (tied 0-0 after 1st leg)

A win and Cameroon is in. Seeded Tunisia will gladly take a 1-1 draw to advance due to the away goals rule.

Edit to add: Cameroon wins 4-1 and advances to the World Cup.

Tuesday, November 19:

10 a.m. Egypt versus Ghana (Ghana leads 6-1 after 1st leg)
12:15 p.m. Algeria versus Burkina Faso (Burkina Faso leads 3-2 after 1st leg)
1 p.m. Romania versus Greece (Greece leads 3-1 after 1st leg)
1:15 p.m. Croatia versus Iceland (0-0 after 1st leg)
1:45 p.m. Sweden versus Portugal (Portugal leads 1-0 after 1st leg)
2 p.m. France versus Ukraine (Ukraine leads 2-0 after 1st leg)

All matchups are second legs. Algeria will take a 1-0 or 2-1 win to advance to the World Cup thanks to their away goals. Ghana is all but in as Egypt needs a near-miracle 5-0 win to advance.

Croatia needs to win to advance to the World Cup. Iceland can advance with a scoring tie (e.g, 1-1, 2-2) due to away goals. Portugal will advance with at least a draw. Sweden needs a 2-0 win. France will need a 3-0 win at home to advance. Romania needs a 2-0 win to advance because of their away goal.

Ghana advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Egypt 7-3. Egypt won the second leg 2-1.
Algeria advances to the World Cup on away goals-- defeating Burkina Faso 1-0 and tying on aggregate 3-3.
Greece advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Romania 4-2. The second leg was a 1-1 draw.
Croatia advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Iceland 2-0, also the score of the second leg.
Portugal advances on aggregate-- defeating Sweden 4-2, 3-2 in the 2nd leg-- all goals in the second half.
France advances on aggregate-- defeating Ukraine 3-2, winning the 2nd leg 3-0, and becoming the first UEFA team to come back from a 2-goal deficit after the first leg of a playoff to advance to the World Cup.

Wednesday, November 20:

12 midnight New Zealand versus Mexico (Mexico leads 5-1 after the 1st leg)
5 p.m. Uruguay versus Jordan (Uruguay leads 5-0 after the 1st leg)

The second leg. Jordan needs to score at least six goals on the road and outscore by five goals a nation that would likely be seeded in the World Cup: in other words, a miracle. The Kiwis' task is slightly less daunting. They just need a 4-0 home win.
 
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Philly Dawg

Philly Dawg

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The seeding is so arbitrary. Uruguay over the Netherlands? COMBEBOL has some great teams but they are overrated in the FIFA rankings (as are CONCACAF) while some UEFA teams are underrated.

The most interesting games to me are Sweden versus Portugal, France versus Ukraine, and Mexico versus New Zealand.

France should be okay against Ukraine, but is Lloris - the world's best goalkeeper - ready to play? I hope so for his sake as well as my team, the Spurs's, sake. (p.s. Friedel is just adequate at this stage of his career, and Spurs probably need to go for a reserve goalkeeper in January.)

New Zealand is not a pushover, this one seems like a complete toss up.

And Sweden versus Portgual is the maquee matchup of the entire list. Ronaldo is better than Zlatan, and the rest of the Portugal squad is better than the rest of the Sweeden squad. I expect Portugal to win, although Zlatan is always capable of moments of absolute absurdity.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

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The laws of physics and the kinetics of the human body do not apply to Zlatan.

Sweden takes it.
 
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GratefulDawg.sixpack

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Why aren't more of these games on English-language TV? I may have to stream Uruguay v Jordan and then go to a soccer bar to watch the UEFA playoffs.
 
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esplanade91

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I'd like to catch the Iceland vs Croatia game, but I'm going to have to go to sketchy Croatian bar in Queens to see it. If FIFA or the USMNT actually care about making soccer a popular US sport they have to start getting these games on TV.
 
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WeWonItAll(Most)

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Where can I watch the Sweden-Portugal game? I don't really watch soccer much, really only games on the international stages. But I've always liked Portugal for whatever reason, and Ibrahemovic is my favorite player, so I might actually watch some of that game.
 
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GratefulDawg.sixpack

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esplanade91 said:
I'd like to catch the Iceland vs Croatia game, but I'm going to have to go to sketchy Croatian bar in Queens to see it. If FIFA or the USMNT actually care about making soccer a popular US sport they have to start getting these games on TV.
Click to expand...

While the sketchy Croatian bar is probably the way to go if you want the authentic experience, I'm gonna have to go for Nevada Smith's in the LES.

It's a great time to have a few days off from work.
 
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patdog

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Damn. Just damn. Saw a game he played in a couple of weeks ago where he had a hat trick 15 minutes into the game. Dude is incredible.
 
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patdog

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Don't know about international games, but the new NBC Sports Channel has been showing 4-5 EPL games per week. I've been watching the hell out of those. Even to the point its cut into my college football viewing.
 
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GratefulDawg.sixpack

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Well, you can pencil in Uruguay for the World Cup. They utterly destroyed Jordan 5-0 in Jordan. They could probably suit up their third string in the return match in Montevideo and still advance.
 
Philly Dawg

Philly Dawg

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Just saw on ESPN broadcast that Mexico is Adiddas' best selling jersey, ahead of Spain, Germany, Columbia, et al.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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And Mexico is doing well so far...

If they can keep New Zealand from scoring a cheap away goal in the second half, they've got a very good chance to advance to Brazil.

Link to ESPN's Gamecast here.
 
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GratefulDawg.sixpack

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Maroon Eagle said:
If they can keep New Zealand from scoring a cheap away goal in the second half, they've got a very good chance to advance to Brazil.

Link to ESPN's Gamecast here.
Click to expand...

Altitude seems to be getting to the Kiwis. They are getting outrun and outclassed so far. Mexico looks good for the first time in a WHILE.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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Yes. Going Club America-plus looks to have been the smart move.
 
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Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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Note: Iceland and Croatia are already underway & the other three UEFA playoff ties for the World Cup will be beginning in five minutes or so....
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

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Portugal and Sweden getting chippy.

Ronaldo right in the middle of it. Zlatan has barely touched the ball, but Portugal can't seem to do anything to take advantage.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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Ukraine showing why they're seeded. As long as they don't give up a cheap away goal...
 
Philly Dawg

Philly Dawg

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That's surprising, I've never known Zlatan or Ronaldo to be involved in any chippiness.
 
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patdog

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Dammit. Forgot about the Scotland match today. Already set to record the Austria match Tuesday.
 
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af102

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Doesn't sound like we are missing much. The live commentators on ESPN are saying it is a snoozefest
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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BTW, In UEFA World Cup playoffs no team has ever recovered from a 1st leg defeat by 2+ goal margin, challenging France and Romania to perform a first.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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Ivory Coast and Senegal draw 1-1. Ivory Coast, as expected, qualifies for the World Cup.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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Busy day today...

Repeating the original and many times edited post:

(All times central time)
10 a.m. Egypt versus Ghana (Ghana won 6-1 in 1st leg, Egypt wins 2-1 in 2nd leg, Ghana wins 7-3 on aggregate)
12:15 p.m. Algeria versus Burkina Faso (Burkina Faso won 3-2 in 1st leg, Algeria won 1-0 in 2nd leg, 3-3 aggregate - Algeria advances on away goals)
1 p.m. Romania versus Greece (Greece leads 3-1 after 1st leg)
1:15 p.m. Croatia versus Iceland (0-0 after 1st leg)
1:45 p.m. Sweden versus Portugal (Portugal leads 1-0 after 1st leg)
2 p.m. France versus Ukraine (Ukraine leads 2-0 after 1st leg)

All matchups are second legs. Algeria will take a 1-0 or 2-1 win to advance to the World Cup thanks to their away goals. Ghana is all but in as Egypt needs a near-miracle 5-0 win to advance.

Croatia needs to win to advance to the World Cup. Iceland can advance with a scoring tie (e.g, 1-1, 2-2) due to away goals. Portugal will advance with at least a draw. Sweden needs a 2-0 win. France will need a 3-0 win at home to advance. Romania needs a 2-0 win to advance because of their away goal.

No UEFA team has come back from a 2-goal deficit after the first leg of a playoff to advance to the World Cup.

Ghana advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Egypt 7-3. Egypt won the second leg 2-1.
Algeria advances to the World Cup on away goals-- defeating Burkina Faso 1-0 and tying on aggregate 3-3.
Greece advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Romania 4-2. The second leg was a 1-1 draw.
Croatia advances to the World Cup on aggregate-- defeating Iceland 2-0, also the score of the second leg.
Portugal advances on aggregate-- defeating Sweden 4-2, 3-2 in the 2nd leg-- all goals in the second half.
France advances on aggregate-- defeating Ukraine 3-2, winning the 2nd leg 3-0, and becoming the first UEFA team to come back from a 2-goal deficit after the first leg of a playoff to advance to the World Cup.
 
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seshomoru

seshomoru

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Never thought of this regarding a tie situation...

what if at the end of 90 minutes, Sweden is up 1-0. Do they continue with extra time until the next goal? I should know this, but I haven't really followed the two leg playoff format that much to have seen it happen.
 
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patdog

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Think you're right. I wish play should just continue for a 30 minute extra period then penalty kicks if the teams are tied on aggregate, regardless of away goals. I hate the away goal rule.
 
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