World Cup Qualifiers

[Olympian2004 511]

We're entering the decisive phase in the qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In Europe, the following matches are scheduled for today, October 10:

Group 1

Denmark - Sweden

Portugal - Hungary

Denmark could secure the direct qualification by a win against Sweden. The play-off spot will probably decided not before Wednesday between Sweden, Portugal and Hungary.

Group 2

Luxembourg - Switzerland

Israel - Moldova

Greece - Latvia

Switzerland could qualify directly by winning against Luxembourg if Greece and Latvia ended their match with a draw. Israel must win or draw to stay in the race for either the direct qualifying or the play-off spot.

Group 3

Slovakia - Slovenia

Czech Republic - Poland

Slovakia would secure the direct qualification with a draw or win against Slovenia. Either the Czechs or the Poles have to win or draw to stay in the race. Slovenia still stands a good chance if it lost against Slovakia. The Northern Irish can only watch from the sideline and hope that Slovenia and the Czech Republic don't win.

Group 4

Finland - Wales

Russia - Germany

Liechtenstein - Azerbaijan

It's all between Russia and Germany (all other teams are out of reach of the qualifying spots). If Germany wins, it's directly qualified. If both teams draw, everything will depend on Wednesday. If Russia wins, it has a very good chance to qualify directly.

Group 5

Estonia - Bosnia and Herzegovina

Belgium - Turkey

Armenia - Spain

It's all between Bosnia and Herzegovina for the play-off spot (Spain is qualified already).If Bosnia and Herzegovina wins, it's all theirs. So Turkey has to win and hope for at least a Bosnian draw to stay in the race.

Group 6

Belarus - Kazakhstan

Ukraine - England

Croatia and Ukraine fight for the play-off spot (England is qualified already). Croatia has to wait and see till Wednesday, Ukraine would even stand a small chance if it lost against England.

Group 7

Serbia - Romania

Austria - Lithuania

France - Faroe Islands

If Serbia wins, it's directly qualified. If Austria wins while France either draws or loses, it still has a chance for the play-off spot. France would stand the best chance for at least the play-off spot if it won. Romania and Lithuania have to win to keep a theoretical chance for the play-off spot.

Group 8

Montenegro - Georgia

Cyprus - Bulgaria

Ireland - Italy

Italy would secure direct qualification with either a win or draw. Bulgaria has to win to stay in the race for the play-off spot.

Group 9

has finished its matches on September 9 already.

[Olympian2004 511]

Africa

Group A

Scheduled for today are:

Gabon - Morocco

Cameroon - Togo

Cameroon would secure the qualification if it won and Gabon lost. To stay in the race, Morocco and Togo have to hope that Cameroon doesn't win.

Group B

Scheduled for tomorrow are:

Nigeria - Mozambique

Tunisia - Kenya

Kenya has to win to stay in the race. Mozambique has to win or draw. If Tunisia wins while Nigeria draws or loses, it's qualified.

Group C

Zambia - Egypt (scheduled for today)

Algeria - Rwanda (scheduled for tomorrow)

Algeria could qualify by a win, if Egypt lost or drawed. Algeria could also qualify if it only drawed and Egypt lost. Rwanda is already out of the race. Zambia has only a theoretical chance if it won and Algeria lost.

Group D

Ghana is already qualified.

Group E

Malawi - Cote d'Ivoire (scheduled for today)

Guinea - Burkina Faso (scheduled for tomorrow)

Burkina Faso has only a theoretical chance if it won and Cote d'Ivoire lost. Cote d'Ivoire could secure qualification with a win or draw.

[Olympian2004 511]

South America

Scheduled for today are:

Colombia - Chile

Ecuador - Uruguay

Venezuela - Paraguay

Argentina - Peru

And scheduled for tomorrow, October 11, is:

Bolivia - Brazil

If Chile wins, it's directly qualified. If it draws, it has at least the play-off spot for certain. Whether Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and/or Colombia reach the qualifying or play-off spots, could still remain uncertain until Wednesday.

North and Central America

Mexico - El Salvador

Costa Rica - Trinidad and Tobago

Honduras - USA

All teams besides Trinidad and Tobago are still in the race for direct qualifying and play-off spots. If the USA win, while Mexico or Costa Rica loses or draws, they are directly qualified. If Mexico wins and the USA or Costa Rica lose or draw, it's directly qualified. I could go on and on, but I'm too lazy to calculate the different scenarios for the other teams.

Asia/Oceania play-off

Bahrain - New Zealand

We won't have a decision there until the second play-off match in New Zealand on November 14.

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

I suppose half Germany will watch that match today in the afternoon...

[micheal_warren 206]

Bahrain vs New Zealand the first match is tonight new zealand time in Bahrain.

New Zealand has only qualified for the World Champs once in 1982 in Spain. It would be wonderful for New Zealand sport if we could make it again. Fingers crossed. I will be getting up 4am new zealand time to watch the game.

Go New Zealand

[Rob. 2038]

Only about 1m people will watch England today as it's not on TV but on a pay-per-view website.

Dennmark v Sweden is on ESPN, but I'll probably just watch

instead

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

Bahrain vs New Zealand the first match is tonight new zealand time in Bahrain.

New Zealand has only qualified for the World Champs once in 1982 in Spain. It would be wonderful for New Zealand sport if we could make it again. Fingers crossed. I will be getting up 4am new zealand time to watch the game.

Go New Zealand

Its a pitty Russia vs. Germany starts at 17:14 on ZDF (Second German TV Channel) in Germany - Bahrain vs. New Zealand at 17:30 is shown on Eurosport 2 - therefore I have to switch the whole time... I want to see the Kiwis in South Africa!!!

Only about 1m people will watch England today as it's not on TV but on a pay-per-view website.

I heard that it is a kind of scandal in the UK, since the TV-station, which got the TV-rights, got bancrupt...

I hope it isn't the "future" that you have to watch football on pay-per-view websites!!!

[Rob. 2038]

I wouldn't say a scandal - more like a small kerfuffle.

The company that had bought rights to England away qualifiers went bankrupt (they overbid for Premier League TV rights and couldn't get the subscriptions to cover their costs).

Now, in normal circumstances, this game would be picked up by the BBC or ITV or even SKY. But since England are already qualified, none of them have shown much interest and the Ukranian FA sold the rights to a website instead.

The reason it's not on terrestrial TV is, bizarrely, because England have played too well in their earlier matches, and this match is therefore completely meaningless now. There's no reason to think this is an indication of the future; if any of the big broadcasters were interested in this match, they'd have bought the rights to it. As it is, it's little more than a friendly for England.

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

I wouldn't say a scandal - more like a small kerfuffle.

The company that had bought rights to England away qualifiers went bankrupt (they overbid for Premier League TV rights and couldn't get the subscriptions to cover their costs).

well - I searched for an appropriate word, but I couldn't found any instead of "scandal" - it is interesting that TV-companies really believe that they can built up a working TV-station with football only..

[Rob. 2038]

Exactly, especially with such a dominant competitor in SKY.

Anyway, we've gone off topic a little. I hope Germany beat Russia tonight. I really want Hungary to beat Portugal as well. Oh, and is it too much to hope for the Faroe Islands to overturn France?

[Westfale 32]

I am pessimistic as ever and think Russia will win 3:0. I dont want to sound like a sour loser, but they play on artificial turf today. The German team is not familiar with that. It is a huge advantage for the Russians.

[aluz 36]

Go Peru!!!!

A message from Brazil: the only country already qualified for the WC Finals for 2010 and 2014.

[Rob. 2038]

I am pessimistic as ever and think Russia will win 3:0. I dont want to sound like a sour loser, but they play on artificial turf today. The German team is not familiar with that. It is a huge advantage for the Russians.

This is de ja vu, really weird. It's like it's two years ago all over again!

Plastic pitch certain to keep players on their toes

England's pitch battle

England lost in Russia and then had to get a result against Croatia at home to qualify (which we failed to do). You reckon it'll be the same for Germany - relying on a result against Finland - do you?

[Faster 545]

I am pessimistic as ever and think Russia will win 3:0. I dont want to sound like a sour loser, but they play on artificial turf today. The German team is not familiar with that. It is a huge advantage for the Russians.

I don't think Russia has the quality to beat a team like Germany 3-0, even at home. The Germans will be well prepared, hopefully a draw will do.

I am hoping for a Danish, Hungarian, Swiss, Cote d'Ivoire and Chilean win today along with Germans.

[Feheva 5]

South America

Scheduled for today are:

Colombia - Chile

Ecuador - Uruguay

Venezuela - Paraguay

Argentina - Peru

And scheduled for tomorrow, October 11, is:

Bolivia - Brazil

If Chile wins, it's directly qualified. If it draws, it has at least the play-off spot for certain. Whether Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and/or Colombia reach the qualifying or play-off spots, could still remain uncertain until Wednesday.

Just to add that Brazil and Paraguay are already qualified.

I believe Chile will easily win today and qualify.

Depending on the Ecuador vs Uruguay and Argentina vs Peru results today, the last round, on Wednesday with Argentina vs Uruguay possibly fighting for a remaining spot should be thrilling!

I believe that at the end, Argentina will qualify in the playoff. Maradona has been there for the 94 qualifing, as a player, and they got it against Australia.

If I'm not mistaken, this time the playoff will be against a team from north/central America...

[Westfale 32]

Faster, RobH, you both know that Germany didnt play the qualification for 2006, but we had to play the qualification 2002. Rob will remember it well. We finished second in that group behind England. But we got three points out of two matches against England but against Finland only two...

The away match in Helsinki last year was a 3-3 draw....

[Faster 545]

Faster, RobH, you both know that Germany didnt play the qualification for 2006, but we had to play the qualification 2002. Rob will remember it well. We finished second in that group behind England. But we got three points out of two matches against England but against Finland only two...

The away match in Helsinki last year was a 3-3 draw....

So Germany's record this time is incredibly better then in the 2002 qualification and the team is much better.

[Faster 545]

Early results

Zambia 0 - 1 Egypt

Malawi 1 - 1 Cote d'Ivoire (CVI qualify for the world cup)

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

Goal!!!

Russia vs. Germany

0:1

Klose

[Faster 545]

I guess there goes your 3-0 score line

Hopefully Germany can get another and get to South Africa.

And Ozil and Boateng are both on the field, and if I know my FIFA regulations they are now Germans for life!

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

free kick close to the penalty area for Russia

[baron-pierreIV 1690]

The USA-Honduras game tonight (away for the US) is only viewable on closed-circuit because Honduran TV sold it to some closed-circuit co.

So if I realy, really wanted to watch it tonight, I would have to go to a sports bar in SF (the only place in the WHOLE Bay Area metro area of 7+ million people) to watch the doggone thing. Fuhgedabout it.

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

no goal - 3 minutes to go in the first half

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

The USA-Honduras game tonight (away for the US) is only viewable on closed-circuit because Honduran TV sold it to some closed-circuit co.

So if I realy, really wanted to watch it tonight, I would have to go to a sports bar in SF (the only place in the WHOLE Bay Area metro area of 7+ million people) to watch the doggone thing. Fuhgedabout it.

You should!!!

I even watching Bahrain vs. New Zealand at the same time to Russia vs. Germany

[Citius Altius Fortius 560]

I am just watching Bahrain vs. New Zealand - and there is a Bharain supporter, who is "praying" the whole time via a megaphone (that is a little bit "annoying")