2014 FIFA World Cup - qualification

[intoronto]

Uzbekistan will advance to CONMEBOL playoff. They will fail to qualify, what is your opionion?

They need to play Jordan first to advance.

[Gangwon]

Uzbekistan played great and admirable football over the past year, the kind of football you could respect. They will have a tough time with CONMEBOL's 5th team, assuming they get past Jordan, but that has more to do with CONMEBOL'S depth than anything else.

[gotosy]

CONCACAF

USA 1 - 0 Honduras

Costa Rica 2 - 0 Panama

1- United States 13pts

2- Costa Rica 11

3- Mexico 8

4- Honduras 7

5- Panama 6

6- Jamaica 2

[gotosy]

South Africa lifeline as Ethiopia docked points South Africa were thrown a World Cup qualifying lifeline on Monday after rivals Ethiopia were docked three points by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player in a match against Botswana.

In a statement released by football’s global governing body, FIFA said that Minyahile Teshome Beyene should not have played in Ethiopia's 2-1 win as he was suspended for accumulated yellow cards.

As a result, Botswana were declared winners of the Group A game by a 3-0 margin and Ethiopia, who had gone five points clear of South Africa at the top with one match each to play, saw their previously unassailable lead cut to two points.

Ethiopia are still favourites to top the group as they visit Central African Republic in their final game on September 6 while South Africa host Botswana the same day.

http://au.eurosport.com/football/world-cup/2014/south-africa-lifeline-as-ethiopia-docked-points_sto3824469/story.shtml

Ethiopia sanctioned for fielding ineligible player

FIFA can confirm that the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in the preliminary competition match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ between Botswana and Ethiopia played on 8 June 2013.

The match is declared to be forfeited and awarded 3-0 in favour of Botswana, with the EFF also receiving a fine of CHF 6,000 after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee considered the EFF liable for having breached art. 55 par. 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and art. 8 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Regulations.

The sanction relates to the Ethiopian player Minyahile Teshome Beyene failing to serve the automatic one-match suspension imposed on him following two cautions received in two different matches (art. 17 par. 3 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code).

FIFA

[gotosy]

FIFA overturns Togo win in World Cup qualifier

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has penalized Togo for fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier, a decision which severely damages Libya's hopes of reaching the tournament in Brazil.

FIFA says it overturned Togo's 2-0 home win against Cameroon on June 9, and awarded the visitors a 3-0 default victory.

Cameroon now rises above Libya in the standings and leads by one point with one match remaining.

Cameroon hosts Libya on Sept. 6 needing just a draw to advance to the final playoff round.

FIFA says Togo played Alexys Romao, a midfielder with Marseille, who should have served a one-match suspension for accumulating yellow cards.

Togo joins Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon and Sudan among African teams losing matches by default for administrative errors in the current World Cup qualifying phase.

AP

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/sports/article/FIFA-overturns-Togo-win-in-World-Cup-qualifier-4646812.php

[gotosy]

FIFA suspends Cameroon for government interference

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA has suspended Cameroon after the re-election last month of its soccer federation president, who was arrested for alleged financial crimes in his business career.

The suspension could prevent Cameroon from playing a key World Cup qualifier Sept. 6 against Libya. It also could affect the club team Coton Sports when it resumes its African Champions League season July 20.

FIFA's emergency committee imposed the suspension Thursday because of government interference in the federation, known as Fecafoot.

''The FIFA statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties,'' the world governing body said in a statement.

Typically when governments seek to exert influence, FIFA threatens or imposes suspensions as a short-term measure to protect elected football officials.

While suspended, a country's teams and officials cannot take part in international matches and meetings, nor receive FIFA funds.

The Cameroonian president of African soccer, Issa Hayatou, did not take part in the vote, FIFA said. The ruling body said it will create an emergency panel to run the Cameroon federation and hold elections by March 31.

...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/fifa-suspends-cameroon-government-interference-163558753--sow.html

[gotosy]

Asia Continental Play-off dates confirmed: Jordan will host the first leg on 6 September, with the return leg in Uzbekistan four days later

Intercontinental Play-off dates confirmed: Winner of Jordan-Uzbekistan play the 5th placed team of South America on 13/14 Nov & 20 Nov

Intercontinental Playoff dates confirmed: The 4th placed team of North, Central America & Caribbean play New Zealand on 13/14 Nov & 20 Nov

https://twitter.com/FifaWorldCup

[gotosy]

2014 World Cup: Fifa sanctions Equatorial Guinea

Fifa has sanctioned Equatorial Guinea for using the same ineligible player in two 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde.

Cape Verde are awarded technical 3-0 wins for both games, which moves them two points behind leaders Tunisia.

The final Group B game between Tunisia and Cape Verde will now decide who advances to the final play-off round.

Prior to Fifa's move, Tunisia thought they had progressed while the Blue Sharks had been eliminated.

But then, the Carthage Eagles learned that Equatorial Guinea had potentially flouted Fifa rules in their qualifiers against islanders Cape Verde.

Equatorial Guinea fielded Mallorca striker Emilio Nsue Lopez, a player who does not meet the eligibility criteria, in the 4-3 win at home to Cape Verde on 24 March.

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts have also been sanctioned for using the same player in the away match on 8 June, which Cape Verde won 2-1.

When the world governing body ruled against Equatorial Guinea, the latter's federation launched an appeal.

But Fifa have rejected that appeal, with the case centring on part III. of the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes.

BBC

[Lucas]

I miss qualifiers already, Argentina is pretty sure in Brazil same for Colo,bia and Ecuador, but the last spots will have exciting matches! In Europe things will spice up in September. Only Africa, that qualifying process is so no exciting.

[gotosy]

... Only Africa, that qualifying process is so no exciting.

with all recent news from Africa, I would say that the CAF qualifying is really a mess

[Faster]

It does seem weird that this is happening so much.

[gotosy]

Fifa lifts a global ban on Cameroon for government interference


Fifa has lifted its global ban on Cameroon after a normalisation committee began its work on Monday to run the country's football federation.

It is being headed by former Minister of Education, Sports, Joseph Owona.

Earlier this month, Fifa banned Cameroon for governmental interference into the running of the country's football.

The condition for the lifting of the ban was that the committee was allowed to begin work.

The team will be working under the supervision of Fifa's Primo Carvaro and Confederation of African Football (Caf) representative Prosper Abega.

It means Cameroon will be free to play their crucial 2014 World Cup qualifier away to Libya in September, with the winner advancing to the final play-off round.

...

BBC

[gotosy]

UEFA - Group F

Northern Ireland 1 - 0 Russia

1- Portugal 14 pts

2- Russia 12

3- Israel 11

4- N. Ireland 6

5- Azerbaijan 4

6- Luxembourg 3

[Ikarus360]

Portugal has recovered from their previous precarious situation, for what I can see. Also that Northern Ireland victory yesterday was surprising and puts Russia on a difficult situation now.

[Bezzi]

But Russia have one game less than Portugal.

[treso]

After reading these qualifiers, I feel the mood to wait for the arrival of the World Cup 2014 is a special twist.

[deawebo]

Am I the inly one that wants to see Albania qualify? I mean, they are second to Switzerland and 38th in FIFA Ranking. It's possible

*only (f**ng iPhone)

[gotosy]

AFC - Play-off 1st leg:

Jordan 1 - 1 Uzbekistan

the 2nd leg will be played on sep 10, the winner will face Conmebol's 5th place team

[gotosy]

CAF

Ghana 2-1 Zambia

Ghana reach the final qualification stage from Africa Group D

[gotosy]

UEFA - Group I

Georgia 0 - 0 France

Finland 0 - 2 Spain

1- Spain 14 pts

2- France 11

3- Finland 6

4- Georgia 5

5- Belarus 4

UEFA - Group D

Romania 3 - 0 Hungary

Turkey 5 - 0 Andorra

Estonia 2 - 2 Netherlands

1- Netherlands 19 pts

2- Romania 13

3- Hungary 11

4- Turkey 10

5- Estonia 7

6- Andorra 0

UEFA - Group E

Switzerland 4 - 4 Iceland

Norway 2 - 0 Cyprus

Slovenia 1 - 0 Albania

1- Switzerland 15

2- Norway 11

3- Albania 10

4- Iceland 10

5- Slovenia 9

6- Cyprus 4

[gotosy]

UEFA - Group G

Latvia 2 - 1 Lithuania

Bosnia Hezergovina 0 - 1 Slovakia

Liechtenstein 0 - 1 Greece

1- Bosnia Herzegovina 16 pts

2- Greece 16

3- Slovakia 12

4- Latvia 7

5- Lithuania 5

6- Liechtenstein 2

UEFA - Group B

Czech Rep 1 - 2 Armenia

Malta 1 - 2 Denmark

Italy 1 - 0 Bulgaria

1- Italy 17 pts

2- Bulgaria 10

3- Czech rep 9

4- Armenia 9

5- Denmark 9

6- Malta 3

UEFA - Group C

Kazakhstan 2 - 1 Faroe Isl.

Germany 3 - 0 Austria

Ireland 1 - 2 Sweden

1- Germany 19 pts

2- Sweden 14

3- Austria 11

4- Ireland 11

5- Kazakhstan 4

6- Faroe Islands 0

UEFA - Group F

Russia 4 - 1 Luxembourg

Northern Ireland 2 - 4 Portugal

1- Portugal 17 pts

2- Russia 15

3- Israel 11

4- Northern Ireland 6

5- Azerbaijan 4

6- Luxembourg 3

[gotosy]

UEFA - Group A

Macedonia 2 - 1 Wales

Serbia 1 - 1 Croatia

Scotland 0 - 2 Belgium

1- Belgium 22 pts

2- Croatia 17

3- Serbia 8

4- Macedonia 7

5- Wales 6

6- Scotland 5

UEFA - Group H

England 4 - 0 Moldova

Ukraine 9 - 0 San Marino

Poland 1 - 1 Montenegro

1- England 15

2- Montenegro 15

3- Ukraine 14

4- Poland 10

5- Moldova 5

6- San Marino 0

[gotosy]

CONMEBOL

Colombia 1 - 0 Ecuador

Paraguay 4 - 0 Bolivia

Chile 3 - 0 Venezuela

Peru 1 - 2 Uruguay

1- Argentina 26 pts

2- Colombia 26

3- Chile 24

4- Ecuador 21

5- Uruguay19

6- Venezuela 16

7- Peru 14

8- Paraguay 11

9- Bolivia 10

CONCACAF

Mexico 1 - 2 Honduras

Costa Rica 3 - 1 USA

Panama 0 - 0 Jamaica

1- Costa Rica 14 pts

2- United States 13

3- Honduras 10

4- Mexico 8

5- Panama 7

6- Jamaica 3

[Faster]

2 surprising results in CONCACAF with the Americans slumping to a defeat in Costa Rica and Honduras beating Mexico at Azteca.

[deawebo]

Mexico will only qualify via playoffs, they will loose against USA and loose or draw Costa Rica. But if Mexico falis to qualify, it will have a HUGE (negative) financial impact on the WC.