2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification

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So has Costa Rica, qualified last night with a last minute equaliser.
All up in the first posts :D

The direction to replay South Africa - Senegal looks like it'll be the decisive action in the group, sadly. Cape Verde lost to Senegal and Burkina Faso - which has taken the case to higher levels - lost to South Africa yesterday. That puts Senegal top, 2pt ahead of Cape Verde and Burkina Faso, but with one extra game in hand. Cape Verde and Burkina Faso play each other next, followed by South Africa-Senegal and then Senegal-South Africa. Only a very specific set of results will allow either of the smaller teams to qualify - a big win against their rival (Cape Verde need a much bigger win), plus a draw and a win for South Africa in the two South Africa/Senegal matches. If Senegal win either match, Senegal qualify. If both matches are drawn, Senegal qualify. If South Africa win both, South Africa qualify.

Cape Verde need an eight goal swing - they win and Senegal lose one game by a total of eight goals between them. Burkina Faso just need a four goal swing.
 
Scotland miss out on the play-offs on goal difference!

Slovakia finish in second behind England.
 
Big win for the US on Friday which should mean we at least make the play-in game. If US loses in Trinidad and both Panama and Honduras win Tuesday, the US would be knocked out.
 
Typical Scotland.
Understatement of the Year Award 2017.

And as if to add insult to injury, it would be that last minute goal by England that has essentially made all the difference - although there were also many other opportunities that we missed, that late England goal stings. If we had just been able to defend for a few minutes in that game, we would have clinched 2nd place with the win over Slovakia, but it wasn't to be.

Bizarrely, Gordon Strachan has blamed the gene pool in Scotland, citing the fact that Scotland are the smallest team in Europe apart from Spain - the fact that Spain won the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros in 2012 is seemingly lost on him.
 
Bizarrely, Gordon Strachan has blamed the gene pool in Scotland, citing the fact that Scotland are the smallest team in Europe apart from Spain - the fact that Spain won the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros in 2012 is seemingly lost on him.

We've certainly got the smallest manager in Europe.

Kenny Dalglish 5' 8"
Jimmy Johnstone 5' 2"
Archie Gemmill 5' 5"
Denis Law 5' 9"
Dave Mackay 5' 8"
Billy Bremner 5' 5"

And uh, yeah... Gordon Strachan wouldn't pick himself at 5' 6".

And that's so true, TM. Saying "We're the second shortest behind Spain" doesn't really address Spain being one of the best team on the continent over the last 10 years, arguably the best 2008-2012. An odd comment from Strachan. Scotland's mid-third flourish couldn't overcome the slow start.

Slovakia in 2nd place but not assured of the play-offs yet.

Oh, and there's a crunch game tonight. I've been shaking like the proverbial 🤬 dog all day as it is.
 
Scotland definitely has the monopoly on red haired wee nyaffs.
 
My ex-girlfriend is Irish so I'm a bit biased when it comes to tonight's game...

COME ON WALES!!
 
Serbia make it through to Russia, as do Iceland, making their WC debut.

Ireland beat Wales to secure the playoff spot. Looks like Slovakia are the unlucky 2nd placed team to miss out on a playoff.

Correction: Slovakia can qualify if Greece lose to Gibraltar and Bosnia beat Estonia. That way, Bosnia will become the unlucky 9th placer. Although I doubt it would happen due to the former match...
 
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Oh well, I think a few too many draws was our downfall but cant fault the efforts of the players or coaching staff over the campaign, and I think we have built on our Euro 2016 campaign somewhat too, future looks good.....but for now its...:(

Fairplay to Ireland and O'Neill, came into the match with a game-plan and it worked to perfection.

Iceland are the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, well done to them. 👍
 
So how many goals do Holland need to beat Sweden by tonight??
 
So how many goals do Holland need to beat Sweden by tonight??

The Netherlands. And it's 7. And I don't know why it's 7 because Sweden has +19 (26-7) and the Netherlands only +7 (19-12), so I'm missing something because in my book that would mean that we need to win with at least 13 goals.

Perhaps @Famine can explain.
 
The Netherlands. And it's 7. And I don't know why it's 7 because Sweden has +19 (26-7) and the Netherlands only +7 (19-12), so I'm missing something because in my book that would mean that we need to win with at least 13 goals.

Perhaps @Famine can explain.
Every goal that the Netherlands wins by increases the Netherlands' goal difference AND decreases Sweden's goal difference. If NED wins by 7, they will rise to +14 and Sweden will fall to +12.
 
Every goal that the Netherlands wins by increases the Netherlands' goal difference AND decreases Sweden's goal difference. If NED wins by 7, they will rise to +14 and Sweden will fall to +12.


It's almost as if you stated the obvious. :lol:

Must be all the stress that prevents me from figuring that simple solution out.
 
Well the CONMEBOL qualifiers ends today and I gotta say, WHAT A QUALIFIERS these were!! There's still 5 countries unqualified yet (Chile, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Paraguay) and the main story of the night... Peru vs. Colombia!! Either Peru ends 35 years of misery and goes to Russia or Colombia goes!!
 
United States eliminated following a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago.
 
Chile is out!!! chile is out!!! Thanks Brasil!!! Colombia qualified and Perú will fight the extra spot to New Zealand!!!!

WHAT A WAY TO END THE CONMEBOL QUALIFIERS!!!!
 
Well, it wasn't to be for Wales. I could complain about the 90 minutes against Ireland but too many silly draws (conceding late vs Georgia and vs Serbia, defensive error vs Austria) is what really cost us.

I was devastated on the night but that's the way it goes. We've got a team with some talented youngsters coming through (Ward, Woodburn, Lawrence) and a solid team as it is. This team and the support behind it has come a long way since losing 1-6 in Novi Sad in Chris Coleman's third game in charge.

Getting noticed and harrassed by and in some of the English media means we're doing something right. ;)

I just hope Coleman stays. At the moment, I can't think of anyone who could continue carrying this team to the next Euros.
 
I don't even know what to say. I didn't see the game but not being able to at least tie Trinidad and Tobago, who hadn't won a national game yet this year, is truly embarrassing. The first time in 7 world cups that the US has not qualified. :(

There should be a house cleaning of the national team and they need to start preparing for 2022 now. At least we get in automatically in 2026... :rolleyes:
 
What's to bet that all these weak teams, that have somehow qualified after some very odd results and incidents, just somehow end up in a group that also contains Russia. :yuck:
 
What's to bet that all these weak teams, that have somehow qualified after some very odd results and incidents, just somehow end up in a group that also contains Russia. :yuck:

The Soviet Union team, which used to fare reasonably well and won one competition and got to some semi-finals, was always dominated by Ukranians. As an independent nation, the Russian national football team are legendary underperformers at tournaments.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if this was finally, somehow, the one tournament where Russia actually plays well and magically does something. :rolleyes:
 
No discussion about Panama going to the WC with a goal that wasn't a goal? The ball didn't even touch the line.
 
Messi is going to fly back to Barcelona with a lower back injury from dragging Argentina to the World Cup all by himself.
 
No discussion about Panama going to the WC with a goal that wasn't a goal? The ball didn't even touch the line.

Any "GOAL" can count so long as the home commentator yells about it long enough. :odd:

Two comical own goals didn't help the favourites in either of the other games. The ghost goal is definitely worth appealing but it wouldn't be surprising if they fail overturn it. Combined with the time-wasting Panamanian subs later in that game, it's a shame they'll likely make their WC début in such a controversial manner.
 
No discussion about Panama going to the WC with a goal that wasn't a goal? The ball didn't even touch the line.
Panama gets gifted goal only to serve as sacrificial lamb in pool play.
 
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