Iran was head and shoulders above Canada as we were in the first game against Argentina, we should have had 6 points right now instead of 2 very unlucky and disappointing, it's ok though I have faith in this team and I'm sure not only we will qualify to the next round by beating Austria but we will be one of the top 4 teams in this tournament I wouldn't even be that suprised if we end up winning the whole tourney, brazil and nigeria are the only 2 teams that might be better than us.
We were really lucky towards the end. I fully expect Iran and Argentina to beat Austria tbh, but our boys looked knackered towards the end, and they're going to need way more energy than that if they want to get anything out of the Argentina game. Who knows, they could potentially go through with a draw
we out shot canada 23 to 6! CANIRN 6Shots23 2Corner kicks5 4Yellow cards1 0Second yellow card and red card0 0Red Cards0 40%Possession (%)60% IRNARG 11Shots9 8Corner kicks2 0Yellow cards2 0Second yellow card and red card1 0Red Cards0 53%Possession (%)47% we keep creating chances but we need to concentrate more on our finishing
Problem is that it looks increasingly likely Nigeria (if you finish second) or Brasil (if you finish third) will be Iran's opponents in the 1/8 final. Best case scenario you await a match up with Japan.
Best case scenario, IMO, is if we meet Tunisia. Japan are better than the Tunisians in my book and while Iran is perfectly capable of beating Japan, the Japanese are probably better as a team than Iran, while Iran is probably a lot stronger physically. Both sides, however, seem to have trouble finishing their chances. My prediction, in any case, is that Iran will finish 2nd in this group behind Argentina. I don't give Austria much of a chance against either Argentina or Iran. Austria was outplayed by Canada and Canada was distinctly second best compared to Iran.
Yes, right. I just think Japan will win the group. EDIT: Honestly Sweden yet to make more than 2 successful passes... EDIT 2: Sweden make 3 successful passes and then... pass the ball out of play. EDIT 3: Sweden make 4 successful passes and... score a goal
Sweden sure has big lads... EDIT: LOL. Austria winning vs Argentina. (Now drawing... another group draw?)
Impressed by the Swedish front line (Engvall looks special). Not so much by the bullish defence, who wrestles its way by brute force. The referee got almost all the calls right, but why he hasn't shown a yellow to any Swedish player for persistent fouling is beyond me.
Argentina had to work much harder than I had thought to beat Austria 3:2. Didn't see the match, but it seems even Austria isn't going to be a pushover. While Iran has been the better side in both its games, against Argentina as well as against Canada, we are right now behind both of them in the standings. Behind Argentina on points, and Canada by virtue of the number of goals scored. Thus, Iran will need to beat Austria to assure itself a place in the next round. If Iran beat Austria, though, it will advance either as the top team or the runner up in the group regardless of the result in the Argentina v Canada match.
GROUP A: Brasil have all but won the group. This means a big chance for Honduras to clinch second place, as they need just a point or not to lose to Brasil too badly. Slovakia and UAE fight it out for third place, but with their terrible goal differential it is not looking good for UAE. Slovakia will however have 4 points if they manage to win. 1. Brasil 2. Honduras GROUP B: Uruguay vs Italy to decide first place in the group. I'm giving Italy this one. Cote d'Ivoire need to beat New Zealand, and they should be then set for qualification as one of the best third placed teams. 1. Italy 2. Uruguay 3. Cote d'Ivoire GROUP C: Morocco should win the group as they meet last placed Panama. Meanwhile Uzbekistan face Croatia. I'm betting on a draw. 1. Morocco 2. Uzbekistan 3. Croatia GROUP D: Japan and Tunisia have qualified, their last match is for group winner. Japan with the clear upper hand - only need a draw. Russia and Venezuela need to win to hope of salvaging anything. 1. Japan 2. Tunisia GROUP E: Argentina seem to have clinched the group, despite being pretty terrible. Iran should take second spot over Austria, while Canada will hope to eke out a draw versus the Argentinians. 1. Argentina 2. Iran 3. Canada GROUP F: Barring a miracle Iraq resugence Nigeria have won this group. Sweden and Mexico battle it out for third, but both teams will likely be happy with a draw. 1. Nigeria 2. Sweden 3. Mexico 1/8 FINALS: Honduras vs Uzbekistan Japan vs Cote d'Ivoire Italy vs Croatia Nigeria vs Iran Uruguay vs Sweden Brasil vs Canada Morocco vs Mexico Argentina vs Tunisia Looks pretty even in the brackets.
This is what I really hate about the 4 best 3rd place teams going into the 2nd round... it gives an unfair advantage to teams whose groups play on the last day of the 1st round as they know what they need to do to qualify and have their fate in their own hands... as opposed to teams potentially finishing 3rd in the other groups.. their players and fans just have to wait around and rely on the results elsewhere...
Uruguay win their group by beating Italy 2:1 thus awaiting their opponent from a third placed team. Italy will now probably meet Sweden (possibly Mexico), after which they have a date with death against Brasil. Good luck! Cote d'Ivoire beat group outliers New Zealand and qualify as one of the best 3rd placed teams (no team in group C or D can overtake them).
1. Brasil 2. Honduras 3. Slovakia 4 pts. 5:8 (-3) Brasil dominant and now clear tournament favorites, however they seem to have had the easiest group. Honduras get through, but don't instill confidence. Slovakia on the verge of qualifying, but they need results one of the following groups: C, E or F to work in their favor. 4 pts usually is enough, but well... you never know. Meanwhile not looking good for Russia and Venezuela - 3 pts looking unlikely to qualify for playoff stage. UAE: utterly terrible, had no idea how to score a goal despite being a man up. The result of this group mean that its highly likely that the following teams will be third placed qualifiers: Cote d'Ivoire (confirmed), Slovakia, Croatia and Mexico. That would mean the following pairings: Brasil vs Croatia Uruguay vs Slovakia Japan vs Mexico Morocco vs Cote d'Ivoire
A preview of Qatar WC '2022. And yet there are constantly threads in this forum that AFC desreves more spots in the senior WC because they have 3 billion people. Or concacaf. If just one UEFA team did as badly as UAE (or Burkina Faso in 2011 or Cuba in the u-20) this forum would blow up with complaints how Europe get too many teams in these tourneys.
In the context of this tournament, or youth World Cups more generally, your comment is absolutely senseless. At the youth level, the UEFA teams are simply not any better than those from other confederations. Among the teams that qualified from the AFC, Iraq has done poorly so far in its first U17 World Cup but has done well in other youth tournaments. The rest of the AFC teams (Japan, Uzbekistan and Iran) have performed well and have been essentially the best teams in their groups. As for the UAE, they are here as the hosts. The same way picking Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup shouldn't be counted against the AFC, the choice of UAE has nothing to do with them representing the AFC either. The reason you see these mini sheikdoms, with miniscule populations and little or no tradition either in football or anything else, host such events has nothing to do with making sure billions of people don't find themselves perpetually shut out of football. Instead, their prominence is due to the fact that they have money and get additional support from fellow sheikdoms who are similarly endowed with unearned money.
Well, they do. European sides perform worse than CAF but have 2 more slots, despite having a similar amount of federations. It has absolutely no base in results. There is absolutely no basis whatsoever for UEFA teams to have 2 more slots than CAF. As for UAE performing as badly as Burkina Faso in 2011. What about Croatia in U20 2011?
Maybe it actually is a preview of Qatar 22... wouldn' be too surprised if there are scouts from Qatar Aspire Academy looking for under-17 potential Qatar-converts whom they can throw a passport + some money at to play for Qatar in 9 years time... maybe half of Brazil and Nigeria's 2013 under 17 teams will wind up playing for Qatar in 2022