Erm, you totally misinterpreted my point. Iraq, along with Oman seems to be our bogey team; all teams have them. How else can one explain Iraq giving Australia so much trouble in the 2010 qualifiers, while being eliminated by the same Qatar team that Australia annihilated? It's all to do with matchups, and I would have preferred Uzbekistan to Iraq.
Pretty happy with this group. Tough schedule beginning in Oman followed by a quick turnaround in Brisbane. Very important to get points from each match, pretty confident of 3 points in Muscat and probably a win against Japan. The friendly against Denmark a few days beforehand is a great warm-up regardless of the result, then it's a relatively short flight to the middle east for the squad. Couldn't care less about the other matches yet, all I and everyone else wants is these 6 points. I wish we got Qatar though as it'd be fantastic to beat them at home for obvious reasons. Would've preferred Iran over Iraq. Bit of a bogey team for us. Big congratulations to Iran on their guaranteed win against Uzbekistan.
We have 3 out of the first 4 games away. If we make a good start, we've got an easier run of games at home to finish.
Japan will top the group,Australia 2nd.Close fight for 3rd spot between Iraq,Jordan and Oman but Iraq should win it. My Predictions :- 1)Japan 2)Australia 3)Iraq 4)Jordan 5)Oman
Looking at this group, it's hard not to think of it as a race for third place.. kind of like the group the two teams were in last qualifying cycle... Iraq could be considered contenders for a top two place but will be at a disadvantage due to their lack of home games... I actually think Oman maybe have a genuine chance at 3rd spot if they can be more efficient in front of goal... the key will be those home games against Jordan and Iraq, if they can win those - that will be huge. Anyoo... looking forward to seeing Iraq play here in Qatar!
In round 3 we played only one match in Iraq and we lost 0-2, then we played 5 matches outside Iraq and we won them all. I don't think playing outside Iraq is an issue for Iraq any more.
Acutally we have a great history of messing up games when playing in Iraq. 1980 OGQ vs Kuwait: We were leading 2-0 until the final 20 minutes of the match in a packed Mal3ab Al Sha3ab, then we get scored on three times. Kuwait won 3-2 and qualified to the Olympics. 1990 WCQ vs Qatar: We had to win this match to qualify for the final round, and were leading 2-1 until the 85th. A terrbile mistake from our keeper causes the equalizer. 1998 WCQ vs Kazakstan: Another infamous mach in Baghdad. We were supposed to win this, took lead during the match and still lost 2-1. The fans started chanting against them team back then. 2001 WCQ vs Kazakstan & Iran were also not great. Both games in Baghdad.
you never know. one of japan or australia might drop silly points and give a chance for one of iraq, jordan or oman to take their spot. i think the biggest danger of this group is that oman, jordan and iraq are so equal that they might cancel each other out. and if that happens, there will be a huge gap between top 2 (australia , japan) and the bottom 3. this is my biggest fear for the arab countries. i hope they dont cancel each other out because if they do, it will open the space for japan and australia to qualify easily.
I can see this being the case. I think Australia could win at home and draw away to Japan but still finish behind them as we are more likely to drop points to the "lesser" teams. In a way it could be better for Asia if, say, Iraq in this group or Uzbekistan in the other one could qualify directly putting Japan, Korea, Australia or perhaps Iran into the playoffs against C-Bol as these teams are more than capable of getting through. I don't want this to be Australia, as I don't think my heart could handle another sudden death playoff, but it could shut the south Americans up a bit. TBF I don't think the likes of Iraq or Uzbekistan need to fear the playoff either, although they would be definite underdogs.
I think none of the asian teams are able to beat south america's 5th. Itll never happen. Australia might aswell forget about the playoff spot. You guys should make sure you finish in the top 2. I think Australias team is able to finish in first position. Both Australia and Japan will collect almost the same amount of points against the other teams. This is what i think. And when Australia and Japan meet each other i think Australia will win and this will make you guys finish in first position, with japan finishing in second position. The arab teams will all cancel each other but i think Oman will finish in third and meet the third of our group. If all goes well with us, the omanis should meet uzbekistan. Korea gets 1st qatar gets 2nd, hopefully. Uzbekistan will most likely win against oman and will put up a good fight against the 5th of south america. i predict the asian teams in world cup will be: australia, japan, korea, uzbekistan but what i really want is: qatar, iran, australia, oman or iraq .. this is very unlikely to all happen as i hope because i think korea has the best chance in our group even though theyre not the same as before. so in worst case scenario id like qatar to qualify along with korea, australia and japan.
I think so long as Bahrain are thankfully not in this round the fifth placed Asian team should at least give a good account of themselves, if not cause a minor upset depending on the opposition. Having said all that, I'd have more faith in the top 6 Asian sides rather than the rest. Especially with Australia, Japan, South Korea, Iran & Iraq, considering their participation in relatively recent World Cups/Confederations Cups. Gives them that bit of International experience the others seem to lack.
We've had to play South America's fifth three times before. We just lost to Argentina, and then Uruguay, and then beat Uruguay. Its not easy, but it is achievable.
Then why the ******** are we all trying to get to the World Cup- just to lose? Any of the big 6 teams in Asia are good enough to challenge any team. I may be biased but I believe that Australia could match and beat any team if we play to our potential.
beats me. i think qualifications in the future should be global instead of continental. that way we'll see the actual deserving countries competing in the world cup. and yeah right about australia man. you were on your way to defeat against a weak saudi team in melbourne if it wasnt for qahtani coming in and jinxing his side australia probably have the best future in asian football (along with japan and korea) but its too early for you to say you can challenge and beat any team in the world if you play to your potential, unless you mean a military engagement or another football code like rugby or aussie rules.
Australia and Japan will qualify top 2, and the other 3 arab nations will cancel each other out. It will be a race for 3rd. Iraq tend to snatch points from bigger sides, but end up losing to Oman (no offence to Oman) so Iraq tends to be hot and cold.. so not sure, I think any of the 3 remaining nations can snatch 3rd place.. Problem with Australia, is currently they are relying on the veterans to get them to Brazil 2014. There is not much talent coming through, so although I know they will qualify for Brazil, but Russia 2018 will be a different story as the player pool will be from lesser talent which 'if' overseas do not play in the big leagues and are either 2nd div players from England, or 1st div players from Turkey, Holland etc..
I agree with the original poster, we can challenge and beat anyone. The proviso is that the sides better than us also have an off day when we play at our best. If the best teams also play at their best, then we have no chance.
With Brazil being an automatic qualifier the playoff is against the 6th best South American team. I think you are under rating the Asian sides that may make the playoffs. Even when we were playing off against recent World Champions, the South American teams couldn't beat us at home. We had a draw with Argentina and two wins against Uruguay when playing off against the South Americans in Australia. The task is not impossible.
agreed. but if i were betting man, i would put it on suda america like 80>20 historically, asia has been south america's bitch
6th of south america is still very good. man if they brought a team from the amazon rainforest, it will still beat all asian teams
I think a lot depends on who the playoff nations are. If its someone with recent World Cup experience from our side I would favour the Asian team. If its a first timer (or a nation who hasn't been there for some time) then I would give the South Americans the edge.
It all depends on who finishes 6th in C-Bol and who finishes 5th in Asia doesn't it. Most likely scenario would be an Uzbekistan/ Iraq v an Ecuador/ Colombia in which case C-Bol would be definate favourites, although it still wouldn't be that easy for them. ATM lets say that in Asia: 1st tier = Australia, Japan and Korea 2nd Tier = Iran* 3rd tier = Uzbekistan and Iraq 4th tier = the rest in quals *This is only because of international pedigree - ie within Asia I would rate Iran 1st tier but to play v other confeds in FIFA comps Iran hasn't proven itself the way the others have In C-Bol (and these are my opinions and could be out of date with relative strengths): 1st tier = Brazil and Argentina 2nd tier = Uruguay, Chile 3rd tier = Paraguay, Colombia and Ecuador 4th tier = the rest IMO Asia's 1st tier would be able to push any of the C-Bol teams but would be underdogs v 1st tier C-Bol, pretty even v 2nd tier, slight favourites v 3rd tier and strong favourites v 4th tier. Iran would be one step down from this, probably underdogs v 1st and 2nd tier and evenish v 3rd tier and favourites v 4th tier. Of course, as I said above, it is most likely to be 3rd tier v 3rd tier in the playoff and that would mean C-Bol does have the advantage, but if things pan out differently and it is one of Asia's "big 4" that playoff, especially if against a lesser C-Bol team, then we would have a good chance of getting through.
Come on guys, Group A thread is over 200 posts ahead of you now. YOU MUST POST HARDER! But in all seriousness, it's hard to see past OZ and Japan in this group. If Qatar or Uzbekistan were hear instead of Iraq, I could them stealing the Aussie's spot but Iraq haven't really convinced me that they're good enough for the qualification spot. I'm tipping Oman to get third spot.