wufc
28 Jul 2006, 03:11 AM
I found a few cases, maybe you guys can add to this or figure out just how close these teams were.
Latvia 1938: In the first round, they beat Lithuania 9-3 on aggregate. Then they went on to face Austria in a one game series in Vienna, where the winner would qualify. Austria won 2-1 (Austria withdrew after Germany swallowed their country up).
Luxembourg 1938: In their three-team first round group, the Netherlands and Belgium took wins from Luxembourg and drew their game against each other to qualify for the World Cup. But Luxembourg's loss to Belgium was a close 3-2, where a Luxembourg win would have put them through.
India 1950: There were four competitors in Asia, and Burma, Philippines, and Indonesia withdrew, leaving India to take the World Cup spot. But they refused to play in the World Cup after refusing to comply with FIFA's ban on barefooted players.
Sudan 1970: The final round African group pitted Morocco, Nigeria, and Sudan against each other for one World Cup spot in double round robin play. Morocco won with 5 points (2-1-1), Nigeria second with 4 (1-2-1), and Sudan with 3 (0-3-1). Sudan tied Nigeria 2-2 and 3-3 while tieing Morocco 0-0 then losing to them 3-0.
Finland 1986: (2 points for a win), the group finished England 12, Northern Ireland 10, Romania 9, Finland 8, Turkey 1, with the top 2 advancing to the World Cup. Finland's two draws came in a 1-1 tie with England and a 1-1 tie with Romania, in consecutive matches.
Qatar 1990: (still 2 points for a win), the group finished South Korea 8, UAE, 6, Qatar 5 (1-3-1), China 4, Saudi Arabia 4, and North Korea 3 as the top 2 went to the World Cup. Qatar tied UAE 1-1 in the key match, South Korea 0-0, Saudi Arabia 1-1, and beat China 2-1 while also giving North Korea their only win (2-0).
Zambia 1994: (Still 2 points for a win), the final round double round robin group finished Morocco 6, Zambia 5 (2-1-1), and Senegal 1, with the winner going to the World Cup. On the important final day, Morocco beat Zambia 1-0. Zambia, two matches before that, gave Senegal their only point (0-0).
Guinea 1998: (Now 3 points for a win), the winner take all final round double round robin went Nigeria 13, Guinea 12 (4-0-2), Kenya, 10 (3-1-2), and Burkina Faso 0. Guinea had no draws but lost to Nigeria 2-1 and Kenya 1-0.
Kenya 1998: Kenya were also somewhat close to qualifying, as they tied Nigeria 1-1, while they lost to Guinea 3-1 and 3-0 Nigeria.
Congo 1998: In the final round group, South Africa won with 13, followed by Congo's 10 (3-1-2), Zambia's 8, and DR Congo 2. On the final day, Congo lost 1-0 to South Africa. They previously tied DR Congo 1-1 and lost 3-0 to Zambia.
Liberia 2002: The winner take all group finished Nigeria 16, Liberia 15 (5-0-3), Sudan 12, Ghana 11, and Sierra Leone 4. Liberia lost 2-0 to Sudan, 2-1 to Ghana, and 2-0 to Nigeria, though they previously beat Nigeria 2-1.
Bahrain 2006: In the intercontinental playoff, Bahrain tied Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 away but lost the return leg at home 1-0.
Latvia 1938: In the first round, they beat Lithuania 9-3 on aggregate. Then they went on to face Austria in a one game series in Vienna, where the winner would qualify. Austria won 2-1 (Austria withdrew after Germany swallowed their country up).
Luxembourg 1938: In their three-team first round group, the Netherlands and Belgium took wins from Luxembourg and drew their game against each other to qualify for the World Cup. But Luxembourg's loss to Belgium was a close 3-2, where a Luxembourg win would have put them through.
India 1950: There were four competitors in Asia, and Burma, Philippines, and Indonesia withdrew, leaving India to take the World Cup spot. But they refused to play in the World Cup after refusing to comply with FIFA's ban on barefooted players.
Sudan 1970: The final round African group pitted Morocco, Nigeria, and Sudan against each other for one World Cup spot in double round robin play. Morocco won with 5 points (2-1-1), Nigeria second with 4 (1-2-1), and Sudan with 3 (0-3-1). Sudan tied Nigeria 2-2 and 3-3 while tieing Morocco 0-0 then losing to them 3-0.
Finland 1986: (2 points for a win), the group finished England 12, Northern Ireland 10, Romania 9, Finland 8, Turkey 1, with the top 2 advancing to the World Cup. Finland's two draws came in a 1-1 tie with England and a 1-1 tie with Romania, in consecutive matches.
Qatar 1990: (still 2 points for a win), the group finished South Korea 8, UAE, 6, Qatar 5 (1-3-1), China 4, Saudi Arabia 4, and North Korea 3 as the top 2 went to the World Cup. Qatar tied UAE 1-1 in the key match, South Korea 0-0, Saudi Arabia 1-1, and beat China 2-1 while also giving North Korea their only win (2-0).
Zambia 1994: (Still 2 points for a win), the final round double round robin group finished Morocco 6, Zambia 5 (2-1-1), and Senegal 1, with the winner going to the World Cup. On the important final day, Morocco beat Zambia 1-0. Zambia, two matches before that, gave Senegal their only point (0-0).
Guinea 1998: (Now 3 points for a win), the winner take all final round double round robin went Nigeria 13, Guinea 12 (4-0-2), Kenya, 10 (3-1-2), and Burkina Faso 0. Guinea had no draws but lost to Nigeria 2-1 and Kenya 1-0.
Kenya 1998: Kenya were also somewhat close to qualifying, as they tied Nigeria 1-1, while they lost to Guinea 3-1 and 3-0 Nigeria.
Congo 1998: In the final round group, South Africa won with 13, followed by Congo's 10 (3-1-2), Zambia's 8, and DR Congo 2. On the final day, Congo lost 1-0 to South Africa. They previously tied DR Congo 1-1 and lost 3-0 to Zambia.
Liberia 2002: The winner take all group finished Nigeria 16, Liberia 15 (5-0-3), Sudan 12, Ghana 11, and Sierra Leone 4. Liberia lost 2-0 to Sudan, 2-1 to Ghana, and 2-0 to Nigeria, though they previously beat Nigeria 2-1.
Bahrain 2006: In the intercontinental playoff, Bahrain tied Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 away but lost the return leg at home 1-0.