It shows that even when both matches are played at the same time, teams can come to a favourable agreement.
Sure, that's why sometimes it is better a direct knock-out, between the both teams playing each other, as the only possible agreement, is that one of the teams involved, accepts getting defeated and knocked out by the other, as in a knock-out, only one team goes through. Same thing in group play, where only the one whom wins it, goes through. The fact that 2 or more teams have chances to go through is the reason why, they may reach some sort of agreement.
Didn't see this mentioned but odd result in the end. Why? Because as it turns out you can see any result for either of the matchups: Switzerland - Northern Ireland (the one pot 1 team Northern Ireland could have a chance with) Italy - Sweden (Italy couldn't have gotten worse) Croatia - Greece (very good matchup for the Greeks) Denmark - Ireland (could go either way)
Interestingly enough 3 out of the 4 second pot teams have superior H2H vs their seeded opponents (Sweden the exception)! Greece 2 wins, Croatia 1 win, 3 draws 10 Nov 1996 Croatia v Greece D 1-1 FIFA World Cup 30 Apr 1997 Greece v Croatia L 0-1 FIFA World Cup 10 Mar 1999 Greece v Croatia W 3-2 International Friendly 25 Apr 2001 Croatia v Greece D 2-2 International Friendly 07 Sep 2010 Croatia v Greece D 0-0 UEFA European Championship 07 Oct 2011 Greece v Croatia W 2-0 UEFA European Championship Northern Ireland 2 wins, Switzerland 1 win, 1 draw 14 Oct 1964 Northern Ireland v Switzerland L 1-0 FIFA World Cup 14 Nov 1964 Switzerland v Northern Ireland W 2-1 FIFA World Cup 22 Apr 1998 Northern Ireland v Switzerland L 1-0 International Friendly 18 Aug 2004 Switzerland v Northern Ireland D 0-0 International Friendly Ireland 5 wins, Denmark 3 wins, 5 draws 03 Oct 1956 Republic of Ireland v Denmark L 2-1 FIFA World Cup 02 Oct 1957 Denmark v Republic of Ireland L 0-2 FIFA World Cup 04 Dec 1968 Republic of Ireland v Denmark D 1-1 FIFA World Cup 27 May 1969 Denmark v Republic of Ireland W 2-0 FIFA World Cup 15 Oct 1969 Republic of Ireland v Denmark D 1-1 FIFA World Cup 24 May 1978 Denmark v Republic of Ireland D 3-3 UEFA European Championship 02 May 1979 Republic of Ireland v Denmark L 2-0 UEFA European Championship 14 Nov 1984 Denmark v Republic of Ireland W 3-0 FIFA World Cup 13 Nov 1985 Republic of Ireland v Denmark W 1-4 FIFA World Cup 14 Oct 1992 Denmark v Republic of Ireland D 0-0 FIFA World Cup 28 Apr 1993 Republic of Ireland v Denmark D 1-1 FIFA World Cup 27 Mar 2002 Republic of Ireland v Denmark L 3-0 International Friendly 22 Aug 2007 Denmark v Republic of Ireland L 0-4 International Friendly Sweden 6 wins, Italy 10 wins, 6 draws 16 Nov 1924 Italy v Sweden D 2-2 International Friendly 18 Jul 1926 Sweden v Italy W 5-3 International Friendly 25 Jun 1950 Sweden v Italy W 3-2 FIFA World Cup 11 Nov 1951 Italy v Sweden D 1-1 International Friendly 26 Oct 1952 Sweden v Italy D 1-1 International Friendly 16 Jun 1965 Sweden v Italy D 2-2 International Friendly 03 Jun 1970 Sweden v Italy L 0-1 FIFA World Cup 09 Jun 1971 Sweden v Italy D 0-0 UEFA European Championship 09 Oct 1971 Italy v Sweden L 3-0 UEFA European Championship 29 Sep 1973 Italy v Sweden L 2-0 International Friendly 26 Sep 1979 Italy v Sweden L 1-0 International Friendly 29 May 1983 Sweden v Italy W 2-0 UEFA European Championship 15 Oct 1983 Italy v Sweden W 0-3 UEFA European Championship 26 Sep 1984 Italy v Sweden L 1-0 International Friendly 03 Jun 1987 Sweden v Italy W 1-0 UEFA European Championship 14 Nov 1987 Italy v Sweden L 2-1 UEFA European Championship 02 Jun 1998 Sweden v Italy W 1-0 International Friendly 23 Feb 2000 Italy v Sweden L 1-0 International Friendly 19 Jun 2000 Italy v Sweden L 2-1 UEFA European Championship 18 Jun 2004 Italy v Sweden D 1-1 UEFA European Championship 18 Nov 2009 Italy v Sweden L 1-0 International Friendly 17 Jun 2016 Italy v Sweden L 1-0 UEFA European Championship
I guess. But there's a slight difference in 2 teams conspiring to a particular result from the 89th minute onward versus being able to do it from minute 1. But more importantly, Colombia and Peru were able to agree to a 1-1 result not because of any favoritism in the scheduling; It's just the way things worked-out. With 3-team groups, the bias is introduced at the time of the draw/scheduling - 6 months before a ball is even kicked.
Hmm, I assumed Pipiolo was asking about the playoff, but, in any case, I hadn't thought of that. It is not unheard of for players to come back from retirement, and while, at 36, Ibrahimovic is reasonably old, he is still playing at a high level with Manchester United. Could probably still be useful to Sweden at least as a super-sub. Don't know what his plans are, though.
I don't know how Italy have been doing since Conte's departure following Euro 2016 where they were actually quite impressive, but I have a sense they have declined again. Italy's record the past couple of World Cups has been terrible. If they end up failing to even qualify for Russia, that would signal an end to several decades where Italy were not only a regular fixture at the World Cup, but often one of its top performers and favorites. To be sure, I am one of those who feels Italy's record in the World Cup is actually somewhat flattering to its actual merit. I have said in the past that Italy wasn't really at the level you would expect of a World Cup champion in 2006, or in some of their other championships (e.g., 1982). But, regardless, there is no denying that even if Italy wasn't the very best team in the world in 2006 or 1982 or in some of the other years when they won the World Cup, they have always been one of its leading contenders. Not having them at the World Cup would break with a tradition that helps keep up the World Cup mystique and elan. So I will be rooting for Italy against Sweden,although I would have personally preferred the draw to pit the Swiss against the Swedes and Italy against N. Ireland.
This is a kind gesture by FIFA: http://www.espnfc.com/world-cup-qua...as-new-zealand-peru-with-playoff-travel-costs
I think the evidence is fairly clear that Sweden plays better without Ibra. And you can say the same about most club teams he ever played for.
I can easily understand that you do not like Ibra, but that statement is utter bullshit. The man won 13 championships with 6 clubs in 4 countries. That includes wining Serie A 6 times with 3 different clubs... I know he is antipathetic, but he carried hard with ~30 club goals every season in recent 12 years.
They had the benefit of a top defense (BBC) plus in form strikers Eder, Giaccherini, Pellè. Non of those the attackers have done anything special since then. Nevertheless, i think they are a bit underestimated. Everyone said, their group was easy, but Spain was class and Albania, Makedonia, Israel are unpleasant to play agaist. They had one very bad match in Spain, but the rest was ok and they became a clear 2nd and were never in doubt of reaching the playoffs. I don`t rate sweden that much. They have Forsberg, but the rest is mediocre. They were lucky to get the win because of Lloris' blopper in Solna. Without that goal, the Dutch would have been in the playoffs.
The Northerners are much like the Irish or Greek. They don't seem to have the players, but they are just so resilient, that you never know who they can beat.
I wonder, when CAS decides on the Burkina Faso claim to oppose the replay of South Africa vs. Senegal. In my opinion, they have good chances at the CAS, that the verdict of FIFA ordering a replay is overturned. Let's face it, there have been a lot of match fixing in the recent decades. The case "Hoyzer" is well known here in germany. however, there has never been a replay as long as the winning side was not organizing the match fixing itself.
I think the euro play offs are much more open. If you remember 2014 we had two outsider that went through with greece vs. romania and slovenia vs. russia. Then we had France as big favorites almost out after the 1st leg and a 0-2 in Kyiv.
I hope CAS decides soon. Imagine if you bought tickets for the replay and it gets canceled by CAS. I've seen teams forfeiting games and games being canceled due to clubs stopping playing during a season, but if the replay is overturned and the game is changed to the original result then South Africa and Senegal will have an increase in their games played without playing. I wonder if that has happened before. Does CAS have a schedule online of what they're doing and when?
Greece, Croatia away fans banned from World Cup playoff http://www.chicagotribune.com/90min...ed-from-world-cup-playoff-20171026-story.html
Anybody else here utterly fascinated by inter-confederation playoffs and their history? Besides the simple fact that we don't get to see many of them, I feel genuinely mystified by the prospect of having to go to the ends of the world for a last chance to fight for your world cup life. I think the NZ/Peru matchup is going to end up a fair bit more even than people want to give credit for, especially due to the first tie being in NZ. I just cannot wait to see how the home team may manage to take it up to an opponent ostensibly burdened by favoritism and the mounting pressure (hopefully escalating to desperation) for every minute they do not manage to score, going all the way to Lima even. I just love that kind of tension and I can easily see it playing out this way.