2018 FIFA Club World Cup: Tournament News & Qualifiers [R]

Nico Limmat · Nov 2, 2018

Al Ahly take a 3:1 lead over Esperance heading to Tunisia. This game had three (!) penalties. Two of them were for the home side.

Paul Calixte · Nov 3, 2018

Now the epic Boca-River final is confirmed.

Decisión del Tribunal de Disciplina de la CONMEBOL Ref.: Expediente O-207-18https://t.co/O4ygoX3owo
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) November 4, 2018

Nico Limmat · Nov 4, 2018

Kashima Antlers take a 2:0 lead to Iran...

Nico Limmat · Nov 4, 2018

CAF highlights:

Nico Limmat · Nov 4, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

TBD. They are leading the CSL right now ahead of Guangzhou Evergrande. In fact, they just beat them this week. If they can interrupt Guangzhou's seven year winning streak at the domestic front then that would certainly justify some of the mad spending.
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Quick update on the CSL. Shanghai SIPG are leading by five points with two matches to go.

Nico Limmat · Nov 9, 2018

Esperance pulled it off! 3:0 in the return leg over Al Ahly. They are heading to the UAE (and the ticket sellers must now be desperate for a Persepolis victory tomorrow)

Nico Limmat · Nov 10, 2018

It is the club's third CAF CL title and well deserved. Al Ahly could barely muster a shot on goal in the second leg.

Nico Limmat · Nov 10, 2018

Packed Azadi stadium for the Asian decider. Infantino has flown from Tunis to Tehran today. Busy with re-election I guess!

Paul Calixte · Nov 10, 2018

And that's it! After holding on for a 0-0 draw (according to Twitter - don't @ me if there was a last-minute goal ), Kashima have won the AFC Champions League for the first time! Now to see if they can earn their long-awaited rematch with RM

Nico Limmat · Nov 10, 2018

Tears on both sides at the end but not as exciting as the CAF decider yesterday. Persepolis simply lacked punch up front to change the outcome of the first leg. The AFC CL continues to be dominated by the East and the J. League is now definitely back on the map of international football with back-to-back wins.

Up next in under three hours, the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final!

Nico Limmat · Nov 10, 2018

Qualified to Date:

UEFA: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (Spain)
CONMEBOL: TBD (Nov 24)
CONCACAF: Club Deportivo Guadalajara S.A. de C.V. (Mexico)
AFC: Kashima Antlers Football Club (Japan)
CAF: Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
OFC: Team Wellington Football Club (New Zealand)
Host: Al Ain Football Club (UAE)

Confirmed Matches:

Al Ain - Team Wellington
Kashima Antlers - Chivas

Decent attendance in the first three matches now depends on the Al Ain fan-base. There aren't many Tunisian expats in the UAE.

Paul Calixte · Nov 10, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Up next in under three hours, the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final!
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Rained out

Nico Limmat · Nov 11, 2018

Game on in Buenos Aires!

AFC Final, Second Leg:

CAF Final, Second Leg - Reposted:

EvanJ · Nov 12, 2018

It was 2-2.

Nico Limmat · Nov 12, 2018

I watched the first half. Great game. Back and forth between both clubs. I sure hope those of you in more favorable time zones watched the whole thing.

Nico Limmat · Nov 19, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Quick update on the CSL. Shanghai SIPG are leading by five points with two matches to go.
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While we wait for River-Boca, Shanghai SIPG did pull it off and interrupted Guangzhou Evergrande's seven year winning streak. This was the game that virtually clinched it, beating Evergrande 5:4 in their own house.

So yes, all the money spent at SIPG did yield something.

Nico Limmat · Nov 23, 2018

Boca with 50,000 fans attending training ahead of the second leg:
https://www.goal.com/en/news/boca-j...onera-open-training/1jhe5nfjtmpnsza7u3ap701cr

Nico Limmat · Nov 24, 2018

Boca bus attacked. Game delayed:
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...niors-copa-libertadores-final-second-leg-live

glennaldo_sf · Nov 24, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Boca bus attacked. Game delayed:
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...niors-copa-libertadores-final-second-leg-live
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Dude are you still in Dubai? Up a bit late on a work night, no? It's past midnight in Qatar and think I'm gonna have to press the record button for this one lol...

EvanJ · Nov 25, 2018

The game was postponed to 3:00 P.M. USA Eastern, which is almost 6 hours from now. If it doesn't go extra time, it will end right before MLS playoff games.

Nico Limmat · Nov 25, 2018

glennaldo_sf said: ↑

Dude are you still in Dubai? Up a bit late on a work night, no? It's past midnight in Qatar and think I'm gonna have to press the record button for this one lol...
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Late indeed, but I really was flirting with the idea of watching this one live.

And now it's postponed again!
https://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/con...al-suspended-again/1qkh1wncjdk281r6a6j5mxhsni

Indeed, the winner of the Copa Libertadores is due to play in the Club World Cup on December 18, meaning that, should the game not be cancelled completely and a victory awarded to Boca, there is a three-week window in which to get the game played.
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I'm going to channel @HomietheClown and demand that the second leg be played here in the UAE.

PS: the fans of the winner really don't have much time now to plan their travel.

EvanJ · Nov 27, 2018

In general, should FIFA make more separation between the end of the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Cup?

Nico Limmat · Nov 27, 2018

CONMEBOL met today:
https://en.as.com/en/2018/11/27/football/1543318939_476989.html

- The second leg will be outside Argentina on Dec 8/9, maybe even outside South America. Paraguay, US (Miami), Qatar and the UAE are speculated to be options.
- Boca Juniors want River Plate to be disqualified and are threatening legal recourse all the way to CAS.
- CONMEBOL's Disciplinary Panel will make a decision on Boca's request on Thursday.

What a mess. While I would be tempted to attend the second leg in the UAE I truly hope the game at least stays in South America.

Paul Calixte · Nov 27, 2018

I can just imagine Pres. Macri chasing Infantino at the airport. "I know this looks bad, but we can make sure this doesn't happen in 2030!...please come back."

EvanJ · Nov 28, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

CONMEBOL met today:
https://en.as.com/en/2018/11/27/football/1543318939_476989.html

- The second leg will be outside Argentina on Dec 8/9, maybe even outside South America. Paraguay, US (Miami), Qatar and the UAE are speculated to be options.
- Boca Juniors want River Plate to be disqualified and are threatening legal recourse all the way to CAS.
- CONMEBOL's Disciplinary Panel will make a decision on Boca's request on Thursday.

What a mess. While I would be tempted to attend the second leg in the UAE I truly hope the game at least stays in South America.
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Imagine if River Plate wins the CWC (unlikely but possible) and after that CAS rules in favor of Boca Juniors that River Plate should not have been in the CWC. Imagine Barcelona fans being happy that Real Madrid lost to River Plate to end UEFA's streak of winning and then having Real Madrid being given the CWC by River Plate's disqualification later. Even if CAS decides quickly, it's bad if a champion is determined by a ruling off the field. MLS Cup will be at night on December 8, and I hope the Copa Libertadores doesn't play at the same time. It won't be an issue if the Copa Libertadores is in Asia. If Miami hosts, I hope the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) would make a condition that it cannot be played at the same time as MLS Cup. I'm assuming it will be in a big stadium, and the Miami Dolphins are at home on December 9. If it is in a CONMEBOL country, the USSF would have no say about the time, but I hope CONMEBOL would voluntarily not play at the same time as MLS Cup.

Does anybody know of a competition with a two leg final with a leg that wasn't hosted by one of the clubs?