2018 FIFA WC QLF, AFC: Group B

I posted this at the start of the group. My 20 point prediction has proved right, as with two games left once one of the three teams left in the race for the direct spots gets to 20 they qualify. A draw against Japan and a win against Thailand also means my 13 home points, seven away is also correct, although I thought we could get a couple of wins away rather than just the one to get there. We just didn't play well enough to get the wins away.

 

I hope UAE do beat Saudi Arabia. That will make things less difficult for Japan and Australia.

 

The last 10 H2H results:

27 Jan 2007 - Saudi Arabia 0-1 UAE [18th Gulf Cup]
24 Jun 2007 - Saudi Arabia 2-0 UAE [International Friendly]
10 Sep 2008 - UAE 1-2 Saudi Arabia [FIFA World Cup Qualifiers]
11 Jan 2009 - UAE 0-3 Saudi Arabia [19th Gulf Cup]
01 Apr 2009 - Saudi Arabia 3-2 UAE [FIFA World Cup Qualifiers]
02 Dec 2010 - UAE 0-1 Saudi Arabia [20th Gulf Cup]
23 Nov 2014 - Saudi Arabia 3-2 UAE [22nd Gulf Cup]
08 Oct 2015 - Saudi Arabia 2-1 UAE [FIFA World Cup Qualifiers]
29 Mar 2016 - UAE 1-1 Saudi Arabia [FIFA World Cup Qualifiers]
11 Oct 2016 - Saudi Arabia 3-0 UAE [FIFA World Cup Qualifiers]

last win was in 2007, & this coach Bowser Bauza whatever his name is must be stupid for calling player from relegated team and not a single player from the league runners-up who got at least two defenders and a defensive midfielder that deserve to be with squad instead he will call CB from teams with worse defense like Al Ain & Al Wahda

Squad: Ali Khaseif, Ahmed Khalil, Ali Mabkhout, Mohammed Fawzi, Fares Juma (Al Jazira), Abdulaziz Haikal, Abdulaziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas, Habib Al Fardan, Mohammed Marzouq, Majed Naser, Hassan Ibrahim (Shabab Al Ahli), Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, Mohanad Salem, Ismail Ahmed, Ahmed Barman, Mohammed Ahmed, Khalid Eisa (Al Ain), Salem Saleh, Ahmed Shambih (Al Nasr), Ismail Matar, Khalid Bawazir, Mohammed Alakberi, Tariq Ahmed, Ahmed Rashid, Suhail Al Nubi (Bani Yas).

 

This is a huge game for KSA. After long years of wait the fans can dream of watching there team play in WC..Let's hope they don't gallop under pressure as usual and come on top..

 

Big Game today for KSA NT today:

Though UAE can still qualify mathematically , I can see them dismantle KSA hopes of reaching the WC easily. It would be foolish for KSA to loose points and loose ground on top 2 finish.. Win today means they will temporarily move top and patiently wait for Aus vs Japan to finish of to decide there fate on the final match day.

KSA n UAE have met thrice for qualifications where KSA has won 2wice both home and drew away. UAE league has not resumed yet so the players are still a fresh while KSA league has finished 2 rounds plus Hilal and Ahli have players have played a match more for there ACL commitments which means the players have warmed up significantly. Win for UAE means they close on Australia n KSA and hope Japan beats Australia and KSA gets defeated against Japan too which means UAE finishes top 3 if they win there last game and hope Australia looses too..

Too early calls to be made but am predicting a dull draw or a close win for KSA..

 

I'll be very surprised if UAE takes this game "seriously" and wins. I've seen this type of situation way too much, this regions arab countries like to help each other even at the expense of themselves. Hope Im wrong and we see an actual match

 

Lol apparently Omar Abdulrahman might not even start because of injury

 

LOL at anyone who thinks Saudis won't win this. We've seen that shit too often already. I'll cut off my legs and arms if they don't beat UAE.

 

Good thing you didn't bet your doodool on this.

 

Here you go

 

hope you can still type with your nose !

 

wow..I'm shocked...

 

Respect UAE, proved me wrong. Entertaining match, UAE actually gave everything they had and their goals were fantastic.

SA choked when it mattered

 

Now Saudi Arabia must hope that Australia gets at least one point from Japan.

 

So, it's Japan at top, Australia 2nd and Saudi 3rd...

 

Shocked with this result. KSA is out now, at least out of direct qualification. Japan will win on Thursday, Aussies will trash Thais on last day and qualify via better GD.

 

Japan and Australia will go 1st & 2nd, Saudi will be 3rd

 

Now Saudi should plan for play-off matches since Japan will win or draw against Australia while Australia will trash Thailand and last match b/w Saudi and Japan will be of no effect.

 

It will be interesting to see who could play Saudis from group A in playoffs. Uzbekistan vs Saudi Arabia could he entertaining

 

2 spectacular goals beats awfull KSA

No scenario other than win for KSA will be the case for KSA in the final match day as long as Japan and Thailand beats Australia and KSA draws or looses Japan..

Anyone got info will the Australia vs Thailand and KSA vs Japan will be played in same time to avoid issues??

 

The best case for KSA is Australia beats Japan or atleast hold Japan for draw and KSA needs to go all out against Japan in huge crowd in Jeddah...
Many thought Iraq will shake the things up but now UAE has hugely taken the credit..

 

It is still early to predict the final standing of the group.

If Japan wins against Australia you are right. If not then you are not. Saudi Arabia should pray that Australia returns from Japan with at least one point.

 

Australia vs Thailand match 6.5 hours before KSA vs Japan match according to wikipedia; very hard to organise this as simultaneous kickoff given the timezone differences, although I note that in Group A they are all the same.

you either play at 1300 in Jeddah if Aussie match time is static, or kickoff at 0230 in Melbourne if KSA match time is static. Neither are remotely desirable, especially if you want to have a crowd of people on a weekday

 

They should've taken this into consideration then they made the schedules, like UEFA does with CL and EL - teams from East (CET +2 or more) play last matchday away (in CET zone).

 

Forget week day , match at 13:00 that too in Jeddah, Japanese players will give up in first ten minutes