Looking at Europe looks like we are set to have some really big names missing out: GROUP A: High chance of France making the playoffs or finishing third (if the Netherlands get a grip in the next four games). All in all either France or the Netherlands will be a casualty (possibly both). Sweden could yet win this group with Bulgary and Netherlands still capable of causing France issues. That said France has a relatively friendly set of matches, the key one being France vs Netherlands (which will be a to be or not to be game for the Netherlands). Sweden has the slightly tougher set of matches (3 away games while France has three home games). GROUP B: High chance of Portugal finishing second and go to playoffs. Switzerland leading the group, but they need at least a draw in their away game vs Portugal to win the group (the other three game should be comfortable wins). GROUP C: Germany in the driving seat, remaining teams second / third tier. GROUP D: Hard to say who will qualify, but not top teams in this group. GROUP E: Poland to win easily, remaining teams second / third tier. GROUP F: England still in front, but both Slovakia and Slovenia on their heels. A lot can happen here. A few weak games and England may make the playoffs or fail to qualify altogether. That said they have a more favorable schedule and are winning the group. GROUP G: Either Spain or Italy will have playoffs. Spain host Italy in the match that decides which team goes to playoffs. GROUP H: Belgium still not safe with Greece and Bosnia away still on the horizon. Belgium have a four point lead, but that could dissapear in the Greece and Bosnia away games. Greece especially have a nice schedule (Cyprus away, Estonia and Gibraltar home). They could yet throw Belgium into the playoffs.
@zahzah Wrong thread This is about whom doesn't make it to the WC. Not about those who do. Btw, you missed Group I, the last group of Uefa qualifiers....
OK. I'm not going to look at every UEFA group, but I'll look at AFC for the next matchday only: Group A: China will be eliminated if they don't beat Uzbekistan. Qatar will be eliminated if they don't beat Syria or if Uzbekistan beats China. Qatar must gain at least 2 points on Uzbekistan to stay alive. Syria will be eliminated if they get fewer points than Uzbekistan. Group B: United Arab Emirates will be eliminated if they don't beat Saudi Arabia.
Qatar and Syria, don't only depend on Uzbekistan, but also on what SK does. Qatar to stay alive, they must win (we are clear on that). If also Uzbekistan wins (Qatar would gain same amount of pts), and SK loses, Qatar could still catch SK for the last match as they would be 3 pts behind SK If Syria has a draw and Uzbekistan wins (fewer points than Uzbekistan), but together with a SK defeat, Syria would still be alive , as they would still be 3 points behind SK for the last match.
Getting to the playoff, doesn't miss out anyone, as they still have the chance of going through by winning it.
Some wishful thinking here. France still the favorites to win their group (they play Holland at home whereas Sweden have them away). -Portugal still slight favorites to win their group. They play the Swiss at home. -England strong favorites as they are at home against the 2 teams that can catch them. Not really realistic that Slovenia can catch them either (how are they gonna make up 4 points? - they also have Slovakia away).
@Nico Limmat why don't we ask a moderator to change the title of this thread to "2018 WC : moment when teams qualify in Uefa, and timeline of elimination for the rest of the world"........
Not wishful thinking. The Swiss need a draw. Portugal need a win. Even if at home Switzerland are looking good. The Swiss are slightly in a more favorable position. I wrote as much that England as favorites, but it's not a foregone conclusion. Only one team can catch up, not both.
I would rep your first part (its currently Switzerland whom holds all the aces, while Portugal depends on getting a straight flush with the last card, to beat them in this race), but in the second part of your post, with 12 possible points still to be played, everyone can catch up with England in their group, with the sole exception of Malta, which in fact is one of the reasons why Malta already got their spot in the list started in this thread (the other reason for Malta to be eliminated, is that Slovakia, already with 12 pts. still needs to play against Slovenia whom has 11 pts, where both still have one match between them, where at least one of them will reach more than the 12 pts. that are the most that Malta can reach)
Mathematically that's true, but realistically.... well, England host Malta next while the 2 teams chasing them go head-to-head. So England will be at least five points clear of third-place (with a better GD too) in all likelihood, with only 3 matches to play (2 of which will be at Wembley for England).
Realisticly Andorra should have never defeated Hungary, and well, it did. In football, the only certainty is given when the referee blows the final whistle of a match after it has been played. Before it, anything can happen. Oh, and btw, it's Malta whom hosts England now, as England hosted vs Malta the second match date, where they won by only 2 -0, which is in no way an impressive score. And as another issue, not least important, is that Slovakia currently with less points has the same Goal diferentiate that England has, with more goals scored as well (so, if Slovakia manages to tie them on points, puts England in the playoff position right away). At last, England has only 2 matches left to be played in Wembley (vs. both, Slovakia and Slovenia). They still have the edge, on their favour, but in no way is going to be a walk in the park.
We are not talking about third place but second. Slovakia can cut the lead to 1pt after match day 8 and be ahead on gd
I'm sorry I was only looking at teams below third catching up to third, not South Korea who are in second.
UAE plays Saudi Arabia tomorrow and will be eliminated with a loss or draw. China and Qatar also have their hopes hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Syria need Uzbekistan and/or South Korea to totally collapse, while also getting the results they need
AFC will have four eliminations, and New Zealand or Solomon Islands will be eliminated. I'm not going to spend time looking at every confederation.
If the CAS would have ruled in Bolivia's favour (which they didn't), in their dispute on points against Peru, Chile and FIFA, although their mathematical chances to get WC tickets were very low as they also depended on many other results as well, they still had a slight possibility, to get the Conmebol's playoff spot. But, as the CAS didn't give place to their appeal, they are officially out now. All those teams between Venezuela (which were number 106), and Bolivia (which was wrongly put tied with them), should be placed one spot lower, as Bolivia only got officially eliminated, yesterday, after the CAS ruling. I guess, now Bolivia gets number 95, in the timeline of this thread.
lol, this member is still upset at france. if france dont qualify then talk about it. right now it is too early. you are clearly still upset about the france vs nigeria game in 2014 in which france deserved to win.
I hate France probably even more. Honestly I hope the Netherlands can win today, difficult but what are the chances? Is Robben playing? I hope Robben is in great form!
on his day, robben is only second to messi. i dont know what happened to netherlands though, never thought i would be alive to see the day Iran is ranked higher than them on fifa rankings.
Well Robben and Strootman are their only really good players. Robben is probably third to Messi and Ronaldo on his day, however the rest of the team is not in good shape. Just look at the clubs the players play for: Spain: Quite a few Real, Barca, and Atletico Players Italy: Quite a few Juventus, Roma, Napoli, and PSG players France: Players from Juventus, Man Utd, Barcelona, Chelsea Germany: Players from Bayern, Real, and Dortmund Croatia: Players from Real, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Juventus. Netherlands: Robben and Strootman are the only players from UCL clubs. Well Wijnaldum too but thats it. Where are the players that perform in the UCL? Also Robben and Strootman have been injury prone for a long time and haven't been availible. Wijnaldum joined Liverpool just recently. 1-2 years ago you could easily say that the Dutch had no players in the UCL, or at least for the big teams in the UCL. If you look at the team on paper, it clearly explains why they are not a top tier team and haven't been for a while.
95 happened in June (or after June but before today if you say Bolivia was alive until their appeal failed). Qatar is 94.
Bingo.....the Netherlands simply don't have the talent any more....not a single world-class player under the age of 30....