The European Championship qualifying competition begins in a month, but the set-up is ready and we might as well start the thread early to speculate about hopes, dreams and ambitions for this new campaign as we follow the road to England 2021. As with every other Euros in recent time, we assume 2021 is going to be the biggest and best attended tournament in history. 47 teams start the journey and will compete for 15 spots with England of course grabbing the 16th spot automatically as hosts. The qualifying competition has two groups of six teams and seven groups of five teams. The nine group winners and the three best runners-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) qualify directly for the Euros, while the remaining six runners-up advance to the play-offs to fight for the last three spots. Teams were ranked in this draw based on performances in previous campaigns: WWC 2015 finals + qualifiers: 20% Euro 2017 finals + qualifiers: 40% WWC 2019 qualifiers: 40% Pot 1 (1 - 9) FRA, GER, NED, ESP, SWE, NOR, SUI, SCO, ITA Pot 2 (10 - 18) AUT, DEN, ISL, BEL, RUS, WAL, UKR, FIN, CZE Pot 3 (19 - 27) POR, IRL, POL, ROM, SRB, SVN, HUN, BIH, BLR Pot 4 (28 - 36) TUR, SVK, CRO, NIR, GRE, ISR, KAZ, ALB, MDA Pot 5 (37 - 45) FRO, MLT, MKD, EST, MNE, GEO, LVA, LTU, AZR*, CYP*, KOS* (Azerbaijan, Cyprus and Kosovo share the 45th place, making it 47 teams.) So to the groups: GROUP A Netherlands (3) Russia (14) Slovenia (24) Turkey (28) Estonia (40) Kosovo (45) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 30-08-2019: SVN - RUS 30-08-2019: EST - NED 30-08-2019: KOS - TUR - 03-09-2019: SVN - KOS 03-09-2019: RUS - EST 03-09-2019: NED - TUR - 04-10-2019: TUR - EST 04-10-2019: KOS - RUS 04-10-2019: SVN - NED - 08-10-2019: TUR - SVN 08-10-2019: EST - KOS 08-10-2019: NED - RUS - 08-11-2019: TUR - NED - 12-11-2019: NED - SVN - 10-03-2020: KOS - SVN - 10-04-2020: KOS - NED 10-04-2020: SVN - EST 10-04-2020: RUS - TUR - 14-04-2020: TUR - KOS 14-04-2020: RUS - SVN 14-04-2020: NED - EST - 05-06-2020: EST - RUS - 09-06-2020: RUS - KOS 09-06-2020: EST - TUR - 18-09-2020: KOS - EST 18-09-2020: SVN - TUR 18-09-2020: RUS - NED - 22-09-2020: TUR - RUS 22-09-2020: EST - SVN 22-09-2020: NED - KOS Netherlands struggled to qualify for the World Cup. I doubt they will have much problems advancing from this group. Russia remain the highest ranked Eastern European team, and might squeeze through as runners-up. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP B Italy (9) Denmark (11) Bosnia & Herzegovina (26) Israel (33) Malta (38) Georgia (42) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 29-08-2019: DEN - MLT 29-08-2019: ISR - ITA 30-08-2019: BIH - GEO - 03-09-2019: GEO - ITA 03-09-2019: BIH - MLT 03-09-2019: ISR - DEN - 04-10-2019: DEN - BIH 04-10-2019: MLT - ITA - 08-10-2019: GEO - DEN 08-10-2019: ITA - BIH - 07-11-2019: MLT - ISR 08-11-2019: ITA - GEO - 12-11-2019: ISR - BIH 12-11-2019: ITA - MLT 12-11-2019: DEN - GEO - 05-03-2020: MLT - GEO 05-03-2020: BIH - ISR - 10-03-2020: MLT - BIH 10-03-2020: ISR - GEO - 09-04-2020: BIH - DEN 10-04-2020: ITA - ISR - 14-04-2020: MLT - DEN 14-04-2020: BIH - ITA 14-04-2020: GEO - ISR - 03-06-2020: GEO - MLT 04-06-2020: DEN - ISR - 09-06-2020: ITA - DEN - 22-09-2020: ISR - MLT 22-09-2020: DEN - ITA 22-09-2020: GEO - BIH Italy and Denmark battle out for the group win with Italy as slight favourites. I don't expect much from the other teams. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP C Norway (6) Wales (15) Belarus (27) Northern Ireland (31) Faroe Islands (37) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 29-08-2019: FRO - WAL 30-08-2019: NIR - NOR - 03-09-2019: WAL - NIR 03-09-2019: BLR - FRO - 04-10-2019: BLR - NOR - 08-10-2019: FRO - NOR 08-10-2019: BLR - WAL - 08-11-2019: NOR - NIR - 12-11-2019: NIR - WAL - 10-04-2020: WAL - FRO - 14-04-2020: WAL - NOR 14-04-2020: BLR - NIR - 05-06-2020: NIR - BLR 05-06-2020: NOR - FRO - 09-06-2020: WAL - BLR 09-06-2020: NIR - FRO - 18-09-2020: NOR - BLR 18-09-2020: FRO - NIR - 22-09-2020: NOR - WAL 22-09-2020: FRO - BLR A favourable draw for Norway who should win this, but Wales are better than four years ago when they also were in Norway's group and should secure second place. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP D Spain (4) Czech Republic (18) Poland (21) Moldova (36) Azerbaijan (45) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 30-08-2019: MDA - CZE - 03-09-2019: CZE - POL - 04-10-2019: ESP - AZR - 08-10-2019: CZE - ESP - 07-11-2019: AZR - CZE - 10-11-2019: MDA - AZR 12-11-2019: POL - ESP - 07-03-2020: POL - MDA - 11-03-2020: AZR - POL - 09-04-2020: ESP - MDA 10-04-2020: POL - AZR - 13-04-2020: ESP - CZE 14-04-2020: MDA - POL - 05-06-2020: CZE - AZR - 09-06-2020: ESP - POL 09-06-2020: CZE - MDA - 16-09-2020: AZR - MDA 19-09-2020: MDA - ESP - 22-09-2020: POL - CZE 22-09-2020: AZR - ESP This is an interesting group with Poland and Czech Republic probably battling out for that second spot behind Spain. They meet already in early September and also on the very last matchday next year. Games to watch for sure. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP E Scotland (8) Finland (17) Portugal (19) Albania (35) Cyprus (45) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 30-08-2019: SCO - CYP 02-09-2019: ALB - FIN - 04-10-2019: ALB - POR - 08-10-2019: FIN - ALB - 07-11-2019: FIN - CYP 08-11-2019: ALB - SCO - 12-11-2019: POR - FIN - 11-03-2020: CYP - ALB - 09-04-2020: CYP - SCO 10-04-2020: FIN - POR - 14-04-2020: CYP - FIN 14-04-2020: SCO - POR - 05-06-2020: SCO - ALB 05-06-2020: CYP - POR - 09-06-2020: FIN - SCO 09-06-2020: POR - CYP - 18-09-2020: ALB - CYP 18-09-2020: POR - SCO - 22-09-2020: SCO - FIN 22-09-2020: POR - ALB Another interesting group and the only where I can see a team from pot three as potential group winners. Portugal are a team on the rise and could upset Scotland and book direct tickets to England. I'm a bit unsure about Finland. Difficult team to predict, but I fear they will finish third here and stay home again. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP F Sweden (5) Iceland (12) Hungary (25) Slovakia (29) Latvia (43) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 29-08-2019: ISL - HUN - 02-09-2019: ISL - SVK 03-09-2019: LVA - SWE - 04-10-2019: LVA - SVK 04-10-2019: HUN - SWE - 08-10-2019: SWE - SVK 08-10-2019: LVA - ISL - 08-11-2019: SVK - HUN - 12-11-2019: HUN - LVA - 10-04-2020: SVK - LVA 10-04-2020: HUN - ISL - 14-04-2020: SVK - ISL 14-04-2020: SWE - HUN - 04-06-2020: SVK - SWE 04-06-2020: ISL - LVA - 09-06-2020: LVA - HUN 09-06-2020: ISL - SWE - 17-09-2020: SWE- LVA - 22-09-2020: SWE - ISL 22-09-2020: HUN - SVK Iceland scared Germany in the WCQ, but I think Sweden will handle them and win the group. I can see Iceland as one of the best runners-up though, as none of the three Eastern European teams look strong enough to beat them. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP G France (1) Austria (10) Serbia (23) Kazakhstan (34) North Macedonia (39) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 01-09-2019: KAZ - SRB 03-09-2019: AUT - MKD - 02-10-2019: MKD - KAZ - 05-10-2019: MKD - SRB - 08-10-2019: KAZ - FRA 08-10-2019: SRB - AUT - 08-11-2019: MKD - AUT 09-11-2019: FRA - SRB - 12-11-2019: AUT - KAZ - 06-03-2020: SRB - MKD - 10-04-2020: FRA - MKD 11-04-2020: SRB - KAZ - 14-04-2020: AUT - FRA - 03-06-2020: KAZ - MKD 05-06-2020: FRA - AUT - 09-06-2020: FRA - KAZ 09-06-2020: AUT - SRB - 18-09-2020: SRB - FRA - 22-09-2020: MKD - FRA 22-09-2020: KAZ - AUT France as group winners and Austria equally obvious number two. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP H Switzerland (7) Belgium (13) Romania (22) Croatia (30) Lithuania (44) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 29-08-2019: LTU - CRO - 03-09-2019: SUI - LTU 03-09-2019: BEL - CRO - 04-10-2019: LTU - SUI - 08-10-2019: ROM - BEL 08-10-2019: SUI - CRO - 08-11-2019: ROM - LTU 08-11-2019: CRO - BEL - 12-11-2019: BEL - LTU 12-11-2019: SUI - ROM - 10-04-2020: CRO - LTU - 14-04-2020: BEL - SUI 14-04-2020: CRO - ROM - 05-06-2020: LTU - ROM - 09-06-2020: LTU - BEL 09-06-2020: ROM - SUI - 18-09-2020: BEL - ROM 18-09-2020: CRO - SUI - 22-09-2020: SUI - BEL 22-09-2020: ROM - CRO It's a toss-up between Switzerland and Belgium as group-winners. I don't think any of the other teams in the group are possible pitfalls either. It will be decided head-to-head. - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - GROUP I Germany (2) Ukraine (16) Rep. of Ireland (20) Greece (32) Montenegro (41) Fixture list: Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler 31-08-2019: GER - MNE - 03-09-2019: IRL - MNE 03-09-2019: UKR - GER - 05-10-2019: GER - UKR - 08-10-2019: IRL - UKR 08-10-2019: GRE - GER - 06-11-2019: MNE - GRE - 12-11-2019: GRE - IRL - 06-03-2020: IRL - GRE - 11-03-2020: MNE - IRL - 10-04-2020: MNE - UKR 11-04-2020: GER - IRL - 14-04-2020: MNE - GER 14-04-2020: UKR - GRE - 03-06-2020: GRE - MNE 05-06-2020: UKR - IRL - 09-06-2020: GRE - UKR - 19-09-2020: GER - GRE - 22-09-2020: UKR - MNE 22-09-2020: IRL - GER Germany naturally. Ukraine are no pushovers and Ireland are also strong enough to fight for a runners-up spot here.
Ahem. They didnot struggle as they only lost against Norway. Struggle in my book is you really squeeze yourself through the gate, which wasnot the case. The Orange lionesses only needed a draw in their last group match, but they managed to slip on the porch, while the door was wide open to direct qualification..
Ouch! Group B is the one with the smallest difference in rankings between the team from pot 1 and the one from pot 2. Of course this was predictable, since Italy was the lowest ranked team from pot 1, but Denmark will be a tough nut to crack for them. Almost feels like Italy is actually second best in this group... I am aware that you can qualify for the final tournament even with a 2nd place, directly or through play-offs, but I've got the feeling that Italy will need to put some hard work together to show that they weren't just a fluke at the WWC...
You have a selective memory, my friend. Netherlands scored a 93rd minute winning goal against Norway in the first game, a fluke cross that bounced in. Then had a goalless draw at home against Ireland, and scored a 92nd minute winner against lowly Slovakia at home before losing in Oslo of course. Which means 50% of your preliminary group games had an uncertain outcome going into injury time. That is a lot. The play-offs against Denmark and Switerland were more controlled though. But all in all I would still call the Dutch qualification a struggle.
That's scoreboard analysis, not match as a play analysis. The ball in all those cases simply didnot get in, while it normally should have, as was also the case in the lost Norway match, in which after silly defending gave up an early 2 goals deficit, the Norwagian ladies hardly managed to keep afloat. But if one only cites the scoreboard data, alot is missed.
the scoreboard is not everything......it's the only thing!(that matters)/ As I've mentioned previously, there's two Dutch teams out there. One that's together irregularly for a weekend, window break(for like qualifers) and/or another that prepares weeks together for a major tournament. this time the Dutch are in an easy group, the Russian program has fallen off dramatically over this decade. Estonia's u19 squad lost to Germany 21-0 in one game(wonder if their senior NT is any better?). strange that Scotland's higher ranked than both Italy & Denmark after being told for so long by @SiberianThunderT & FIFA that their much lower ranked. remember it's easier to qualify for Euros as their 15 openings instead of 7(for WC) feel bad for @Lechus7 though, Poland;s been on the verge of greater things, but so are the Czechs = two decent clubs with Slavia Prague twice in a row making the CL quarters, plus several quality players in the Bundesliga
...you really like flawed arguments, don't you? You DO realize that UEFA uses a different system than FIFA does, right? So you're already off-base since you're comparing apples and oranges. It's not "strange" at all when you consider they're playing by different rules. This quoted statement is essentially trying to say that UEFA's rating system is "better" than FIFA's. SPOLIER: It's not. By a long shot. There's been plenty of discussions on these boards that UEFA's system causes questionable seeding and draws. You know why? It's an insular and self-reinforcing system. If a mid-tier team gets placed in a weaker qualifying group and has a good qualifying run, UEFA gives that team a much bigger rankings reward than FIFA does, and then that team is favored in latter UEFA draws - even though they're still a mid-tier team. It's also a really clunky system where past results are explicitly weighted and phased out, so whether your rating goes up or down can swing wildly based on 6-year-old results even if you've been consistent recently. It's far less reliable and representative than the FIFA rankings are. That all said, precisely because of the flawed self-reinforcement, I fully expect Scotland to cruise through their group - especially because they have one of the weakest pot 2 teams out available with Finland. But: that doesn't mean Scotland is a particularly strong team. Conversely, one of Italy or Denmark has gotten screwed by this draw and will thus be screwed in the 2023 WWC qualifying draw as well.
It would be great to see Republic of Ireland qualify for these Euros since they've never qualified for a major tournament before and their fans wouldn't have to travel very far to attend this one. It will clearly be tough for them to finish as one of the three best runners up and thus avoid a playoff though since they are in the same group as Germany and those two games will hurt their goal differential.
Ireland got some problems; their experienced coach, Colin Bell, jilted for the more lucrative, broso. World's best throw in specialist, Megan Campbell suffered an ACL, came back, but to almost no playing time at Man City(last season). Denise O'Sullivan seems to also be indisposed(as she & Campbell aren't listed for the upcoming friendly). They got some pretty good players in Quinn & Mcabe(both starters with Arsenal). Unfortunately the low, #33 ranking don't help, it usually sitcks them as a thrid seed in in qualfiers,
I think Italy had a trickier group to the World Cup with Portugal and Belgium as opponents. Since Italy play Denmark twice at the very end of the qualifiers, it's all about avoiding the pitfalls against the weaker teams on the way, and pick up maximum points in case of ending up on the runners-up table. But I can't see Italy miss out on the Euros. The Denmark-Italy games are a toss-up IMO.
Tomorrow it starts! I suppose the coverage will be limited for most matches, but we might stumble across a valid link to some matches. Please share if you do. Thursday's matches. (Central European Time) Group B: Israel - Italy (17:30) Denmark - Malta (18:00) Group C: Faroe Islands - Wales (18:00) Group F: Iceland - Hungary (20:45) Group H: Lithuania - Croatia (17:30)
Yeah, it would have been unheard of, before the WWC, but now that Italy has done good on the big international stage, a nation suddenly became aware of the girls, and the qualifiying match for Euro 2021 will be aired live on the national channel. In the past, you used to have to dig through the TV-schedule to find the "Azzurre"'s matches.
You should at the very least use the Italian form of the plural nouns, with "Azzurragazze". But anyway in Italy we are much less inclined to use "compound words" (or even "portmanteau words") than other languages, as English or German (or Dutch? Don't know it well enough), are...
I am going to watch Israel-Italy on Italian TV in a few minutes, but I just discovered that Barbara Bonansea fractured her left foot in the first-half of the friendly match Juventus-PSG played on 18th of August and she'll need at least three months to recover!
Equalized before HT with Girelli, but Italian players wasted at least 4-5 clear cut chances that should have definitely be other goals. Ok, Italian League didn't start yet, so the players are basically in pre-season, but they need to do way better than that in 2nd half. I am sorry to say that Valentina Giacinti, one of my favourite players, was particularly wasteful (although she then made up for that with the perfect assist for Girelli's goal). Israel is a very physical team: they had 3 YCs in 1st half and they could have been even more, with an harsher referee. Their Central Forward Beck is very tall and tough and can create problems to Italian defense. Barbara Bonansea is sorely missed.
Ethnically, I'm Italian (with family from Napoli) although culturally American So I was here in my chair biting my nails to the bone! I hope they do better in the second half or I just might have a heart attack! No Barbara is scary!
In the end Italy managed to win by 3-2, but Israeli goal at 90'+1' made the last minutes of extra-time a nail-biter indeed, despite the fact that Italy had clearly looked like the best team in 2nd half. Meanwhile, group-rivals of Denmark have beaten Malta by 8-0. If I am not wrong, anyway, should Malta end last in the group, the goal difference vs them won't count as a tie-breaker (can anyone confirm?). Let's hope Italy can do better on Tuesday vs Georgia.
Yup that's the case for 6 teams groups A and B. To compare the rankings between the qualifying groups and to determine the three best runners-up, the results of group runners-up against the teams in sixth place are discarded. The following criteria are applied in the order given: a. higher number of points; b. superior goal difference; c. higher number of goals scored; d. higher number of away goals scored; e. higher number of wins; f. higher number of away wins; g. lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received in all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points); h. higher position in the UEFA women's national team coefficient rankings for the qualifying group stage draw (see Annex B.1.2 a.).