1 to 48: USA/MEX/CAN Qualification Watch

Haaland is destroying Italy.

 

Yup.

 

He's a monster.

 

Italy will qualify... to the UEFA playoffs.

 

Norway also has a good supporting cast for him; they're very slick.

 

Nigeria/DR Congo to penalties.

 

32. Norway

 

Welcome back to the party Norway. You more than deserve it.

 

Easy dark horse. That team is so good.

 

Possibly.
Have to see how they adjust to the heat and travel and big stage jitters. Also playing different teams with different styles is a crapshoot.

I will say that they have shown a lot more than I thought they would at the start of qualifying. No one wants to face them based on what they have accomplished.

 

A perfect record, 8 games, 8 wins 37-5 +32 goal difference. That's a pretty insane record. Wasn't the easiest group in the world either.

 

Both teams left their good penalty takers at the end, I seee

 

Norway in with a 3-1 win in Italy.

1. United States
2. Mexico
3. Canada
4. Japan
5. New Zealand
6. Iran
7. Argentina
8. Uzebekistan
9. South Korea
10. Jordan
11. Australia
12. Brazil
13. Ecuador
14. Uruguay
15. Colombia
16. Paraguay
17. Morocco
18. Tunisia
19. Egypt
20. Algeria
21. Ghana
22. Cape Verde
23. South Africa
24. Qatar
25. England
26. Saudi Arabia
27. Cote d'Ivoire
28. Senegal
29. France
30. Croatia
31. Portugal
32. Norway

 

DR Congo makes it!

 

To the IC playoffs

 

DR Congo thru to the Playoffs.

Plus some cleanup on UEFA playoffs.

4th try, I *think* I have it right.

I. Intercontinental PO's: Clinched (3)
Playoff updates (Ranks)
1. OFC (1): New Caledonia (150)
2. CONMEBOL (1): Bolivia (76)
3. CAF: DR Congo (60)

II. Intercontinental PO's: Undecided (3)
4. AFC (1): Iraq (58)/UAE (67)
5. CONCACAF: atm Panama (31)
6. CONCACAF: atm Jamaica (68)
----------
AFC will play leg 2 Tue in Iraq after a 1-1 draw in leg 1.

CONCACAF is murkier, with 7 teams alive for 5 spots (3 direct, 2 PO). Surinsme, Curacao, and Honduras lead the groups, but all are on the road for the final game: at Guatemala, Jamaica, and Costa Rica, respectively.

III. UEFA POs (16)

Portugal clinch Group F, Ireland eliminate Hungary with a last gasp winner.

With the exception of whomever finishes 3rd between Iceland & Ukraine, no more UEFA eliminations this week.

A. Group 2nds (12)

1. Clinched UEFA POs as 2nd (4)
1. Czech Republic (Group L)
2. Albania (Group K)
3. Republic of Ireland (Group F)
4. Ukraine (Group D)

2. Clinched 2nd if Don't Win Group (7)
1. Group A: Slovakia (Germany)
2. Group B: Kosovo (Switzerland)
3. Group C: Scotland (Denmark)
4. Group E: Turkey (Spain)
5. Group G: Poland (Netherlands)
6. Group H: Bosnia Herzegovina (Austria)
7. Group I: Italy (Norway)

3. Clinched PO spot if don't win Group (1)
1. Group J: Wales v North Macedonia: Wales must win to get 2nd, and have a shot to win the Group if Belgium stumble with Liechtenstein, but cannot be eliminated.

II. Nation's League Places/Non Top 2 (4)

A. Clinched (3)
1. Romania (Group H 3rd)
2. Sweden (Group B 4th/3rd)
3. Northern Ireland (Group A 3rd)

B. Can finish 1st/2nd/3rd, but guaranteed a PO spot via NL even if 3rd (1)
1. North Macedonia/Wales (Group J)

 

Looks like the Congolese showed some mettle for once, Nigeria on the other hand seem to be the new "Spurs of Africa".

 

It finished 1-4, not 1-3.

 

Well, Portugal is in with an Armenian whipping. Also Norway, although I was not expecting a 1-4 win.

Regarding the playoffs, looking at the record between Hungary and Ireland, I should have been more conservative in my prediction. But I nailed Ukraine's qualification.

 

My prediction for Monday is that both Germany and the Netherlands will qualify, most likely with a win. I'd say the probabilty of qualification is around 90% for Germany, and 95% for the Netherlands.

 

I'd put Netherlands at 99%. To overtake them, Poland not only needs to win against Malta while Netherlands losses to Lithuania, they also need to overcome a 13 goal difference. It's like Italy trying to overcome Norway on steroids. And Netherlands is at home.

 

You are right. I should have put 99.99%, similarly to my prediction for Norway's qualification.

I think I became more conservative given that my prediction for Hungary failed big time.

 

Nigeria was gassed from 120 minutes 3 days ago while DRC won in 90 minutes. Ironically it was the DRC v Cameroon game that looked destined for ET while Nigeria should have wrapped up the Gabon game in 90 after Osimehn missed a last second breakaway.

CAF are stupid to have scheduled the final 2 days after the Semi. The final should have been played tomorrow.

Never the less our coach was too stupid to not rotate players, and Osimehn getting injured at halftime sealed our fate resulting in a very poor 2nd half and ET from our players.

DRC deserved it on the day, but the poor scheduling by CAF seriously helped them.

 

Nigeria should still keep the current coach. Revived a team in shambles and could do some damage in the next cycle.

 

Higher TV ratings on a Sunday than on a Monday.....only explanation that seems plausible....otherwise they could have scheduled the Final for Tuesday and given both teams four days rest.