2022 WC Qatar: Worldwide Opponents Watch [all R's]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sebsasour, Jun 5, 2019.

  1. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We've always had a thread to discuss various qualifiers around the world and with the first qualifiers starting tomorrow, I figure I'd start the thread for this cycle.

    Asia will use the exact same format as they did for Russia and get us started tomorrow with it's 12 worst teams playing each other in a 2 legged playoff. The 6 winners will join the top 34 teams in the region in round 2. Those teams will be draw into 8 groups of 5, with the 8 group winners and 4 best runner ups advancing to round 3. Round 3 will consist of 2 "hex" style groups with the top 2 in each qualifying for Qatar. The two 3rd place teams will meet in a 2 legged playoff and the winner will advance to a playoff against a team from a different confederation.

    The draw for the rest of the confederations will be on July 17th.

    These are the playoff matchups for Asia's 1st round. The first legs will be tomorrow (except Malaysia - Timor which is on Friday) and the seconds legs are on Tuesday.

    Mongolia vs Brunei
    Macau vs Sri Lanka
    Laos vs Bangladesh
    Malaysia vs TImor-Leste
    Cambodia vs Pakistan
    Bhutan vs Guam
     
  2. mbar

    mbar Member+

    Apr 30, 1999
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I love this thread every cycle. Thank you for starting.
     
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  3. Alex Blanton

    Alex Blanton Member

    Queens Park Rangers
    United States
    Sep 23, 2018
    Results from first day of Asian qualifying
    Mongolia 2 Brunei 0
    Cambodia 2 Pakistan 0
    Laos 0 Bangladesh 1
    Macau 1 Sri Lanka 0
    Bhutan 1 Guam 0
     
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  4. Alex Blanton

    Alex Blanton Member

    Queens Park Rangers
    United States
    Sep 23, 2018
    Malaysia 7 Timor Leste 1
     
  5. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brunei, Laos, Timor-Leste, Pakistan, and Bhutan were eliminated from World Cup contention.

    Macau defeated Sri Lanka in the home leg 1-0, however refused to travel to Sri Lanka for the away leg due to a bombing. It's in FIFA's hands on how they plan to handle it.

    The draw for round 2 is tomorrow
     
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  6. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Macau was given back to China by Portugal. How does Macau still have its own team?
     
  7. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Puerto Rico does too
     
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  8. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #8 Sebsasour, Jun 16, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2019
    Qatar outplaying Paraguay in the first half, even though they're down. After The Asian Cup win, I'm not sure that this team is going to be drilled in 2022 like many think they are.
     
  9. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ANd just as I applaud them, Qatar gets mauled coming out of the half. 2-0 and VAR took away a 3rd
     
  10. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    I count 5 starters for Ecuador that started in March against the U.S. - Dominguez, Caicedo Lastra, Achilier, Orejuela, and Antonio Valencia.
     
  11. smokarz

    smokarz Member+

    Aug 9, 2006
    Hartford, CT
    I am afraid to say, but this thread might be a bit premature.

    Qualifying for the WC is no longer an automatic, considering the current state of the USMNT.
     
  12. gunnerfan7

    gunnerfan7 Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 22, 2012
    Santa Cruz, California
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ??????

    This thread is for other teams WCQ. Not for the US.

    Other teams begin qualifying processes now. CONCACAF teams, for example, will begin Round 1 seeding/play sometime in June.
     
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  13. skim172

    skim172 Member+

    Feb 20, 2013
    FIFA doesn't require members to be an independent state with their own government.
     
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  14. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can't read, I mistook July for June. The Draw is a month from today
     
  15. skim172

    skim172 Member+

    Feb 20, 2013
    Uruguay draws Japan 2-2, and Uruguay was damned lucky to get it.

    Japan took the early lead, and then Cavani earns a penalty, apparently for kicking a defender. That's not a syntax error - Cavani kicked defender Ueda in the box, then fell to the turf screaming for attention in real, non-imaginary pain like his foot had just been amputated.

    A full minute later, VAR calls down to award Cavani a penalty and give Ueda a yellow, presumably for getting in the way of Cavani's errant foot.


    (penalty is at 2:21)

    The only valid reason I can think of this the decision that maybe they thought Ueda had intentionally raised his foot in such a manner that Cavani would end up kicking it? Which (a) I'm not even sure is a foul, and (b) would've required Ueda to have the hyper-awareness to recognize Cavani was about to attempt the volley, estimate the arc of Cavani's foot, adjust for the trajectory as Cavani missed the volley (having also recognized that Cavani would not strike the ball but miss it by several inches ), and get the timing right as to raise his foot to perfectly intersect with Cavani's foot. All without breaking his stride, while not looking in Cavani's direction, in a span of less than a second.

    That's some skill and technique by Ueda - skill and technique, which, with all due respect, I don't think any Japanese defender has. :cautious:

    But the alternative explanation would be that Cavani flopped like he's been training with Neymar, and the CONMEBOL ref and VAR crew were inclined against the visitors in their region's crowning tournament.

    And that's just crazy.
     
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  16. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Plenty of Japanese in the Minerão today, to root in their team's game against Ecuador. 1-1 so far, 43', fun game.

    It's a shame another joint Copa isn't happening, the top teams in our region could use the practice. So far this Copa has been a lot of fun to watch, and the guests have not disappointed but played 100%.
     
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  17. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    When Paraguay puts on the lock, they are the most difficult team to crack open. Geezus.
     
  18. skim172

    skim172 Member+

    Feb 20, 2013
    I think it'd be cool to set it up so the Gold Cup winners earn a spot in the Copa next year.

    But apparently noooooo...
     
  19. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    CONCACAF & CONMEBOL have a complicated relationship.

    That the final account settling for the Centenario is taking three years is not exactly helping.
     
  20. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Looks like Messi will once again not get his international trophy
     
  21. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    He's been good but a man alone cannot do everything in the modern game.

    The closest I've seen is CR with Portugal, Carlitos Tevez with West Ham, and Donovan with the USA.

    Oh and Ludo Giuly with Monaco, but that was 20 years ago so it's borderline.
     
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  22. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Portugal versus Sweden playoff a few years ago was literally CR vs Zlatan. We know how that turned out. CR can absolutely win a game by himself. I'm a Messi > CR guy, but it does seem worrisome that Messi can't seem to translate his superiority to the international game like CR can.
     
  23. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    And Messi probably has had a better supporting cast internationally most of his career than CR has as well. Granted they tend to stand around and watch him (similar to the US with Pulisic much of the time), but part of that is on him for not putting his boot in their ass to help him out. (And I'm not saying Pulisic, at age 20, is at all to blame for his US teammates' complacency--but if it's still going on in 5 years he'll have to bear part of the responsibility)
     
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  24. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd agree with the supporting cast argument. You look at the talent that surrounds Messi and one cannot believe they don't have a similar track record of success as Spain did a few years back in the Copa and WC. I understand their track record of second place finishes is pretty remarkable, but who remembers second place finishers in the pantheon of sports culture?
     
  25. dna77054

    dna77054 Member+

    Jun 28, 2003
    houston
    Argentina is a strange case. Top quality all over the field that play great with club teams who then become crap when wearing the NT jersey, especially at striker. Looking at you, Higuian and Aguero. Replace Higuian with Batistuta and Messi probably has 3 trophies. Their fed is corrupt and incompetent. The produce great coaches, but never choose them for the NT, at least with enough time to make a difference. Imagine Simeone coaching Argentina. Also their youth is not producing what it used to. It would not surprise me one bit to see Arg fail to qualify for the next WC.

    The are so lethargic now with little off the ball movement. If they could manage to play like Chile or Uruguay, 2 different but very effective styles, they would be fine. I do not even see a style with them now, just wonder around for 90 minutes.
     

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