When a team gets a Red card and still wins by 3 goals on the road I think pummeled may be the appropriate way of describing it but that is just my humble opinion.
Its a bit like the old CL group stage. There is a bit of difference between finishing 3rd and 4th, but a lot of games lacked meaning in MD 5 and 6 because once teams clinch a top 2 place it doesn't matter much anymore.
I don't understand why tomorrow's NED-GER game has little riding on it; both teams won on MD1 and can take a significant step towards qualifying for the QFs with a second win. While it is true that the additional KO stage games do replace WCQ games, that was always the intention because UEFA want to expand the UNL while simultaneously making the European Qualifiers more competitive and less predictable with each team playing fewer games than before. Now finishing second or third in the UNL group matters, before it didn't.
Yeah, and before finishing first versus second mattered, now it doesn't (top 2 advance to quarters). All sounds good, but TBD if new format actually increases competitiveness.
First place in League A groups not only means to be seeded in QF draw but also guarantees a European Qualifiers playoff (Italy nearly needed that last time around). TBD yes, but very likely it will increase competitiveness and will certainly lead to closer group finishes.
You can't compare this cycle to any before, it si simply different. In theory anything can happen, but I do not think Italy can fall so low to end third in it's qualifying group and need League A group win for the playoffs.
thanks for the paywall free link... but you can google the subtitle "The United States is in no position to host the world in 2026" and put an appropriate year plus South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar instead of the USA and you will find enough simmilar articles. Always the same bullshit from the same media. even for 2006 they found some crap to write about!!!
Article is pretty trashy. I do think the issue with fans breaking into events like it happened in Copa is a sign of the times - law and order are on the decline and in particular at big cities. Crime is a problem, world cup or no world cup. FIFA will take things seriously and correct for this, at least near venues. VISAs will be sped up as we get closer to the event, but if it does not, it could be a real problem. But from seeing other FIFA tournaments, it looks like a non-issue The rest is we_have_been_here_before, sky_is_falling, nonsense complaints, with a hint of political inunendo.
Completely off topic, can i get a moderator to PM me? I've reached out to 1, but i got no response, and not sure who to contact.
Nonsense. Crime in most US big cities is at its lowest since the 1960s. Fox News is being forced to recycle videos from the short-term crime spree post lockdown. Also most of the venues in the US aren't in big cities. The problems at the Hard Rock were down to CONMEBOL and the stadium owners who did the absolute minimum to work with the local authorities. The biggest problems IMHO will be cost, transport and heat. In terms of crowd control European fans are using to turning up to stadiums fairly late, say within an hour of kickoff, whereas a lot of American fans make it a whole day thing with tailgates. You need to get a substantial percentage of fans to stadiums a couple of hours early by putting on events (only having over-priced Bud, Coke and McDonald's available won't help).
Damn, Japan with six points and +12 goal diff after two matches in AFC qualifying! At the other end of the spectrum, China is rubbish! After getting spanked by Japan 7-0, they were a man up for 71 minutes at home v Saudi and still lost. Couldn't even get the draw after conceding in the 90th minute. Wouldn't be surprised if they go winless in this group stage.
Historic win for Bolivia. First away win since 1993. Now I do think they can reach the playoffs if they make a decent points haul at home in the remaining games. Chile is definitely out. Not coming back from such a devastating home loss.
And Paraguay beats Brazil. Great start for Gustavo Alfaro as their coach with 4/6 points against two of the toughest opponents. It's becoming clear that the fight for 7th place will be between Paraguay and Bolivia.
why are you so sure that Venezuela will finish above them? to me it is Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay fighting for 6th to 8th. and can we talk about Brazil abyssmal Performance this cycle? they can be thankful, FIFA expanded the WC to 48 teams.
Cuz Venezuela is a better team. Well, better than Bolivia for sure but now Paraguay may have found their path with this coach. Strong defending + spicy forwards like in the old times. The Paraguay v Venezuela game next window will decide a lot.
So Bolivia's excellent performance last Thursday at home to Venezuela wasn't solely because of the altitude they played at! I honestly suspected that while watching it because it was a performance laced with quality too.
Next matchday in C'BOL qualifying, each of the top 5 teams will play against one of the bottom 5 teams. I think the table will now essentially begin to split into two halves. ARG, COL, BRA, ECU, URU in the top half, and the other 5 fighting for the remaining 1.5. spots over the final 9 matchdays.
I don't remember Brazil being so low. Maybe start of 2000s but they won the 2002 WC. Disastrous performances lately. Losing to a team that scored once in seven games, Jesus Christ.
I tried to warn everyone about Venezuela. It will be a dog fight for them to make the playoff let alone the 6th spot. No mention of Colombia/Argentina in this thread? I am very disappointed in all of you.
2002 cycle there were some rocky results but that was mostly because some of their main players were injured or did not want to play in qualifying. Once everyone was healthy and ready to play they kicked some major butt as we know. Ronaldo was phenomenal and healed up at the right time.
Losing to Paraguay may sound bad when you put it that way but they do have very good young players and were one of the best U23s in the region. And now that they have a decent manager it is not as bad a loss as it would have been but still pretty bad.
In CONCACAF I am more baffled after this FIFA break than prior to it. Especially when it pertains to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Jamaica. In Nations League there was horrible draw at home to Cuba but then they go to Honduras and beat them on the road. I really do not know what to expect from them when Qualifying really gets complicated.