If New Caledonia takes care of things against Vanuatu, the week of September 6-10 is going to be the Week of Reckoning.
New Caledonia stopped Vanuatu 3-0 on the return leg in Noumea. New Zealand lead the group with 9 points and a game in hand over New Caledonia (8 points). Fiji and Vanuatu each have 1 point, and both are now eliminated from World Cup 2010. New Zealand travel to New Caledonia in September, with the return leg in October. Any result should see the Kiwis advance to the playoff with the 5th place AFC team. New Caledonia pretty much must win both games to advance to next year's playoff for a chance to go to South Africa. Of course, there is the slimmest of chances that New Zealand would lose at home to Fiji, but that would seem as far-fetched as Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump exchanging pleasantries at a Manhattan restaurant!
This is stage 2 , next is stage 3 "The winners and runners-up in the OFC Nations Cup then compete over two legs, with the victor advancing to a play-off against the AFC's fifth-placed team." http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/oceania/competitionformat.html
Winner of the OFC group goes to the confederation cup but for the WCQ there will be a OFC play-off between the Winner and Runner-up with the winner of that playoff to playoff against the 5th ranked AFC nation. Don't mix up the confederation cup with the WCQ.
Ok I may be stand to be corrected. FIFA is the final authority but if OFC has organised as such I can't see FIFA interfering this process of regional control. I suppose that because the playoffs are now with the AFC and not with South America then there will be no OFC WCQ playoff any more. Well that would be a bit of a downer for the second team and a lack of of warm game for the AFC/OFC playoff. I think it's seems to cut travel cost and remove extra hurdles to maximise the top OFC preparation to combat the 5th ranked AFC team.
I'm confused as to how you guys can be a full year into the qualifying process and not know what the qualifying process is. Or is the expectation that whether thereas only Round 2 or if there's a Round 3 as well, that NZ is 'automatic' to play AFC #5 in November next year?
There is some sort of miscommunication as others have brought up. The two sites should get the facts straight one way or the other. Obviously WCQ involves a lot of money and support and you think they wouldn't make this sort of gaffe. This is a quote from fifa's website today: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/oceania/competitionformat.html
Fifa has changed their information to reflect that there is only two rounds now and NZ has clinched the spot for the playoff with the 5th placed team from Asia. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tou...wc-qualficationformat-oceania-v11-e_57821.pdf
Yes a good win. It's a more solid team and we have the international window to thank. However we need a few more refining work to lift it up to beat the fifth WCQ-ranked AFC team The rumours are that England is lined up for a match. Maybe due to getting the World cup venue votes. I don't mind having a match up to check how we are good with them and swap a few ideas with them as well. As it is England is on top of the world as evidenced by their win over croatia. Their team mixture is much better now and they are now serious contenders to dominate WCQ and the WC finals events. It will be an important thing to grab this match and receive feedback from one of the greater coaches in soccer today i.e. Fabio.
no team from oceania will make the 2010 world cup. you guys are just wasting your time lol. sorry but thats the reality.
No. Kiwis are growing. Probably they will lose again but it won't be easy for the 5th ranked Asia team IMO Anyway think about beating North Korea first
north korea or bahrain or qatar will be one of the teams that the oceania winner has to play. no chance. about us, i consider us qualified already.
NO. The 5th team will probably be iran or saudi Arabia. Group 1 Australia Japan Group 2 South Korea Iran/KSA 5th ranked Iran/KSA But don't count North Korea out yet... they managed to tie with their cousins and I think that they can make you have lot of problems
They are two matches away from qualifying and have a series of top quality games to improve via confederation cup. Closer than most teams at the moment. You have to be naive to say "zero" chance when they just won Oceania Nation cup, undefeated. Their level would have to be about the same level as any in the final AFC group. It's a matter of whether it is good enough to knock the fifth placed AFC team. The chances are very decent.
You are the most optimistic person I have ever seen. Maybe 10-1 odds against, depending on who the opponent is. Maybe they might have a chance against Qatar or Bahrain, but if they face Korea, Saudi, Japan, etc., they will be thrashed. They need to hope for some upsets that put a very weak 5th place AFC team against them. Not impossible--highly improbable, though.
It will definitely not be Iran or Saudi Arabia. Based on how the teams are fairing so far, their strengths and results, it might very well be South Korea/Qatar. Either way, New Zealand has very little hope against any fifth placed team from Asia, perhaps except North Korea/Qatar. Also, is any Kiwi fan following the Asian WCQ's? the levels are quite high, just follow Australia's campaign, they are not blowing any team out of the water, they just fit in the higher tier Asian teams... NZ is way below that level. Besides, top notch Asian sides like China and Iraq havent even made the final round. Good luck, regardless.