Norway and Iceland have been drawn together YET AGAIN! It's not a particularly tough group though, so Norway should be able to finally qualify to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, which would be a nice correlation since we would be playing in Brazil for 2014 and we beat Brazil in the 1998 World Cup. The other non-Nordic teams in the group are not very strong, so hopefully Iceland can pick up some points against the other teams (besides Norway ) to hopefully get into a better pot for the next qualifying campaign. We've got the top seed here, so let's prove we deserved it by winning this group. Heia Norge! Group 5 Norway Slovenia Switzerland Albania Cyprus Iceland
If Iceland sort themselves out they should be able to take points from most of these teams, especially at home in Reykjavik. Could be a new coach for Iceland by then, because I am sure current coach Olafur Johannesson will go after the EURO 2012 qualifiers come to an end. afram Island!!!
Both Slovenia and Switzerland were in the last World Cup and did ok. So, this ain't no push-overs. And Albania, Cyprus and Iceland away is no cake in the park.
The last time Norway played Slovenia in qualifying was fairly recently, for 2006 qualifying. Norway won 3-0 at home, and Norway won 3-2 in Slovenia. Prior to that we met in Euro 2000 qualifying where Norway won 4-0 at home! and Norway also won 2-1 in Slovenia. We haven't seen Switzerland in a while, but we last played against them in qualifying for World Cup 1998 where Norway won 5-0 at home! and Norway also won 1-0 in Switzerland. Norway also recently won a friendly in Swizterland (1-0 in 2009). These are teams that Norway usually has no problem with. We have also never lost to Albania or Cyprus before in our history. I will be very, very disappointed if Norway does not win this group easily. To be honest I don't think we should even lose a game against these teams.
Has it occurred to anyone that Iceland could possibly come 2nd in this group? I mean if Estonia did it in their Euro group (which was tougher than this) I don;t see why not. Switzerland is on the rise however Slovenia is on the decline, Norway was the worst team on Pot 1, and Iceland has pulled off some solid results against them. Cyprus is crap, and Albania isn't that good. I'm actually predicting a 3rd place finish for Iceland in this group but if they can steal a result or two from Norway and Switzerland then look out!
Iceland finishing in second place would be a fantastic achievement. They have a new coach now, the Swede Lars Lagerback takes over on 1st January. He certainly has a great amount of experience at international level.
7/9 2012: Island – Norway 11/9 2012: Norway – Slovenia 12/10 2012: Switzerland – Norway 16/10 2012: Cyprus – Norway 22 or 23/3 2013: Norway – Albania 7 or 8/6 2013: Albania – Norway 6/9 2013: Norway – Cyprus 10/9 2013: Norway – Switzerland 11/10 2013: Slovenia – Norway 15/10 2013: Norway – Island
ICELAND FIXTURES 07/09/12 ICELAND - Norway 11/09/12 Cyprus - ICELAND 12/10/12 Albania - ICELAND 16/10/12 ICELAND - Switzerland 22/03/13 Slovenia - ICELAND 07/06/13 ICELAND - Slovenia 06/09/13 Switzerland - ICELAND 10/09/13 ICELAND - Albania 11/10/13 ICELAND - Cyprus 15/10/13 Norway - ICELAND
Qualifying starts today! Does anyone know where I might be able to watch the Iceland-Norway game on a free stream? Kickoff is in 40 minutes!
Well, congrats to Iceland. I didn't like our lineup, didn't seem very attack minded and I think that hurt us. But I thought King looked good when he came on, hopefully he'll start against Slovenia.
Iceland could actually be in first place by October. They play Cyprus and then Albania - IMO they can win both of these games. Norway gets Slovenia and then Switzerland. Much harder competition, but I also feel like we can beat them too. Hopefully the standings after these games read: 1. Iceland 2. Norway Norway really needs to beat Slovenia or this could be a disaster already. Can't wait for Tuesday!
Yeah no shit they have a better group but I believe Norway was in pot 1. Norway was the team you were hoping for. Instead we got the machine that has 18 wins 2 draws and 0 losses in the last 20 matches. If you get to be in the group with the Germans, you just have to fight for that play-0ff spot. Forget about beating the Germans to No.1 A true E-Hollywood (or E-Swedish story).....during the draw for the European cup QF I was crossing my fingers "Any team but Germany or Holland...any team but Germany or Holland" They drew Holland For the World Cup QF, same story as above, crossed fingers 2 teams to avoid.......we drew Germany. The two worst qualifying machines that Europe has to offer. That being said, the Swedish team isn't what it used to be judging by todays performance. 2-0 against Kazakstan. They have serious problems with their attacks and creating chances. If todays match was an indication of what is to come, they will struggle to reach the play-off spot and lose out once they get there.
I´m glad I mist our match today. Sounds like an aweful performance by the boys. Or wait a minute.....I still had a boring time building those chineese volvos at Torslanda I still hope we can rattle the Germans....but no.....It won´t happen as it feels right now. As you wrote, Play Offs is the realistic target. Lagerbäck´s side lost today against Cyprus on away pitch. Norway won against Slovakia 2-1. Could be a tight group with the Swiss also there.
Yeah that was huge. The late penalty was a bit fortunate, but I'll take the 3 points! *The match was against Slovenia, not Slovakia, though. October looks rough, two away games for Norway - at Switzerland then at Cyprus. Iceland goes to Albania and then hosts Switzerland. If both teams lose to Switzerland then the campaign might already be over - Swiss would have 12 points and at best either of them would have 6. :/
Switzerland 1 - 1 Norway - a road draw. Not bad, I guess. Switzerland doesn't get any further ahead and they lose one of their home games in the process. We need to beat Cyprus today though! Also good job Iceland, they won 2-1 in Albania. They're sitting in 2nd place and could top the group if they beat Switzerland at home tonight! wow
Hahaha see i forgot the link . Well the U21 match ended 5-3 and Norway is ready for UEFA European Championship for U21
Yup, Joshua King is the key to this campaign in my opinion. He's really the difference maker, and I kind of doubt that we would have won today without him. It certainly would have been more difficult.
Our BMG club officials sent him back to England because he allegedly wasn't good enough. Now we lack a fast striker to pair Luuk de Jong. Really nice. Btw: How's Havard Nordtveit (our new Kai-Erik Herlovsen) doing with the national team? Playing CM or CB/RB?
O/T a bit but Iceland, Sweden and Denmark in the play-offs. Who would have thought all 3 would get there. Poor Norway. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Denmark unfortunately missed the play-off by finishing as the worst 2nd placed team ... If Italy had not managed that goal and a 2-2 result in injury-time last week, Denmark would be in the play-offs, but really it was the draw at home against Bulgaria and the Czechs that ruined it all... and the fact that Bendtner was out for most of the qualifiers and we at the same time were building up a new team of highly young talented players, but still too young to deliver at a consistently high level in the qualifiers .. so in one match we beat the Czech Republic 3-0 away from home, and then lost 0-4 at home to Armenia... at the end this team finally became consistently good and should have beat Italy, striking the woodwork twice in that match, but it was all just a little too late... though I'm positive this Danish team will qualify for the Euro-16 finals. .
Only Iceland and Sweden stand a chance now to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil. It seems like Iceland with players like Sigthorsson, Finnbogason, Sigurðsson and Gunnarsson and Sweden with Zlatan are step ahead of the other Nordic countries. It would be awesome to see Iceland in the World Cup. I think they can do it. Some intersting reading about Iceland recent progress. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/14/eidur-gudjohnsen-iceland-croatia-world-cup http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/worldcupcentral/id/1067?cc=5739 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24931524