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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 21:37:16 GMT 1
A reduced programme of World Cup qualifiers this week. Starting with Asia, Group A: SOUTH KOREA 0-1 SAUDI ARABIA A 5th-minute goal gives Saudi Arabia the win in a game between two teams who have already qualified for the finals. The result means Saudi Arabia finish top of the group.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 21:42:28 GMT 1
Asian Group A: UZBEKISTAN 3-2 KUWAIT Uzbekistan came from 2-0 down to win and grab 3rd place and a playoff spot. Kuwait's hopes of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1982 come to an end.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 21:45:27 GMT 1
Asian Group B: JAPAN 2-1 IRAN Another game between two teams who have already qualified, Japan win to finish top of the group.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 21:47:36 GMT 1
Asian Group B: BAHRAIN 2-3 NORTH KOREA North Korea get their first win in the group but Bahrain had already clinched 3rd place and will play Uzbekistan for the right to face the 4th-placed CONCACAF team for a place in the finals.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 21:50:46 GMT 1
African Group 5: TUNISIA 1-0 KENYA Tunisia go top of the group with this win. With two games to go in Africa, they are the only one of the five African teams that played in the 2002 finals currently top of their qualifying group.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:29:04 GMT 1
European Group 1: ROMANIA 2-0 ANDORRA Two goals from Mutu give Romania the win. They still have a chance of qualification but are two points behind the Czech Republic in 2nd and have played two games more.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:39:37 GMT 1
European Group 1: MACEDONIA 0-3 FINLAND Jaaskelainen, Hyypia, Kuqi and Forssell all started for Finland. None of them scored.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:41:34 GMT 1
European Group 2: KAZAKHSTAN 1-2 GEORGIA Kazakhstan lead at half-time but once again failed to pick up their first points as a European nation.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:43:19 GMT 1
European Group 3: LATVIA 1-1 RUSSIA Honours even as both sides stay in the play-off hunt. Russia are 3 points behind Slovakia, with Latvia a point further back.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:45:56 GMT 1
European Group 3: LIECHTENSTEIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA And that's because Slovakia dropped vital points in Liechtenstein. Szilard Nemeth was missing due to injury.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:47:36 GMT 1
European Group 4: FAROE ISLANDS 0-3 CYPRUS Cyprus pick up their first win and look set to condemn the Faroes to the foot of the table.
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Post by Panda on Aug 17, 2005 22:49:14 GMT 1
There's another round of CONCACAF games later tonight:
Mexico v Costa Rica USA v Trinidad & Tobago Guatemala v Panama
With Uzbekistan winning today, it means we are guaranteed to have a first time qualifier from either Asia or CONCACAF...
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Post by Zodiac on Aug 17, 2005 23:56:24 GMT 1
Why do Kazakhstan play within the European system? I know there are a few suspect "European" nations but whereas Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Israel etc are kind of understandable Kazakhstan is really rather baffling because it's so blatantly within Asia. All the more strange considering all the other stans play within Asia...
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frag
Member
*Paranoid Android*
I have no idea what you're talking about, so here's a bunny with a pancake on its head.
Posts: 25,373
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Post by frag on Aug 18, 2005 11:11:10 GMT 1
And you'd think they'd have more chance of qualifying from Asia!
Does Kazakhstan even have a border with Turkey?
Oh, and I think Afghanistan plays in UEFA. Didn't Wales play them a few years back?
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Post by Zodiac on Aug 18, 2005 12:16:17 GMT 1
Prezactly. I could understand moving between federations if it gave you a better shot at qualification (a la Australia) but within Europe they don't stand a chance. In Asia they've got to be in with a shout. And nope, it borders China (!!!) along with Russia and the other former soviet stan states. I propose England move to CONCACAF
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frag
Member
*Paranoid Android*
I have no idea what you're talking about, so here's a bunny with a pancake on its head.
Posts: 25,373
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Post by frag on Aug 18, 2005 12:29:54 GMT 1
Nah, half the managers would get annoyed at their players flying across the atlantic several times a year...
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Post by Panda on Aug 18, 2005 17:24:17 GMT 1
Oh, and I think Afghanistan plays in UEFA. Didn't Wales play them a few years back? No they don't. I think Kazakhstan's move to UEFA was more for club reasons than country, so their teams could get more money playing in the Champions League and UEFA Cup. The only other member of UEFA it has a border with is Russia. It is further east than Iraq.
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Post by Panda on Aug 18, 2005 17:27:16 GMT 1
The rest of last night's results: African Group 3: SUDAN 1-0 BENIN Both teams are already eliminated.
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Post by Panda on Aug 18, 2005 17:28:54 GMT 1
CONCACAF: MEXICO 2-0 COSTA RICA Mexico stay top of the group and are one win away from qualification.
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Post by Panda on Aug 18, 2005 17:31:44 GMT 1
CONCACAF: UNITED STATES 1-0 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Brian McBride scored the only goal of the game in the 3rd minute. Both sides finished with ten men. America's Bobby Convey was booked twice within a minute. Not even the presence of Dwight Yorke and Stern John could save T&T. The US are a point behind Mexico.
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