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Post by o on Sept 8, 2012 9:50:33 GMT 1
Nice resume misterh, cheers.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Sept 8, 2012 11:28:38 GMT 1
They hype around the Belgian team yesterday and this morning is now quite ridiculous. I've been saying they're a potential great team for a long while now and still stick by them and Switzerland being the best two teams not at Euro 2012, but now another 3 or 4 of the squad have moved to the Premier League it's almost as if qualification will be a walk in the park!
Group A is probably the best International group I've ever seen, managing to draw the stronger sides from the bottom pots and the weaker sides from the top pots really makes it a proper group of death! Belgium - Croatia on Tuesday is a big game for the two favourites.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Sept 8, 2012 11:44:29 GMT 1
and axel witsel (belgian noboddy) moved to russia for 32.5 million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2012 11:46:54 GMT 1
Montnegro are dark horses also, they were doing well for Euro 2012 qualification, only to run out of steam near the end, they were the qualifying round's Blackpool. I once heard that their low FIFA ranking when they first started playing independently, was because they were a new team. WRONG, it was because they had a really slow start, look at the qualifying rounds for World Cup 2010, they didn't win a game until the final stages.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Sept 8, 2012 11:50:36 GMT 1
thats 40 million euros
they had the same team 2 year ago, and they flopped badly considering the number of amazing youngsters coming through (who all played) mixed with 24/25 year olds like kompany, vermaelen, vertonghen, fellaini, dembele, mirallas and the old guard of van buyten and simons
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 12:35:53 GMT 1
South America: Pos | Team | Pld | GD | Pts | 1 | | 6 | +9 | 13 | 2 | | 6 | +1 | 12 | 3 | | 6 | +1 | 12 | 4 | | 6 | +4 | 11 | 5 | | 6 | +4 | 10 | 6 | | 7 | -3 | 8 | 7 | | 6 | -4 | 6 | 8 | | 7 | -5 | 4 | 9 | | 6 | -7 | 4 |
Argentina go top of the South American qualifying group, thanks to their 3-1 win over Paraguay. Gonzalo Higuain and Lionel Messi were both on the scoresheet as Argentina went a point clear of previous leaders Chile, who weren't in action. Uruguay drop to 4th, after a crushing 4-0 defeat in Colombia. Much sought-after Atletico Madrid striker Falcao opened the scoring inside two minutes as the Colombians move into the playoff place. Ecuador are up to 3rd after grinding out a 1-0 win over Bolivia. Peru are off the bottom of the table after coming from behind to beat Venezuela.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 12:50:25 GMT 1
CONCACAF 3rd round, Group A: Pos | Team | Pld | GD | Pts | 1 | | 3 | +2 | 7 | 2 | | 3 | +1 | 4 | 2 | | 3 | +1 | 4 | 4 | | 3 | -4 | 1 |
Clint Dempsey put the USA ahead against Jamaica in the first minute of the game but goals from Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton gave the Reggae Boyz the points to send them top of the group. The USA now find themselves in a tie for 2nd place after Guatemala came from behind to beat Antigua & Barbuda 3-1. The USA haven't failed to qualify for the World Cup since 1986.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 12:56:41 GMT 1
CONCACAF 3rd round, Group B: Pos | Team | Pld | GD | Pts | 1 | | 3 | +5 | 9 | 2 | | 3 | +2 | 4 | 3 | | 3 | -1 | 2 | 4 | | 3 | -6 | 1 |
Mexico are within touching distance of a place in the next round after making it three wins out of three against Costa Rica. Costa Rica remain 2nd after El Salvador could only draw with Guyana. El Salvador led twice but goals from Treyon Bobb helped Guyana to their first point of the round.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 13:03:17 GMT 1
CONCACAF 3rd round, Group C: Pos | Team | Pld | GD | Pts | 1 | | 3 | +2 | 7 | 2 | | 3 | +2 | 6 | 3 | | 3 | +1 | 4 | 4 | | 3 | -5 | 0 |
After six wins in a row in this World Cup, Panama's run came to an end in Toronto as Canada beat them 1-0 to go top of the group. Dwayne de Rosario's 77th-minute strike was all that separated the sides. Honduras picked up their first win with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Cuba, who will be eliminated if they lose to Honduras again on Tuesday.
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Post by Mart!n on Sept 8, 2012 15:12:48 GMT 1
If Canada or Panama win that group are they first timers in the World Cup tournament. As I can't remember if they ever passed their qualifying stage.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2012 17:19:39 GMT 1
Canada played at Mexico 86, scoring no goals!.
Will be a laugh seeing San Marino let all those goals in when they play their first match!.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 18:35:11 GMT 1
There's also another round after this for the CONCACAF teams. The top 2 in each group at this stage progress to the next round.
Panama would be making their debut if they reach the finals, as would Guatemala, Guyana and Antigua.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 22:33:28 GMT 1
European Group A: | 0-0 | |
A tame goalless draw at Hampden Park that might not do either team many favours in the long run.
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2012 22:34:47 GMT 1
European Group B: | 0-0 | |
A tame goalless draw in Copenhagen that might not do either team many favours in the long run.
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Post by o on Sept 9, 2012 9:20:23 GMT 1
Sam was well impressed that a Leeds player helped Jamaica beat the USA, is it the first time they've beaten them?
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Tom
Member
*Of Royal Blood*
Posts: 15,419
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Post by Tom on Sept 9, 2012 10:19:30 GMT 1
The last time England scored 5 in a game was three years ago in a 5-1 win over Croatia that sealed qualification for the 2010 World Cup with two games to spare. The last time England won by five goals or more was also in 2009, in a 6-0 win over Andorra. And it was England's biggest away win for 19 years, since San Marino in 1993. It was a decent performance by England the other night. Alex Pearce has got what he hoped for after Euro 2012 and been called up by Republic of Ireland!
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Post by Maximo Mark on Sept 9, 2012 11:36:35 GMT 1
How many nations is he eligible for? Born in England, capped for Scotland U21s and now in the Ireland squad!
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Tom
Member
*Of Royal Blood*
Posts: 15,419
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Post by Tom on Sept 9, 2012 11:52:28 GMT 1
Yes good point! I didn't even know he was eligible for Ireland until he gave an interview just after the end of last season!
Just found that interview, it's lengthy but i've tried to trim it down to the key points as best I could. Personally I think he'll struggle at international level, he's played in all of our games so far this season but i'm not convinced he won't have lost his place to Mariappa at some point.
"Most people seem to know that I played U21 football for Scotland, but people don't know that Ireland was the first country I played for," Pearce told the Herald.
"I was called up by the Republic way back in my career and I played in an U14 game in a tournament, I think it was up in Derry. Anthony Stokes and Eddie Nolan were in the side, they're the two main ones I remember from the Irish team that day.
"So even though I was born in England and played for Scotland's U21s, I always had a strong Irish connection, the Irish link has always been there -- my dad's mother was from Dublin, though sadly she's no longer with us as she passed away a few years ago.
"But I always hoped that some day I could achieve two things: play in the Premier League and play for Ireland at senior level."
Next up is an international call-up. The Euro 2012 finals will go ahead without his involvement, but by the time the World Cup campaign kicks off in Kazakhstan in September, Pearce hopes to be part of it.
"It's a big ask to break into that squad because there's so much competition but I hope I can do it," says Pearce.
"It's always been my dream to play for Ireland. I got that cap at U14 level and then nothing happened for a few years. Then I got the call to play for Scotland and I did, once, at U21 level, but it was always in the back of my mind that Ireland would always be my choice.
"Thankfully I have everything sorted in terms of the paperwork -- I have my Irish passport -- and hopefully now I can get a call-up at some stage.
"All I need to do is to catch the eye of the Ireland manager and show him what I can do and hopefully being in the Premier League next season will help.
"I haven't had a direct approach from Trapattoni or the FAI yet but I have spoken to people who are involved indirectly so I think the manager knows who I am.
"The squad have done really well to qualify for the Euros, I won't get to Poland in the summer but I'll be supporting the team on TV, I'd love to see them do well and then, hopefully, try to be a part of things for the World Cup qualifiers after the summer."
Elevation to the national team squad is certainly achievable for players like Pearce -- three years ago Sean St Ledger was just an uncapped player in the Championship, now he's almost certain to start in defence for Ireland at the European Championship finals.
So what could Pearce bring to the party? "I think I have good leadership qualities," he says.
"I am a good solid defender, I win a lot of balls in the air and my distribution on the ground is pretty good, so I think I have enough about me to add to the squad. I have a lot of experience at club level and I had a good season, personally as well as with the club, in the season just gone so I feel I can contribute. I'd sell myself as a good all-round centre half.
"I know it can be done, the Ireland manager has shown with people like Sean St Ledger that he will pick players if they are good enough, no matter what level they play at or what experience they have and I feel I can do the same, and maybe I have more of a chance that I'll move up to the Premier League from the Championship next season.
"All you can hope for is a chance, so that if you don't take that opportunity then it's your own fault, but I feel that if I get a chance with the Ireland squad I won't let anyone down."
"Playing Premier League football will be great exposure for me and if I can just get the call from Ireland, I don't think anything could top that."
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Post by Panda on Sept 9, 2012 12:40:02 GMT 1
Sam was well impressed that a Leeds player helped Jamaica beat the USA, is it the first time they've beaten them? Yes, it is their first ever win over the USA, which I found slightly surprising. They have a chance to do it again on Tuesday and it would put the USA in big trouble if they did.
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Post by Panda on Sept 9, 2012 12:40:52 GMT 1
How many nations is he eligible for? Born in England, capped for Scotland U21s and now in the Ireland squad! Still doesn't beat Owen Hargreaves! Eligible for England, Wales, Canada and Germany...
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