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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:14:08 GMT 1
European Group B: 1 | | 5 | +7 | 15 | 2 | | 5 | +16 | 12 | 3 | | 5 | +2 | 7 | 4 | | 5 | -6 | 5 | 5 | | 5 | -7 | 3 | 6 | | 5 | -12 | 1 |
Switzerland maintain their 100% start with the European champions hot on their heels. The Faroe Islands miss the chance to go level points with Hungary, whose 30+ year wait for a World Cup appearance looks set to continue. Andorra pick up their first World Cup point since 2005.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:27:56 GMT 1
European Group D: 1 | | 5 | +6 | 11 | 2 | | 5 | +4 | 11 | 3 | | 5 | +4 | 7 | 4 | | 5 | +1 | 7 | 5 | | 5 | -4 | 2 | 6 | | 5 | -11 | 1 |
Serbia leapfrog Ireland to go top of the group on goal difference. Ireland's 0-0 draw with Wales was marred by Seamus Coleman's horrific broken leg. Wales remain unbeaten but have only won one game and have Gareth Bale suspended for their next match.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:31:52 GMT 1
European Group G: 1 | | 5 | +17 | 13 | 2 | | 5 | +9 | 13 | 3 | | 5 | 0 | 9 | 4 | | 5 | -4 | 6 | 5 | | 5 | -4 | 3 | 6 | | 5 | -18 | 0 |
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:36:21 GMT 1
European Group H: 1 | | 5 | +20 | 13 | 2 | | 5 | +7 | 11 | 3 | | 5 | +8 | 10 | 4 | | 5 | -5 | 4 | 5 | | 5 | -10 | 4 | 6 | | 5 | -20 | 0 |
Very much a 3-horse race in this group involving three teams who were all at the last World Cup finals.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:41:09 GMT 1
European Group I: 1 | | 5 | +10 | 13 | 2 | | 5 | +2 | 10 | 3 | | 5 | +3 | 8 | 4 | | 5 | +2 | 8 | 5 | | 5 | -5 | 1 | 6 | | 5 | -12 | 1 |
A very close battle in Group I with four teams still in with a realistic chance. Kosovo scored their first competitive goal from open play against Iceland but await their first win.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:46:25 GMT 1
European Group C: 1 | | 5 | +19 | 15 | 2 | | 5 | +8 | 10 | 3 | | 5 | +4 | 8 | 4 | | 5 | -5 | 7 | 5 | | 5 | -4 | 3 | 6 | | 5 | -22 | 0 |
The world champions maintain their 100% record and look to be cruising towards another finals appearance. Northern Ireland earned a superb win over Norway to go clear in 2nd, with the Czech Republic climbing above Azerbaijan into 3rd.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 21:56:44 GMT 1
European Group E: 1 | | 5 | +6 | 13 | 2 | | 5 | +4 | 7 | 3 | | 5 | +2 | 7 | 4 | | 5 | +2 | 6 | 5 | | 5 | -4 | 6 | 6 | | 5 | -10 | 2 |
Poland well clear at the top of this group but 2nd place is anyone's.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 22:04:24 GMT 1
European Group F: 1 | | 5 | +8 | 13 | 2 | | 5 | +7 | 9 | 3 | | 5 | +1 | 8 | 4 | | 5 | -1 | 7 | 5 | | 5 | -4 | 5 | 6 | | 5 | -11 | 0 |
Jermain Defoe returned from a 4-year international exile to help England go four points clear at the top of the group and stretch their unbeaten run in qualifying matches to 34 games. They are the only team in Europe yet to concede a goal. Scotland kept their hopes alive with a late winner from former England Under 19 international Chris Martin.
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Post by Panda on Mar 26, 2017 22:23:07 GMT 1
European runners-up table:
1. Portugal 4-10 (+9) 2. Italy 4-10 (+5) 3. Greece 4-8 (+4) 4. Ireland 4-8 (+2) 5. Sweden 4-7 (+6) 6. Northern Ireland 4-7 (+4) 7. Iceland 4-7 (+1) 8. Slovakia 4-6 (+5) --------------------------- 9. Montenegro 4-4 (-1)
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:13:22 GMT 1
South America: | qualify for the World Cup |
Q | | 14 | +25 | 33 | 2 | | 14 | +3 | 24 | 3 | | 14 | +9 | 23 | 4 | | 14 | +5 | 23 | 5 | | 14 | +1 | 22 | 6 | | 14 | +3 | 20 | 7 | | 14 | -1 | 18 | 8 | | 14 | -8 | 18 | 9 | | 14 | -20 | 10 | 10 | | 14 | -17 | 6 |
Brazil are the first team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup with victory over Paraguay. They reach the finals with four games to spare, having opened up an 11-point gap over 5th place, with the closeness of the group and the remaining fixtures meaning they can't finish outside the top 4. Argentina's loss to Bolivia sees them drop back outside the automatic places with a crunch trip to Uruguay to come in August. Venezuela's 10th defeat of the competition sees them officially eliminated from the World Cup.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:28:59 GMT 1
Oceania 3rd round, Group A: New Zealand get the result they needed to progress the Oceania final, where they await the winners of Group B to determine who will go through to the intercontinental playoffs.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:34:52 GMT 1
Oceania 3rd round, Group B: Tahiti miss the chance to eliminate Papua New Guinea and must now wait to see what happens between PNG and the Solomon Islands. A win and a draw for either team would see them progress. Tahiti's only hope is two draws or one win each with both teams failing to overhaul their goal difference.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:45:24 GMT 1
Asian 3rd round, Group A: 1 | | 7 | +6 | 17 | 2 | | 7 | +2 | 13 | 3 | | 7 | +2 | 12 | 4 | | 7 | -1 | 8 | 5 | | 7 | -4 | 5 | 6 | | 7 | -5 | 4 |
Few goals in Group A but a huge step towards qualification for Iran, who will seal their place in Russia if they beat Uzbekistan in their next game. China's defeat means their qualification hopes are all but over.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:53:52 GMT 1
Asian 3rd round, Group B: 1 | | 7 | +9 | 16 | 2 | | 7 | +8 | 16 | 3 | | 7 | +5 | 13 | 4 | | 7 | -3 | 9 | 5 | | 7 | -3 | 4 | 6 | | 7 | -16 | 1 |
The top 3 all win in Group B to open up a gap over the rest.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 20:59:49 GMT 1
CONCACAF 5th round: 1 | | 4 | +4 | 10 | 2 | | 4 | +4 | 7 | 3 | | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | | 4 | +1 | 4 | 5 | | 4 | -5 | 4 | 6 | | 4 | -4 | 3 |
Still more questions than answers after the latest round of games though Mexico open up a nice six-point gap over 4th-placed USA.
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Post by Panda on Mar 29, 2017 21:32:12 GMT 1
Qualifiers as it stands: (world rankings used to determine playoff winners) HOSTS: RUSSIAEUROPE: France Switzerland Germany Serbia * Poland * England Spain Belgium Croatia Portugal Italy Ireland * Iceland ** SOUTH AMERICA: BRAZIL Colombia Uruguay Chile AFRICA: DR Congo * Nigeria Ivory Coast Burkina Faso ** Egypt * CONCACAF: Mexico Costa Rica Panama ** ASIA: Iran South Korea Japan Saudi Arabia * INTERCONTINENTAL PLAYOFFS: Argentina United States * = team didn't qualify for 2014 World Cup ** = potential debutants 2014 qualifiers currently not in a qualifying position: Algeria Australia Bosnia-Herzegovina Cameroon Ecuador Ghana Greece Honduras Netherlands
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frag
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Post by frag on Mar 30, 2017 18:19:13 GMT 1
So by my count, there are 105 teams left? Only eleven eliminations (and two additions!) in the past 12 months.
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frag
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*Paranoid Android*
I have no idea what you're talking about, so here's a bunny with a pancake on its head.
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Post by frag on Mar 30, 2017 18:20:35 GMT 1
104 according to Wikipedia - Bolivia also can't make it, because of the remaining fixtures.
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Post by Panda on Mar 30, 2017 22:02:29 GMT 1
Meanwhile, FIFA has unveiled its intended allocation for the 48-team 2026 World Cup:
Europe: 16 (up from 13)
South America: 6 (up from 4.5)
Africa: 9 (up from 5)
Asia: 8 (up from 4.5)
CONCACAF: 6 (up from 3.5)
Oceania: 1 (up from 0.5)
The place given to the hosts would be included in their confederation's allocation. The final part of FIFA's plan is a 6-team playoff tournament to decide the last 2 qualifiers, featuring one team from South America, Africa, Asia, CONCACAF and Oceania, plus one from the host's confederation. It will be played as a knockout, with the top 2 ranked teams getting a bye to the final round.
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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: 25,137
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Post by frag on Mar 30, 2017 23:05:27 GMT 1
Top 48 of the FIFA rankings, for comparison:
Africa: 9 (plus 49 and 50! 9th-ranked is 47) CONCACAF: 3 (6th-ranked is 69) CONMEBOL: 8 (6th-ranked is 18) OFC: 0 (top ranked is 112) AFC: 2 (8th-ranked is 84) UEFA: 26 (16th-ranked is 26)
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