Euro qualifying thread

[Real ale Madrid]

You don't know much about football outside of the pale, do you? .

Assuming you can see my avatar, I can only assume that is blatant attempt at winding me up!!



The Faroes will be targeting this game against NI, that's their raison d'etre in international football. .
Ah come on now - the "raison d'etre" can't be to rub shoulders with the likes of Chris Brunt and Corry Evans.

Think the Faroes are a great success story but they only beat the weakest teams normally - Greece are in freefall - NI are flying and haven't lost in the campaign yet.

[DeLorean]

Northern Ireland lost 2-0 in Romania... and that Uruguay win against Brazil was in 1950. :)

[Real ale Madrid]

Northern Ireland lost 2-0 in Romania

Yes - and they won in Athens and Budapest.

[DeLorean]

So they did - but you said they "haven't lost in the campaign yet". I was just pointing out that they have.

[Real ale Madrid]

So they did - but you said they "haven't lost in the campaign yet". I was just pointing out that they have.

Ah ok - yes, sorry missed that, my mistake - thought you were referring to their away record - I was lost in cloud of hyperbole via the 1950 reference !

[DeLorean]

That bit was for the Iceland fella :)

[pineapple stu]

Holland down to 10 men at home against Iceland and the Czechs 1-0 down at home to Kazakhstan!

Have the Icelandics got some sort of voodoo doll they're using?

[Real ale Madrid]

Iceland 1-0 up now - 8 pts ahead of Dutch as things stand

Edit - should note that the Dutch go 4th in that group if Turkey can find a way past Latvia (still 0-0) , Netherlands visit Turkey next.

[Real ale Madrid]

Wales 1-0 and nearly home and dry.

Czechs now 2-1 up, Turkey 1-0 up also and the Dutch are staring into the abyss!

[pineapple stu]

Turkey concede an equaliser.

Italy scraping to a 1-0 win over Malta

[pineapple stu]

Results now. Iceland just one result away from mathematical qualification

[Real ale Madrid]

Vital Latvian goal that one for Holland.

Wales have scored just 9 goals in 7 games to top group B.

[pineapple stu]

And Bale has six of those goals

[geysir]

Despite a plucky effort by the Dutch, the Icelanders prevailed to complete home and away wins that silenced the pop singing at the Amsterdam arena and left the 3,000 strong Iceland fans in full celebratory voice.
Robben went off injured after 25 minutes, i was glad to see him go, after 2 over dramatic dives simulating being fouled, i feared for the wings on the football angels (e.g. Bobby Moore) in football heaven. Robben is a rascal. Without Robben the Dutch had nothing of substance to trouble Iceland except for a few forays by the youngster called Memphis (no Tennessee)
Then the dutch had a defender sent off, a straight red for offering a karate chop to the neck of a prostrate Icelander, an absolutely stupid action, followed up by awful defending in giving away an uneccessary but stonewall penalty. Despite the most nervous penalty ever taken by ace player Gylfi, the ball was hit with enough force to just about get past the outstretched hand of the goalie
After that, Iceland controlled the game, Holland had a few efforts on target but nothing too much for the goalie who the dutch managed to make look competent.
Surreal stuff indeed to hear the Iceland fans chant ole as the team strung the possession passes together, instead of backs to the wall defending.
Qualification is a done deal now, all that is needed to seal it is one point from 3 games. The home game against Kazakhstan on Sunday is already a sell out.

[KK77]

Some campaign for Wales. Bale is a great player but a real great pro as well. I can see why Madrid won't let him go. He's the future. In saying all that there is so much more to Wales. Williams at the back is a super player imo.

[pineapple stu]

In saying all that there is so much more to Wales.
Yep. Hard to Bale to take too much credit for two goals conceded in seven games.

[geysir]

A ******** at the irish Times put up this account on their website,
Iceland moved a step closer to clinching a berth at Euro 2016 after a controversial penalty from Gylfi Sigurdsson secured a shock 1-0 victory over 10-man Netherlands in Amsterdam. The referee awarded the spot kick in the 51st minute even though Gregory van der Wiel seemed to win the ball in a challenge with Birkir Bjarnason.
Sigurdsson squeezed the penalty under goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen to take Iceland to the brink of their first major championship finals.

Controversial me árse, it was a stonewall penalty after some pub joke brainless defending by Van der Wiel and the penalty shot was not under the goalie, it was (as they say) hit at a perfect height for the goalie to save, it goes down an a goalkeeping error once he went the right way.
I'm fed up with these lies upon lies:)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGnI-s4Ec44&feature=youtu.be

[nigel-harps1954]

Horrible bit of goalkeeping from Cilessen. Perfect height for him and not a great penalty from Sigurdsson. Should really have saved that. Definitely a stonewall penalty too.

[pineapple stu]

The North 1-0 up in the Faroes.

Linfield fans must know the place blindfold by this stage.

[centre mid]

1-1 up in the Faroe Island now

[geysir]

I thought the Faroes were looking good for at least a draw, they were in control but had a player sent off for an act of stupidity on the hour mark, then the air just fizzled out of their hopes. There was a good crowd and atmosphere.

[pineapple stu]

Wayne Rooney equals Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record with an early penalty against San Marino.

You'd imagine he'll go on to break it as well.

If only we had a forward capable of scoring 50 international goals :)

[pineapple stu]

2-0 England; an own goal.

Apparently the 49th own goal scored "for" England - so it also draws level at the top of the goalscoring charts.

[geysir]

Slovenia had 2nd place wrapped up with an excellent first 60 minutes, but somehow contrived to let the Swiss claw their way back into the game and grab the winner in added time after a bad mistake followed by a fortunate deflection into the path of a swiss player. Not all is lost for Katanec's Slovenia, if they manage to finish on the same points as the Swiss, their head to head is better.
Overall the slovenian legend (as a player) Katanec, has a remarkable record since he took over Sovenia about 18 months ago when they were on the ropes.

[Real ale Madrid]

That's England through so - 1st team to secure qualification.

[DeLorean]

2-0 England; an own goal.

Apparently the 49th own goal scored "for" England - so it also draws level at the top of the goalscoring charts.

It's safe to say 'Own Goal' will have the last laugh.

[DeLorean]

Horrible bit of goalkeeping from Cilessen. Perfect height for him and not a great penalty from Sigurdsson. Should really have saved that.

There was a pretty good reason Van Gaal replaced him with Krul at the end of the World Cup q/final with Costa Rica I guess. I'd say he still regrets having used all his substitutions in the semi. There was some mad stat about Cilessen and penalties at the time, it couldn't have been that he's never saved one, could it?

[geysir]

There was a pretty good reason Van Gaal replaced him with Krul at the end of the World Cup q/final with Costa Rica I guess. I'd say he still regrets having used all his substitutions in the semi. There was some mad stat about Cilessen and penalties at the time, it couldn't have been that he's never saved one, could it?
It's an absolutely true stat and not a mad by being just a nearly true stat :)
However, he dived the correct way which could possibly make him 70% better than our Shay.

What undone the Netherlands was that they are slavishly playing the game the Ajax way, they were so slow in the build up that even Eidur had time to leisurly stroll (express speed for him) into taking up a defensive position outside the box.
Blind started out with 4 defenders against Iceland's lone striker and then replaced his own striker when one of his defenders was sent off.
Once Robben went off after 25 minutes their chances of winning the game diminished.
And when the game had to be won, Holland never give it a lash, throw caution to the wind, i.e. if bringing on Van Persie could be called throwing caution to the wind.

[DeLorean]

Sounds a bit like the way Manchester United are playing at the moment, and Van Gaal's Netherlands were like that for a lot of the World Cup also, well after the group stage anyway.

Just found this (http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jasper-cillessen/elfmeterstatistik/spieler/146227#subnavi) in relation to Cillessen's penalty record. He has actually broken his duck this season with a save in the Europa League. Unfortunately the stats don't include shoot-outs so they could be far worse if he was involved in a couple at club level, which I think he may have been. I read somewhere that Krul had only saved two out of his last twenty before the WC also.

[geysir]

It was a sight to see the Dutch management team hordes and assorted extras at the game, all kitted out in same suits, sitting in neat rows, just as if they were members of the old soviet politburo at a Moscow parade, motionless, miserable, stiff necked and humourless.
Netherlands are away to Turkey this afternoon, in an attempt to salvage a play-off spot.
Turkey are a point behind, their style of play doesn't suit the Dutch, if their goalie manages to control his jitters, they might pull ahead and consign Netherlands to suffer the ignominy of 4th place.

remaining games for the play off hopefuls
Czech Rep v Turkey
Turkey v Iceland

Kaz v Netherlands
Netherlands v Czech Rep

[DeLorean]

Bad to worse for the Netherlands, losing 2-0 in Turkey while the Czechs lead by the same score in Latvia. I'd nearly take them in a playoffs at this rate!

Israel ultra defensive and holding Wales at half time in Cardiff. Nothing one big moment from Bale won't fix!

[osarusan]

Hazard's late winner means Wales have to wait a little longer.

Congrats to Iceland and Czechs who qualify despite Iceland only drawing at home to Kazakhstan.

[Real ale Madrid]

Turkey need to beat 2 already qualified teams in Iceland and Czech Republic to knock out the Dutch.
Wales are as good as there, despite a late Belgium Goal.
Amazing Result and turnaround in Group H with Norway beating Croatia 2-0 after getting a 5-1 drubbing from them last March. Norway now 2nd, Croatia 3rd.

Some tough teams going to be in these playoffs - Turkey/Netherlands - Norway/Croatia - Russia/Sweden - Ukraine - Bosnia could yet scrape in.

[geysir]

Turkey need to beat 2 already qualified teams in Iceland and Czech Republic to knock out the Dutch.
Wales are as good as there, despite a late Belgium Goal.
Amazing Result and turnaround in Group H with Norway beating Croatia 2-0 after getting a 5-1 drubbing from them last March. Norway now 2nd, Croatia 3rd.

Some tough teams going to be in these playoffs - Turkey/Netherlands - Norway/Croatia - Russia/Sweden - Ukraine - Bosnia could yet scrape in.
I think that scoreline Croatia 5 Norway 1 in March was an anomaly, rather than it was a huge surprise that Norway turned it around so emphatically at home. Somehow Norway managed to retire Drillo at the end of the last qual campaign. It was easier to get rid of Rasputin than it was Drillo, the coach from last century. They have a very good coach now and a vibrant young team.

The game in Reykjavik wasn't that much of a football spectacle but rather it was an event which had rhythm. Iceland could have lost it and still would have been 1/10000 to finish in the top 2. But the party was scheduled, the nation awaited and the team didn't Welsh out on their side of the deal. They wanted to party as well and it all took off in the town square between the players and the fans after the game.
For Lagerback this is the icing on his cake, to bring this team through the front door, top of the group to a Finals and even surpassing the targets which he set out in first press conference. He has proved himself to be one of the most outstanding and astute coaches in the game today. More importantly he is a gentleman and a coach.

[Real ale Madrid]

Massive late goal for Northern Ireland down to 10 men against Hungary. 1-1 Draw.

[Real ale Madrid]

And a late goal for Portugal is well in Albania to reverse the result in Lisbon. Albania still a point behind Denmark with a game in hand.

[geysir]

Sweden v Austria so far has the makings of an interesting game this evening, early penalty converted to put Austria one up.

[Real ale Madrid]

Congratulations to Northern Ireland on qualification. Delighted for Michael O' Neill.

[osarusan]

Seconded. I don't share the hate for them and it's an incredible achievement regardless of the quality of their group.

[Gather round]

Seconded. I don't share the hate for them and it's an incredible achievement regardless of the quality of their group

Thanks all ;)

Would be funny as fcuk if three teams qualified from our group, what?

[Wolfman]

Would be funny as fcuk if three teams qualified from our group, what?

Why? ??

[culloty82]

Probably GR getting in a dig at people dismissing NI for qualifying from a "soft group", given he knows Hungary are almost uncatchable as best thirds.

[Wolfman]

But it was/is.

[OwlsFan]

But it was/is.

It might have been but would we have won in Hungary or Greece? I honestly doubt it.

[ArdeeBhoy]

You mean like when the North took 4 points from the World Champions?

Hmm.

[Gather round]

Probably GR getting in a dig at people dismissing NI for qualifying from a "soft group", given he knows Hungary are almost uncatchable as best thirds

No, the reverse. I recognise that Hungary have the poorest record of all the play-off teams, so for them to escape that stage entirely would have been odd.

Four points from Germany? Good, sure, but six is the test of greatness.

[pineapple stu]

Sure 4 is the most the North have managed against Germany too. :)