2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championships

[Kingdom]

One thing I just don't understand. Kenny said he didn't call up Obafemi because he couldn't play the lone striker role and he hadn't enough experience of playing right side of a three man forward line. So then we go and pick him as the 9 for the 21s, so he still doesn't get the experience on the right? I'm far from convinced that Obafemi is the top level player some think he is, but regardless that selection at 9 made no sense at all. He needed to play on the right with one of Ronan and Smallbone at 10 and the other not starting.

I don't see it myself. He had one real quality moment, at the beginning of the second half where the ball was fed into feet, he held it up, shimmied and distributed wide on our right. Lovely, but what you'd expect minimum from someone who has been expected to play for the seniors.
That was all I saw - but I didn't see the first 10 mins.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Yeah the senior team should be the U21 B team, good plan.

(I know the Obafemi comment was a joke btw, but definitely seem to be a call to prioritise the U21 over the Senior team and i don't get it).
Not prioritising it at all, it's one specific circumstance for long-term benefit. If we beat Iceland, the players will get a full tournament in the summer. Sitting on the bench against Wales and Bulgaria next month in likely pointless Nations League games won't be much benefit to Parrott and Idah. At least one of them will be sat.

You do realise Italy had Tonali and Cutrone play yesterday even though they're senior players, purely because of how important the game was?

[Exgrad]

Idah has been anything but sitting on the bench he's started both games he's been available for! Ditto Connolly and Molumby, and likely Parrott if he starts playing for Millwall. Lets see who else gets a game tonight. And yes, it is more beneficial for these players to be in the senior set up (and playing!!) than playing an underage football tournament.

I actually don't think the two you mentioned are certainties for the Italy senior squad just yet. If it was so important why wasn't Mosie Kean there?

[geysir]

They should really consider letting them play for the U21s next window. We're so close to qualifying for the first time ever and the experience for the lads at a proper summer finals tournament could be invaluable.

I would play our absolute best hand in the Iceland game.

Don't tell me you're scared of not beating little Iceland. What happenend to the ol' standby bluster "we should be beating this lot"?

[ColourfulPeanut]

Don't tell me you're scared of not beating little Iceland. What happenend to the ol' standby bluster "we should be beating this lot"?
Seeing as we've already lost to them, I would be pretty worried about that match.

[Eirambler]

Don't tell me you're scared of not beating little Iceland. What happenend to the ol' standby bluster "we should be beating this lot"?

It bit the dust when we lost all of our best players to the senior squad.

[geysir]

Seeing as we've already lost to them, I would be pretty worried about that match.
I'm just teasing you.
I don't think Kenny will release those 4 players because they're more than just squad members filling out the senior squad quota.

[samhaydenjr]

OK, so Poland could only manage a draw against Bulgaria so I think I've figured out that if we win our last two games (and don't put a cricket score up against Iceland), we need at least one of the following results, in order of likelihood:
- Romania fail to beat Denmark at home
- Belgium fail to win in Bosnia
- Germany lose at home to Wales
- Portugal collapse and pick up fewer than four points at home to Holland, Belarus and Cyprus

We can still top the group if Italy were to draw against Iceland and fail to beat Sweden - could happen, as they could be down to their U16s in a month

[geysir]

If the Iceland Italy cannot be rescheduled for any reason, then Italy forfeit the game. The only possible date open is Nov 9th, that would result in 3 games for both teams between Nov 9th - 17th. Seeing as the current green list of countries is blank, an enforced rescheduling ain't a simple task. Possibly the game could be played in Ireland on 9th Nov.

[Eirambler]

OK, so Poland could only manage a draw against Bulgaria so I think I've figured out that if we win our last two games (and don't put a cricket score up against Iceland), we need at least one of the following results, in order of likelihood:
- Romania fail to beat Denmark at home
- Belgium fail to win in Bosnia
- Germany lose at home to Wales
- Portugal collapse and pick up fewer than four points at home to Holland, Belarus and Cyprus

We can still top the group if Italy were to draw against Iceland and fail to beat Sweden - could happen, as they could be down to their U16s in a month

Are you sure about this - had a look at the group's there and it reads to me as though two wins definitely qualifies us, any dropped points though and we are probably gone.

Top 5 second place teams qualify - two wins leave us on 16 points in the second place table.

Group 2: France just need another win or 2 draws to finish ahead of us and they still have to play Liechtenstein, so they will beat us.

Group 3: Austria finish with two winnable games, but that would only get them to 15 points, so we would be ahead of them.

Group 4: This is quite an open group - Scotland and Croatia could both get 16 or more points, but only by winning the group. Because they play each other at least one will have to drop points, so second place can't get more than 15 points. In other words, if we win our two games we beat this group.

Group 5: Poland should win their last game v Latvia but this would only get them to 14. Two wins for us beats this group.

Group 6: North Macedonia look most likely to finish second here. Could also be Israel, but neither looks like earning enough points to qualify.

Group 7: it looks like Portugal will be out of reach for us in this group.

Group 8: A home win for Romania against already qualified Denmark should keep them ahead of us. Any slip up means we could finish ahead of them.

Group 9: Belgium need to win in Bosnia to get to 16 so this group is still in play.

We only need to finish ahead of four second placed teams to qualify. If we win the two games I reckon that definitely puts us ahead of Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 meaning that we would qualify without needing any favours. Of course if we slip up in either game we can probably forget it barring a miracle sequence of results, but it does at least seem to be completely in our own hands at this stage.

[geysir]

Group 2 is not a forgone conclusion


edit -- On closer look it is a lost cause .

[geysir]

There is another scenario - the rest of the games cannot effectively be played out in the november window.
According to Uefa
Iceland are awarded the game v Italy because Italy were the cause of the postponment
The rest of the games are decided by the ancient civilisation method of "drawing lots", because no team is at fault.

[samhaydenjr]

Are you sure about this - had a look at the group's there and it reads to me as though two wins definitely qualifies us, any dropped points though and we are probably gone.

Top 5 second place teams qualify - two wins leave us on 16 points in the second place table.

Group 2: France just need another win or 2 draws to finish ahead of us and they still have to play Liechtenstein, so they will beat us.

Group 3: Austria finish with two winnable games, but that would only get them to 15 points, so we would be ahead of them.

Group 4: This is quite an open group - Scotland and Croatia could both get 16 or more points, but only by winning the group. Because they play each other at least one will have to drop points, so second place can't get more than 15 points. In other words, if we win our two games we beat this group.

Group 5: Poland should win their last game v Latvia but this would only get them to 14. Two wins for us beats this group.

Group 6: North Macedonia look most likely to finish second here. Could also be Israel, but neither looks like earning enough points to qualify.

Group 7: it looks like Portugal will be out of reach for us in this group.

Group 8: A home win for Romania against already qualified Denmark should keep them ahead of us. Any slip up means we could finish ahead of them.

Group 9: Belgium need to win in Bosnia to get to 16 so this group is still in play.

We only need to finish ahead of four second placed teams to qualify. If we win the two games I reckon that definitely puts us ahead of Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 meaning that we would qualify without needing any favours. Of course if we slip up in either game we can probably forget it barring a miracle sequence of results, but it does at least seem to be completely in our own hands at this stage.

Crikey, you're absolutely right and I'm sorry for putting you to so much work - I first thought that in Group 4 we needed Scotland to fail to beat with Croatia to prevent them beating our total, and then I thought a win for Croatia might put them, in a position to pip us and that we would require a draw between the two of them, only to then realize that a Croatia win would likely lead to them topping group 4, with the Czechs coming second and unable to match 16 points in the second-place table. And after about ten minutes I finally came to the conclusion that no scenario would leave the Group 4 runners up with 16 or more points,

At that point I started to write triumphantly that winning our two remaining games would guarantee qualification, only to second-guess myself and get some thought into my head that with Portugal likely overtaking us in the table, we would still need to get ahead of another team apart from Poland. As you noted we only need to pass one team, and two wins would guarantee that we finish above the Poles.

It was late. I was tired (coffee crash probably)

[geysir]

The Iceland v Italy postponed game is rescheduled to Nov 12th. same venue. GUBU.

[tetsujin1979]

The Iceland v Italy postponed game is rescheduled to Nov 12th. same venue. GUBU.

GUBU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GUBU) ?

[ColourfulPeanut]

We really need Italy to get a result there. If they win, then we would potentially only need a point against Iceland rather than making it a must win.

[Eirambler]

I think only getting a point would probably leave us as one of the lower ranked runners up though, so we'd be unlikely to qualify without two wins. I think it's just a case of winning the two winnable games for us. Similar to what we were saying before the senior game against Slovakia, if we can't beat Iceland at home, bearing in mind that they lost 5-0 in Sweden, we don't deserve to qualify anyway.

[geysir]

GUBU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GUBU) ?

Not quite, just -- grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre, unpredictable.

It's possible in a month of sundays to have playable weather in mid november but that's already happened in mid nov 2013 WC play off v Croatia.


The late October 2008 euro play off v Ireland women is still remembered here as "klakid leik" the frozen ground game. And not just frozen but cut up frozen ground, aided and abetted by the groundsman in not his finest hour, who decided to water the grass pitch in the hours preceding the game. The temp dropped like an anchor just before the game started.
It's a big swing in advantage to Ireland now, the chances for Iceland to get the results needed inside 8 days, traveling under quarantine restrictions across the length of Europe via Dublin to Armenia , would also be in GUBU territory.

[elatedscum]

Squad announced:

Smallbone injured. McGuinness gets his first call up. Connell included too. Parrott, Obafemi with the 21s as expected. Good enough squad I think. Haven’t checked if Farrugia is injured or dropped...

Bazunu
McGinty

L O’Connor
McNamara

Masterson
Collins
Scales
McGuinness

T O’Connor
Leahy

Coventry
Connell

Knight
Taylor

Ronan
Mandriou

Elbouzedi
Scully

Grant
Ferry

Parrott
Obafemi
Afolabi
Kayode

[tetsujin1979]

1324675451562958849

[tetsujin1979]

Joe Hodge on standby according to this interview with Crawford: https://www.the42.ie/jim-crawford-on-jason-knight-5257921-Nov2020/

Joe Hodge is on standby. Joe Hodge is an extremely talented player. I’ve been talking to his dad a number of times before the FA Cup Youth final and what have you. Joe was with us in September up in Belfast and he is a hell of a talent

[Charlie Darwin]

Squad announced:

Smallbone injured. McGuinness gets his first call up. Connell included too. Parrott, Obafemi with the 21s as expected. Good enough squad I think. Haven’t checked if Farrugia is injured or dropped...

Bazunu
McGinty

L O’Connor
McNamara

Masterson
Collins
Scales
McGuinness

T O’Connor
Leahy

Coventry
Connell

Knight
Taylor

Ronan
Mandriou

Elbouzedi
Scully

Grant
Ferry

Parrott
Obafemi
Afolabi
Kayode
Farugia is injured, yeah, missed the last few games for Rovers.

[Fixer82]

Farugia is injured, yeah, missed the last few games for Rovers.

Is this the first time Irish surnames were in the minority in an Irish squad?
Sign of the times.
Not bemoaning the fact of course. Just an observation.

[tetsujin1979]

Depends on what you count as an Irish surname

[Fixer82]

Depends on what you count as an Irish surname

As in an Irish Gaelic surname.
I count 10. I wouldn’t count Parrott as an Irish surname. Nothing to do with the individuals involved.

I understand that post could be seen in the wrong light, which is why I said I wasn’t bemoaning the fact. It is a sign of progress and multiculturalism. And also a sign that the world is getting smaller.

[pineapple stu]

I don't think it's multiculturalism btw. If everywhere becomes the same - which is kind of what you're saying in the latter sentence - that's monoculturalism, not multiculturalism.

[Fixer82]

I don't think it's multiculturalism btw. If everywhere becomes the same - which is kind of what you're saying in the latter sentence - that's monoculturalism, not multiculturalism.

Well that's going deep into it I guess. But I know what you mean I think. Multiculturalism eventually becomes monoculturalism.

Anyway, I don't care as long as they win and it feeds into us getting into major tournaments!!!

[pineapple stu]

Well that's going deep into it I guess. But I know what you mean I think. Multiculturalism eventually becomes monoculturalism.
Pretty much.

If you read Patrick Leigh-Fermor's books on his walk from Holland to Constantinople in 1933-35, what jumps out is the huge diversity everywhere he went - each country had different names, costumes, cultures, traditions, foods, and so on. In 1969, the head of NASA was actually wary that the new EEC might "destroy the vast diversity that is Europe's gift to the world" And now today, so much of Europe is the exact same - yet we somehow think that we're being more diverse when in fact the exact opposite is the case.

I think it's sad in a way. And it leads to greater social inequality too when you can import so much cheap labour, or take poorer countries' top people from then. Too much of the world thinks that it's only way forward is to escape to Europe or the US on a raft and pick fruit, but that's partly because so much wealth is being accumulated there when it could be so much better distributed.

But you know - so long as we win a football match, then...

Anyways, a different thread for sure! :)

[Exgrad]

If only we could go back to 1930s Europe, such a great time to be alive. Especially that stretch of Europe from Holland to Turkey. Good times.

Anyway, back on topic, Afolabi came off injured in his last game for Dundee, wonder will he be fit enough to start?

[nigel-harps1954]

If only we could go back to 1930s Europe, such a great time to be alive. Especially that stretch of Europe from Holland to Turkey. Good times.

Anyway, back on topic, Afolabi came off injured in his last game for Dundee, wonder will he be fit enough to start?

Afolabi has been ruled out. Ryan Cassidy called up as replacement.

[geysir]

Armenia's 2 home games V Sweden and Iceland have been cancelled. There was a plan to play them in Cyprus but I see that has been dropped.

[tetsujin1979]

Iceland's rearranged qualifier against Italy is kicking off at 1:15.
You can follow live updates for the game here
https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2026690--iceland-vs-italy/

[zero]

Iceland's rearranged qualifier against Italy is kicking off at 1:15.
You can follow live updates for the game here
https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2026690--iceland-vs-italy/

Iceland have just equalised, 1-1 now. We will need to beat Iceland regardless of the result today but if it ends with a home win it would mean we could potentially top the group with 2 wins. edit: the same applies with a draw actually...

30 mins to play.

[swinfordfc]

Iceland have just equalised, 1-1 now. We will need to beat Iceland regardless of the result today but if it ends with a home win it would mean we could potentially top the group with 2 wins. edit: the same applies with a draw actually...

30 mins to play.

If it was a draw with Iceland and thus finish joint top with Iceland - wouldn't they top the group as they have the better head to head record?

[tetsujin1979]

A draw is probably the best result for us. A win for Italy would probably put them out of reach, considering they're playing Luxembourg on Sunday

[Closed Account]

Goal Italy
All over.

What's the story with Armenias cancelled games, do Iceland/Sweden automatically get 3 pts?

[geysir]

Looked like it was heading for a draw but for a deflection assisted winner late in the game.

[geysir]

Goal Italy
All over.

What's the story with Armenias cancelled games, do Iceland/Sweden automatically get 3 pts?

I don't think it's automatic, probably it will have to go before a committee and they decide according to the competition format rules. As there's no window to reschedule, Armenia probably will have to default both games 1 nil.

[Closed Account]

Goal Italy
All over.

What's the story with Armenias cancelled games, do Iceland/Sweden automatically get 3 pts?
If Armenia are disqualified, hard to tell if that's what will happen, but lets say they are. Then league table looks like:


1. Italy
6
4
1
1
12-4
8
13


2. Sweden
7
4
0
3
17-8
9
12


3. Iceland
7
4
0
2
8-10
-2
12


4. Ireland
6
3
1
2
10-5
5
10


5. Luxembourg
6
0
0
6
0-20
-20
0



If we give Ireland and Italy presumptive 3-0 victories over Luxembourg (if we don't/can't beat luxembourg, then forget about it)
The 1-0 victories against Armenia being discounted will work in our favour to increase our GD


1. Italy
7
5
1
1
15-4
11
16


2. Ireland
7
4
1
2
13-5
8
13


3. Sweden
7
4
0
3
17-8
9
12


4. Iceland
7
4
0
2
8-10
-2
12


5. Luxembourg
8
0
0
8
0-20
-20
0



A win against Iceland and a healthy score against Luxembourg should get us through.

A draw against Iceland probably wouldn't be enough to be one of the best 2nd place teams assuming Italy get a result against Sweden.
We'd have 14pts and have goal difference of 5 (plus whatever we beat luxembourg by)
France and probably Portugal will have more than 14pts
We should be looking for Austria (v Turkey 13th), Belgium(v Bosnia 17th), Romania(v Denmark 17th) and Croatia(v Lithuania 17th) to draw or worse.
Hopefully we can catch Polands goal difference.
An Israel win against North Macedonia or a draw would help there.



Grp
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification


2
France
7
6
0
1
19
9
10
18
Final tournament


5
Poland
8
4
2
2
15
7
8
14



9
Belgium
7
4
1
2
16
6
10
13
v Bosnia 17th


8
Romania
7
4
1
2
14
5
9
13
v Denmark 17th


4
Croatia
7
4
1
2
11
5
6
13
v Lithuania 17th


7
Portugal
5
4
0
1
15
7
8
12
Belarus, Cyprus, Netherlands


3
Austria
7
4
0
3
15
12
3
12
v Turkey 13th


1
Republic of Ireland
6
3
1
2
10
5
5
10



6
North Macedonia
6
2
2
2
8
8
0
8
v Israel today

[tetsujin1979]

Where did you get that table?
According to the table on wikipedia, we're on 13 points, and fifth in the rankings of second placed sides - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Ranking_of_second-placed_teams


Pos
Grp
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification


1
2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_2)
France (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_national_under-21_football_team)
7
6
0
1
19
9
+10
18
Final tournament (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship)


2
5 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_5)
Poland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_national_under-21_football_team)
8
4
2
2
15
7
+8
14


3
9 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_9)
Belgium (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium_national_under-21_football_team)
7
4
1
2
16
6
+10
13


4
8 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_8)
Romania (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania_national_under-21_football_team)
7
4
1
2
14
5
+9
13


5
1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_1)
Republic of Ireland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland_national_under-21_football_team)
7
4
1
2
9
5
+4
13


6
7 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_7)
Portugal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal_national_under-21_football_team)
5
4
0
1
15
7
+8
12




7
3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_3)
Austria (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria_national_under-21_football_team)
7
4
0
3
15
12
+3
12


8
4 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_4)
Scotland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_national_under-21_football_team)
6
3
2
1
5
2
+3
11


9
6 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification#Group_6)
North Macedonia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Macedonia_national_under-21_football_team)
6
2
2
2
8
8
0
8



France, or Switzerland if they finish second, should top the table, probably with 19 points.
Let's say Portugal get two wins and a draw from their final three fixtures giving them 19 points
Belgium are away to Bosnia on Tuesday, let's say they win and finish with 16 points
If we beat Iceland, we'll finish with 16 points points, since the result against Luxembourg will be discarded
Austria face second bottom Turkey tomorrow, a win puts them on 15 points - they're playing bottom side Andorra on Tuesday
Romania are facing already qualified Denmark on Tuesday at home, a draw and they finish with 14 points, a win would put them ahead of us on 16 points, but with a superior goal difference
Poland can't earn any more than the 14 points they already have - their final fixture is with bottom of their group Latvia - and could slip out of the top five
Scotland should get at least four points in their final two fixtures, leaving them with fifteen - two wins put them on seventeen
If North Macedonia win both games, they'll have 14 points, so can't overtake us

So we need to hope for Scotland to not win one of their last two games - home to Croatia, who they beat in Croatia, and away to Greece who beat them in Edinburgh
OR
hope Romania don't beat Denmark on Tuesday

[Closed Account]

Where did you get that table?
I started with "If Armenia are disqualified".
And then worked it out based on that.

At the time, Scotland were 2-0 down at home to croatia putting them in 3rd place. That situation has changed and they are now top of the group, moving Czechia into 2nd with 12pts (+2 GD) discounting results San Marino.

[tetsujin1979]

I think we'll be ok with a win on Sunday so. Portugal should take one of the top five positions with their final fixtures, Poland will probably slip out, and we'll be in the middle somewhere.
It remains to be seen what happens with the Armenian fixtures.
In Group 7, Norway have also had their final fixtures cancelled - https://www.fotball.no/landslag/norge-menn-u-21/2020/aldersbestemte-landslagssamlinger-avlyst/


As a result of the government's updated austerity measures, all of Norway's age-specific national team gatherings will be postponed in November. J15, G15, J16, G16, J17 and J19 all had planned gatherings, in addition to the U21 national team.
- The infection situation in both Norway and the rest of Europe has worsened recently, and we have taken into account the government's advice to limit travel. We want to take our share of responsibility and thus postpone all measures for age-specific national teams, since these require extensive travel. In addition, a number of other meetings and events are postponed, says Secretary General Pål Bjerketvedt.
This includes the U21 national team's match away against Gibraltar next Friday.
- We consider it an increased health risk to travel to Gibraltar now, and can not put ourselves in a situation that can increase the risk that we can not complete our top leagues, Bjerketvedt says.

And Gibraltar's final fixture against Cyprus is also cancelled: https://www.cfa.com.cy/Gr/news/40717

The match of our National Team of Hope in Gibraltar on November 18 will not take place.
Following a previous UEFA decision to cancel the match Gibraltar - Norway (November 13), it canceled two other matches concerning the seventh group of the qualifying phase of the European U21 Championship.
Specifically, the matches Gibraltar - Cyprus and Norway - Belarus, which were scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, were canceled.
The cancellation of the matches was done because the results of the above matches in case the teams followed the program normally, would not differ anything in the group score in terms of qualifying places.
In this way, the players are certainly more protected by their movements in the difficult conditions that prevail.
It is noted that we had cancellations of matches at the level of Hope in other groups of the qualifying phase.
Our away match in Portugal, which is claiming the qualification together with the Netherlands, will normally take place next Sunday, November 15th.

[geysir]

If Armenia are disqualified, hard to tell if that's what will happen, but lets say they are. Then league table looks like:


On what grounds are you assuming Armenia could be disqualified? in the event that they finish bottom?

It's a 99.5% certainity that Armenia lose both games 1 nil and most probably Luxembourg will finish last.

[Closed Account]

On what grounds are you assuming Armenia could be disqualified? in the event that they finish bottom?

It's a 99.5% certainity that Armenia lose both games 1 nil and most probably Luxembourg will finish last.
Fair enough. Ignore.

[Razors left peg]

Lads am I right in saying that the Iceland match isnt being shown anywhere on Irish TV? When Galway United are capable of streaming live games on YouTube( in great quality) then it is ridiculous that the FAI cant manage something similar

[geysir]

Fair enough. Ignore.
It's not over until the fat lady sings,
I see the group table (https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2026690--iceland-vs-italy/standings/?iv=true) reads a bit wierd on the UEFA website. Armenia are down to have played 10, but Sweden and Iceland have not been given the 3 points.

[Closed Account]

It's not over until the fat lady sings,
I see the group table (https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2026690--iceland-vs-italy/standings/?iv=true) reads a bit wierd on the UEFA website. Armenia are down to have played 10, but Sweden and Iceland have not been given the 3 points.
But you were right, no reason to disqualify Armenia, making the rest of my points moot.
North Macedonia have equalised, good for us.

[tetsujin1979]

Lads am I right in saying that the Iceland match isnt being shown anywhere on Irish TV? When Galway United are capable of streaming live games on YouTube( in great quality) then it is ridiculous that the FAI cant manage something similar

no, its on eir sport - https://www.eirsport.ie/eir/tvguidesinfo/2254508

[elatedscum]

Lads am I right in saying that the Iceland match isnt being shown anywhere on Irish TV? When Galway United are capable of streaming live games on YouTube( in great quality) then it is ridiculous that the FAI cant manage something similar

All the home games are shown by Eir. Strange that Eir won’t buy the rights off the away nations for their feed.

[samhaydenjr]

The debate about whether we need other results need to go our way to qualify appears to have picked up again, so I want to reiterate what Eirambler pointed out to me a couple of pages ago when I thought progress wasn't completely in our hands: two wins will do it - we will be ahead of Poland in the second place table and we're already ahead of Scotland's, Czechia's and Croatia's current totals against non-last place teams, all with one such game available to pick up points in