pineapple stu
05/09/2005, 7:13 PM
Always a fascination of mine, for some reason. There's never been a World Cup without at least one team making their debut, and there's usually more than that. Already have on for 2006 - Ukraine. Africa could almost provide only debutantes though! With one game left in the groups, Togo have to beat Congo to qualify, Ghana need only a draw against the Cape Verde Islands and Angola have a small chance of ousting Nigeria (currently level on points, but they're playing Rwanda while Nigeria play Zimbabwe). The backwards Irish flag - Ivory Coast - lost out in the final minutes to Cameroon after Drogba equalised twice and they now look like missing out, although they play Sudan while Cameroon have a tough tie against Egypt.
Guatemala are currently fourth in CONCACAF, level on points with Trinidad an Tobago; T&T won 3-2 during the week after two late goals from Stern John. The fourth-placed team will play either Uzbekistan or Bahrain (1-0 at the moment with the second leg to come), so another new team guaranteed there. Venezuela's chances of qualifying - the only South American team never to qualify (outside of Guyana et al, who are in CONCACAF) are slim at this stage. And the Solomon Islands are still in there - all they need to do is overturn a 7-0 deficit against Australia and beat Uruguay! :p
So two new nations guaranteed and another two at least likely. Looks like an interesting World Cup from that point of view anyway.
Guatemala are currently fourth in CONCACAF, level on points with Trinidad an Tobago; T&T won 3-2 during the week after two late goals from Stern John. The fourth-placed team will play either Uzbekistan or Bahrain (1-0 at the moment with the second leg to come), so another new team guaranteed there. Venezuela's chances of qualifying - the only South American team never to qualify (outside of Guyana et al, who are in CONCACAF) are slim at this stage. And the Solomon Islands are still in there - all they need to do is overturn a 7-0 deficit against Australia and beat Uruguay! :p
So two new nations guaranteed and another two at least likely. Looks like an interesting World Cup from that point of view anyway.