Printable View
It's factual, Spain are certified pot 2. Survival in pots 3 and 4 at the WC finals looks perilous indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Iceland would have safely made pot 2 had their FA not sent the 2nd and 3rd string teams to various corners of the globe to play a series of friendlies.
Now they would need 3 out of Italy/Switz/Denmark/Croatia to be eliminated in the play offs, in order to be in pot 2,
That assumes Peru secure their pot 2 position by beating NZ .
Just going over where things stand, and I find Group D in CAF fascinating. Senegal lead the group on 8 points, ahead of Burkino Faso and Cape Verde on 6, and South Africa on 4. But because the first Senegal/South Africa game was scratched off, they play each other twice in four days in Novemver, where if South Africa win both they top the group. Senegal might only need a point from the two games to top the group, depending on GD. So Burkina Faso/Cape Verde need to win their game against the other by as many goals as possible, and hope that South Africa win one of the other games by as wide a margin as possible, but then draws the other.
Morocco and Cote d'Ivoire are basically playing off for qualification in Group C as well.
Peru/New Zealand and Honduras/Australia in the play-offs Wasn't a big fan of Honduras' display in the last World Cup so would hope the Aussies can up their game there. New Zealand are 122nd in the world, but I imagine they are probably a good bit better than that placing. Good enough to give Peru a game?
Would love to see Honduras turn over the Aussies.
The final play-offs start tonight so.
Croatia are 3-1 up on Greece coming up to half-time; hard to see Greece coming back from that.
The North are 0-0 against Switzerland in what is presumably a riveting game between two technically excellent sides.
Sweden v Italy is tomorrow, as is Honduras v Australia and (on into Saturday morning) New Zealand v Peru.
Peru are playing without Paolo Guerrero who was drug suspended for "chewing cocoa leaves to combat altitude sickness" according to himself. It's interesting, Peru and New Zealand have not met in any sport since the 1908 Olympic Games in London, where they battled in a round robin of Jeu De Paume, kind of a precursor to modern day Tennis played with bare hands. Peru lost, 716 to 400.
Apparently the Swiss are all over the IFA team. the Swiss should also be down to 10 men according to SS.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Just tuned into the second half now.
Greece are a shambles.
IFA team are getting ridden solid by this ref
EDIT: Swiss score a pen. Never a penalty.
The SS shot one of the Swiss? Can you elaborate? WTF is going on there?Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Sky Sports
All over in the second city. IFA Rep team 1-0 Svizzzrrraweizerlanden
Brutal match. No danger of themmuns being in Russia.
Too defensive from NI.
Never a penalty though, and Swiss didn't look like scoring apart from that.
I think it's a penalty. The NI defence could see the ball would be taken on a volley, it reached the Swiss player from a lobbed cross - ie there is time to react. And there is a deliberate raising of the arms as the ball is struck - he twists his body and uses his arms/ hands to stop the movement of the ball. A braver player would have put his arms behind his back and taken the full force of the strike. It's not uncommon to see players do this in similar situations.
I think you are very much alone on this one. not even remotely nearly a penalty. a ridiculous decisionQuote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
There is a video from behind the play and it is clearly seen that the NI player (Corey Evans) raises his arms before the ball is struck. He is anticipating the volley and is using his arms to stop the movement of the ball. I think if it was a NI central defender in the same scenario, the body shape and arm positioning would be different.
he didn't raise his arm, its in the natural position in relation to the ball. it looks to the world that it hits the shoulderQuote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
You're giving Evans a lot of credit in terms of having intent on breaking the rules in what was a split-second of game time. The laws of the game are clear enough that referee's should take into account "unexpected ball" when it comes to determining whether an arm touching the ball is in an infringement or not, and there's no clear movement to stick his arm out that couldn't more easily be considered natural movement of his arm in such circumstances. I think it's not credible that Evans intended, beyond a shadow of a doubt, to block the ball illegally.
I'm not even sure an improved VAR system would have stopped it though, the ref seemed to have it in for the North.
Croatia heading to the finals it would seem. Their fourth was a real calamity for the Greek defence.
Senegal will be all but qualified with a draw against SA tonight, barring some unlikely final day results. First leg of Honduras/Aussies at 2200, New Zealand/Peru at 0315.
The ball is lobbed in, ie there is no pace to the ball, and the Swiss player has time to position himself to take it on the volley. There is nothing unexpected about it, Evans clearly anticipates the volley and actually jumps into the strike leading with his arm.
Senegal book their place, beating South Africa 2-0 in the replayed fixture. The two play a dead rubber in Senegal in a few days. Senegal's first World Cup since reaching the last 8 in 2002. South Africa have proven to be quite mediocre post-hosting the tournament.
The Swiss penalty reminds me a bit of Andy Boyle's handball against Legia last year.
I think there's a different interpretation of what is handball amongst fans and officials - I think the actual rules are applied stricter than people realise. Look at referees warning players in the wall not to raise their arms or they can be done for handball - similar enough to this incident.
I can see the argument for a penalty, but I don't think it is one myself. But that's not what makes it a penalty or not.
Watched the second half of Honduras/Australia. Two poor sides struggling on a bad surface. Aussies marginally better. Would fancy them over 120 minutes.