Switzerland join Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and Spain as group winners.
Russia remain hot favourites, Bosnia now hot favourites to beat Greece to top their group.
One can hope that Montenegro topple England off their delicate perch.
Can't see it unfortunately. Best hope is for England to draw at home to either Poland or Montenegro (Montenegro need to beat England; unlikely) and Ukraine then beat Poland and San Marino. That's quite possible given how England have been playing; they've still only beaten Moldova and San Marino. But England should still be favourites to win the group now after last night's result.
No doubt England are favourites to top the group. It will be of great interest to see Montenegro at Wembley in a pressure game, on occasions in the recent past, their inexperience at this level has been one factor which has let them down, but by now I suspect they may have hardened after taking the knocks.
After losing at home to Switzerland, Driilo the 'legendary' Norwegian coach walked out of a post match tv interrogation in the tunnel, by a particularly obnoxious interviewer. The slime ball, who's not fit to lick the condensation from inside Drillo's wellies, was fortunate that a mean looking Drillo (who looked as if he would peel strips off Clint Eastwood), didn't clock him right there in front of a watching nation.
TV2 interview with Drillo
USA 2-0 Mexico; the US and Costa Rica have qualified, while Mexico are now fifth (behind Panama on goals scored) and out of the qualification spots entirely with two games to go. Mexico's next game is home to Panama; winner-takes-all there.
Argentina have also qualified after beating Paraguay 5-2. Venezuela are all but out despite beating Peru 3-2, so the top five are pretty much certain at this stage, with the only issue who ends up in the play-off against Jordan (who beat Uzbekistan 9-8 on penalties). Ecuador and Uruguay are level on points in 4th/5th, and play in Quito in the next round.
Switzerland aren't mathematically home and dry just yet. You need to pay more attention to your group.Originally Posted by geysir
Odds of 1/33 on Switzerland is mathematical enough for me Danny.
I feel good for Switzerland now, since they have embarked on a mission to scuttle the ambitions of Iceland's opponents.
Hop Suisse, I say.
Cape Verde thrown out for fielding an ineligible player against Tunisia: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/prelimi...ewsid=2172738/
Does the transgression and resulting forfeit of their game against Tunisia give us a slim chance of overtaking them in the FIFA rankings again?
Aw no...
Yet fitting in a way, given how they got to be in the play-offs in the first place.
Who replaces Cape Verde?
Tunisia top the group in place of Cape Verde after being awarded a 3-0 victory and will now enter the third round play-offs as one of the seeded teams.
Tough, but not that tough on Cape Verde. They fielded a player who was serving a ban after getting sent off in a game against Eq Guinea, a game which was forfeited 3-0 in Cape Verde's favour, because EQ G fielded ........ an ineligible player
But Cape Verde had lost that game, before it was forfeited.
Tunisia advance, probably on merit.
In fact Eq Guinea had 2 games struck off against Cape Verde.
AFRICAN 2014 PLAY-OFFS -
- Ivory Coast v Senegal
- Ethiopia v Nigeria
- Tunisia v Cameroon
- Ghana v Egypt
- Burkina Faso v Algeria
If Switzerland lose 2-0 in Albania and Slovenia win 2-0 home to Norway on the 11th then going into the last match which is Switzerland vs Slovenia, I think a 2-0 win for the Slovenes here will see both level on 18 points and +5 goals, I think Slovenia would be ahead due to having scored a goal more.Switzerland aren't mathematically home and dry just yet. You need to pay more attention to your group.
Iceland can also finish top if they win both their games (home to Cyprus then away in Norway) and Switzerland lose both of their last games (scores / goal difference doesnt matter in this scenario). Or, again if Iceland win both of their remaining games and Switzerland only pick up a point Iceland could finish above them on goal difference but would probably need a hefty victory (say a 4-0 or 5-0).
I want to talk about the European play-offs. Nine groups, eight places. Looking at the format it seems to me that it will be the second placed team from Group B or Group E that will have the least impressive final record, meaning it will be Denmark/Bulgaria or Iceland/Norway/Slovenia to be denied a shot at the promised land??
If the games go the way I feel they will, we would end up with the following eight contenders:
Croatia
Denmark (I feel they will sneak in at expense of Group E R.up)
Sweden
Turkey (The force is with them now)
Portugal
Greece
Ukraine
France
Going by the FIFA rankings the four seeds would then be:
Croatia
Portugal
Greece
Sweden
But, in my opinion, Turkey, Denmark, France and Ukraine are all well capable of upsetting any of those four. I know it's impossible to predict the draw, but these could end up the closest and most exciting Euro section play-offs ever.
The Beautiful Game
Can't wait for these games. Africa is always fascinating and this new format is so much better than the old group winner one. I can see a few upsets here.
Cote D'Ivoire are strong and have impressed, but they have choked so often in recent years, in African Cup of Nations especially that I honestly can see this powerful young Senegal team really giving them problems.
Nigeria should be too strong for an Ethiopian side that have done superbly to reach this stage.
I think Tunisia will take full advantage of their reprieve and knock out an unpredictable Cameroon.
Ghana Egypt is a real clash of titans and easily the toughest to call, but I just think home advantage and the hunger to reach the finals for the first time since 1990 not to mention how badly the country needs a lift will fire the Pharoh's to glory.
I also see a clean sweep for North African giants with Algeria returning to the finals for the first time since a little Argie lit up the world in Mexico 86!
Whatever happens, I'll be glued to it all and hopefully Eurosport delivers on the coverage.
The Beautiful Game
I would go for:
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
Cameroon
Ghana
Algeria
Which I think is the same set of teams that were at the last World Cup (without hosts South Africa).
Algeria qualified as recently as the last World Cup in 2010.
Based on my considerable expertise on African football matters, my vote goes to Cameroon qualifying first,
as things stand now of course.
Tunisia Blues
They did, didn't they?!!!! Woops.
The Beautiful Game
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