Who's Qualified So Far

[Metrostars]

UEFA:
Germany (Hosts)
Ukraine

Africa: None

Asia:
Japan
Iran
South Korea
Saudi Arabia

Conmebol:
Argentina
Brazil

Concacaf:
USA
Mexico


Who could qualify on Wednesday:

UEFA:
A win by Portugal over Russia on Wednesday puts them in.

Concacaf: Mexico only needs a draw against bottom of the table Panama at home.

Not sure of any other countries who could also qualify this week.

[CollegeTillIDie]

I saw somewhere that if a certain result occurs in I think Ukraine's Group on Wednesday and if England manage to beat Norn Iron that they will at worst qualify as best placed second place finisher in Europe

[tetsujin1979]

Aren't Ukraine already through?
If England win 2 of their remaining 3 games, they are guaranteed a best runners up spot

[liam88]

From the reaction to Turkey's goal in the kebab shop last night I think they are through...

[joeSoap]

Brazil striker Adriano scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Chile on Sunday to guarantee the world champions a place at next year’s finals in Germany while Marcelo Zalayeta emulated him to give Uruguay a dramatic 3-2 win over Colombia.

Brazil’s win means they keep up their record as the only country to have played at every World Cup finals while Uruguay’s victory lifted them into the fifth-place play-off position in the 10-nation South American group. Uruguay’s win also helped Ecuador and Paraguay, third and fourth respectively. Ecuador need only a draw at home to Uruguay next month to qualify while a win in Venezuela will be enough for Paraguay to book their place with one game to spare.

After 16 rounds of the marathon contest, Argentina, who qualified last June and lost 1-0 to Paraguay on Saturday, lead with 31 points followed by Brazil on 30. Ecuador have 26 after their 2-1 win in Bolivia on Saturday and Paraguay are one point behind after their first win over Argentina in a World Cup qualifier. The top four teams qualify directly for Germany while the fifth spot, occupied by Uruguay on 21 points, earns a play-off over two legs against the Oceania region winners, almost certainly Australia.

Colombia and Chile, on 20 points, could still finish fifth and Venezuela, who have 18 points, also have an outside chance, although their final match is away to Brazil. Colombia host Chile in October and then visit Paraguay three days later. The Chileans, meanwhile, finish their programme at home to Ecuador.

Bemused Chile: Brazil, who became the first defending champions forced to qualify for the subsequent tournament under a new FIFA ruling, raced to a four-goal lead in less than half an hour against bemused opponents. Central defender Juan made the breakthrough after 11 minutes with a close-range header from a corner and Robinho added the second 11 minutes later as he finished off a sweeping move which went from one end of the field to the other.

Adriano then added two more goals in a three-minute spell, the first a low shot into the far corner from Robinho’s pass in the 27th minute and the second a header from a corner. The Inter Milan player completed his hat-trick in injury time. “The important thing was that we qualified,” said Adriano, who is still fighting for a regular place in the team. “I hope to continue like this and slowly but surely I’ll get there.”

His striking partner Ronaldo, who went off at halftime complaining of muscular discomfort, completed his sixth international without scoring. In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere in Brasilia, Colombia faced a rowdy, hostile 60,000 crowd at Centenario stadium in Montevideo, venue for the first World Cup final in 1930. Zalayeta headed Uruguay in front from Alvaro Recoba’s cross two minutes before halftime and put the Sky Blues in a commanding position when he fired the second past Miguel Calero six minutes into the second half.

But with 12 minutes to go and Uruguay apparently coasting, Colombia fought back. Elkin Soto reduced the arrears with a fulminating 25-metre shot from Angel’s neat layoff in the 79th minute. Two minutes later, Soto returned the compliment by bursting to the byline and providing the cross for the Aston Villa striker to head the equaliser. With the stadium silent and Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati disconsolate on the touchline, Uruguay found a winner with four minutes to go. Fabian Estoyanoff’s cross from the right eluded the Colombia defence and found Zalayeta lurking at the far post, leaving him with the easy job of tapping into the empty net.

[TheOwl]

I think Poland are now guaranteed a spot no matter what their result against England.

[superfrank]

Mexico are through. They beat Panama 5-0.

[Green Tribe]

Mexico are through. They beat Panama 5-0.

Great, good bunch of fans and a good team to have in the world cup, looking forward to seeing them play in it.

[holidaysong]

I think Poland are now guaranteed a spot no matter what their result against England.

One corner of the pub I was in last night had a load of Polish people watching Poland vs. Wales. They went mental when Northern Ireland scored!

[superfrank]

I think in Group 6, Poland and England are both through, it's just about who finishes top.

[Metrostars]

A draw in one of their last two games will see Costa Rica through.

[Metrostars]

Great, good bunch of fans and a good team to have in the world cup, looking forward to seeing them play in it.

The problem with Mexican fans is that they're not good losers, at least whenever the US beats them. Mexico have cruised to the World Cup finals again but after their only loss in qualifying to the US last week, a lot of their fans were calling for coach Lavolpe's head. And he isnt a good loser either:

MEXICO CITY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Mexico's coach Ricardo La Volpe described the United States as a little team which his grandmother could play for following his side's 2-0 defeat on Saturday, local media said.
"It's a little team," La Volpe was widely quoted as saying following the World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.
"Here, everyone's interested in baseball and American football and many people didn't even know that a soccer match was being played today.
"So it's easy for them, because they aren't playing under any pressure. My mother, my grandmother or my great grandmother could play in a team like that."
The U.S., who have 18 points from seven games in the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifying competition, booked their place at next year's World Cup with the win.
Mexico, unbeaten in their previous 14 qualifying matches and two points behind the U.S., still need one point from their final three games to qualify.
"They scored a goal and then they sat back," said Argentine La Volpe.

[Dawn_Run]

The Aussies will have a tough play off against 5th place in the south american qualifying group. At the moment its Uruguay with 2 matches left to play.

[superfrank]

Keep up to date on who has, and hasn't, made it at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/4208308.stm.

[Tipp Townie]

And dont forget there'll be a play off between the 4th place CONCACAF team and the 5th best Asisan team.

So next summer either Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Trinidad&Tobago or Guatemala will be gracing the World Cup for the first time..

[sligoman]

So next summer either Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Trinidad&Tobago or Guatemala will be gracing the World Cup for the first time..

Out of those 4, I'd say Trinindad will get in

[holidaysong]

Is Dwight Yorke still playing for Trinidad & Tobago?

[Snoop Drog]

Is Dwight Yorke still playing for Trinidad & Tobago?

yep, he left Australia (he plays in the A-League) last Sunday to go to T & T.

[finlma]

There's a good break down of Africa and Asia in this article. Looks like some of the big guns won't make and we'll see some unfamiliar teams like Ghana and Togo

http://www.football365.com/features/...y_165033.shtml

[Bluebeard]

Out of those 4, I'd say Trinindad will get in

Dunno about that, I fancy the Uzbekis to come through, excellent futsal teams, it has to be coming from somewhere...