FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifying

[GMantis]

Italy is very lucky to have Buffon...

[Keystone Phil]

Yeah, I missed a supposedly brilliant, miraculous save...

Switzerland-Iceland is a goal fest. Northern Ireland just went up 2-1 on Portugal.

[Lief 🗽]

Northern Ireland and Estonia are huge FFs right now

[GMantis]

Georgia too.

[Keystone Phil]

So Spain are up 2-0 in the 88th and France only drew 0-0 so the group is Spain's.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Negredo delivers.

[Lief 🗽]

Wow, Iceland just came back from 4-1 down to tie it up.

[ZuWo]

Switzerland dominated the game until they decided to call it a day after about an hour.

[Keystone Phil]

Game over. All three points for Italy. Seven points clear atop.

[GMantis]

Congrats to Phil, Italy was certainly the better team tonight. But you have a lot of luck (and Buffon) to thank for this victory

[Keystone Phil]

Congrats to Phil, Italy was certainly the better team tonight. But you have a lot of luck (and Buffon) to thank for this victory

Especially on the last play of the game! You guys came so close. Typical for my side to give me several heart attacks each match. 

Portugal get a 4-2 win. Ronaldo with a hat trick in the final 22 minutes!

Big news elsewhere as Greece get the win and some help from Slovakia as they beat Bosnia 1-0. Sweden get a huge victory over Ireland and are now in sole possession of second place (sorry, Tender). Slovenia won and are unbelievably in the hunt for second place in that group despite being second from bottom. Montenegro drew with Poland, helping England. Ukraine thrashed San Marino 9-0.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

[Tender Branson]

Germany vs. Austria is this Friday (sold out, ca. 70.000 in Munich).

Austria vs. Ireland is next Tuesday (sold out, ca. 53.000 in Vienna).

...

My Predictions:

3-1 Germany/Austria
2-1 Austria/Ireland

It ended 3-0 for Germany.

Almost all like expected. Germany was playing with their A-Team and was clearly a class or two better.

Now we have to win against Ireland next week, then against Sweden and the Faroers.

All doable, except Sweden.

But I've had big doubts before that we get the 2nd group spot when all is done ...

[Tender Branson]

Germany vs. Austria highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6dycSQ8wEs&hd=1

[minionofmidas]

Won by one goal too many, really.

[NewYorkExpress]

U.S.A lost to Costa Rica 3-1 yesterday... Mexico also lost to Honduras 2-1.

Mexico has since fired coach Jose De La Torre.
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1546652/mexico-part-company-coach-jose-manuel-chepo-de-la-torre?cc=5901
Mexico faces the U.S in Columbus on Tuesday.

[Franknburger]

Germany vs. Austria highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6dycSQ8wEs&hd=1

Austria played solidly, but lacks the individual class that some German players possess (e.g. Kroos' wonderful 2:0).
I was a bit disappointed by the number of "frustration fouls" Austrian players committed after the 70th minute (Foul statistics: Austria 20, Germany 8 ).  

[GMantis]

Three African teams who have never qualified to the World cup before - Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde - have now a chance to qualify just by winning a play-off. Almost as surprising as the 2006 qualification campaign, and with the strane FIFA ranking to seed Burkina and Cape Verde might actually qualify.

[NewYorkExpress]

Israel drew Azerbaijan today 1-1 in Ramat-Gan... The draw moves Israel to three points behind Russia for 2nd in Group F (UEFA).

Israel Plays Russia on Tuesday in a critical in-group match in St. Petersburg.

[Keystone Phil]

Uzbekistan tied in Jordan, scoring an away goal in the first leg of the AFC fifth round. I'm guessing they're favored to get the playoff spot against CONMEBOL's fifth places side.

[Tender Branson]

Today, we must beat Ireland here at home and hope that the Kazakhs finish off the Swedes (unlikely).

My predictions:

2-1 AUT/IRL
1-3 KAZ/SWE
0-7 FAR/GER

[Keystone Phil]

Four European teams can officially book their places in Brazil today: Italy, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland. The Dutch will be the first team to do so, thanks to kickoff times, if they beat Andorra (check) and Turkey draws or wins against Romania (not guaranteed). Germany will win and need Sweden to slip up against Kazakhstan. The Swiss need a win (not an easy task) and a draw between Iceland and Albania.

A lot of people apparently can't do math and say a draw will get Italy automatic qualification. I don't know how so many people can be so wrong:

Italy - 17 points (after a draw, 18 points)
Bulgaria - 10 points (after breezing past Malta, 13 points)

While we're basically assured of qualification, I don't know that a draw even guarantees a playoff spot. Theoretically, either Armenia and Denmark would be able to pass us if they win all of their remaining games (which includes a game against Italy). It would be difficult but we could be beaten on goal difference so nothing is clinched today unless we win.

[Keystone Phil]

Sweden up 1-0 in the first minute! Russia and Israel are tied 0-0 at the half.

[minionofmidas]

Sweden up 1-0 in the first minute! Russia and Israel are tied 0-0 at the half.

...Russia up 2-0 by the 52nd though, and now at 3-0. Israel's campaign thus effectively over, Russia and Portugal squabbling for first place.

[danny]

The Israeli football and basketball teams have been competing this week with who can be more humiliating.