World Cup 2022 qualifying begins

[Sanguine]

Good finish by Maguire

Cracking assist from Stones.

[Zip]

Good finish by Maguire

Cracking assist from Stones.

Yeah great header back tbf

[Pepe the Horseman]

89 mins gone:

Germany 1 North Macedonia 2

And now the final score.

First home WC qualification defeat since that 5-1 defeat to England in 2001.

That's got to be one of the biggest international upsets ever isn't it?

[Stranded]

89 mins gone:

Germany 1 North Macedonia 2

And now the final score.

First home WC qualification defeat since that 5-1 defeat to England in 2001.

That's got to be one of the biggest international upsets ever isn't it?

Has to be up there. Maybe the Macedonians won't be complete whipping boys at the Euros.

[Winston Biscuit]

GeROFLmany

[Winston Biscuit]

England, Italy, Denmark & Armenia the only teams to win their first 3 games

[Winston Biscuit]

Michy Batshuayi has 14 league goals over the past 5 seasons for 4 different clubs. He has 20 international goals in that time

[Stranded]

England, Italy, Denmark & Armenia the only teams to win their first 3 games

Denmark have looked impressive, winning in Israel was an expected but decent start but the 4-0 drubbing of Austria was impressive - sandwiching an 8-0 demolition of Moldova. W3 Scored 14 Conceded 0.

You would expect Armenia to fall away a bit as 2 of those wins were against Liechtenstein and an Iceland side who are slipping back to mean after an incredible 4 years or so. However, they, Romania and N. Macedonia will all fancy their chances of finishing behind Germany, who should still win the group despite last nights shock defeat.

[Sanguine]

Michy Batshuayi has 14 league goals over the past 5 seasons for 4 different clubs. He has 20 international goals in that time

That's ridiculous.

[Stranded]

Michy Batshuayi has 14 league goals over the past 5 seasons for 4 different clubs. He has 20 international goals in that time

That's ridiculous.

Impressively so - he enjoys playing Iceland. The goals have come against:

(F) denotes Friendly

Belarus
Switzerland x 2 (F)
Ivory Coast (F)
Iceland x 4
Kazahkstan
San Marino x 2
Cyprus
Scotland x 2 (F)
Tunisia
Costa Rica (F)
Saudi Arabia (F)
Bosnia
Czech Republic (F)
Hungary

[6ft Kerplunk]

Feel a bit sorry for Stones. I'd didn't think that was his fault entirely.
That was a shitty pass by Pope and noone seemed to offer any help as an option.

It was an awful pass out to him but as a right footed player why did he turn inside rather than making a simple pass to Walker who was getting back to his right back position? Even if Walker passes it straight back he'd have had time to sort out his position and clear it properly.

[Ascotexgunner]

Feel a bit sorry for Stones. I'd didn't think that was his fault entirely.
That was a shitty pass by Pope and noone seemed to offer any help as an option.

It was an awful pass out to him but as a right footed player why did he turn inside rather than making a simple pass to Walker who was getting back to his right back position? Even if Walker passes it straight back he'd have had time to sort out his position and clear it properly.

Seems to be a pattern nowadays, "play your way out of trouble" no matter how many opponents surround you.
Old days you would just hoof it in row z.

[Sutekh]

Feel a bit sorry for Stones. I'd didn't think that was his fault entirely.
That was a shitty pass by Pope and noone seemed to offer any help as an option.

It was an awful pass out to him but as a right footed player why did he turn inside rather than making a simple pass to Walker who was getting back to his right back position? Even if Walker passes it straight back he'd have had time to sort out his position and clear it properly.

Seems to be a pattern nowadays, "play your way out of trouble" no matter how many opponents surround you.
Old days you would just hoof it in row z.

Yes, never get that. Always keep it simple and if that means it’s safer to hoof it into row Z when the opposition are haring down on you then that’s what you should do.

[Winston Biscuit]

Mongolia 0-14 Japan

[Zip]

Mongolia 0-14 Japan

Any Mongolian blood Winstonian?

[Winston Biscuit]

Group H in the Asia qualifiers looks fantastic

Turkmenistan are top, but just 1 point behind them are South Korea, North Korea & Lebanon!

[Winston Biscuit]

Mongolia 0-14 Japan

Any Mongolian blood Winstonian?

always bang up for a cup of cow blood and some wrestling so maybe its in my dna

[Winston Biscuit]

Asia 2nd round qualifying is the 8 group winners and 4 best runners up who progress to the last round where the best 4 teams qualify for the WC. 5th & 6th best teams play each other in a play off and the winner of that plays in the Inter Confederation Cup to try and qualify for the WC

The current 8 group leaders and 4th best runners up are:

Syria
Iraq
Turkmenistan
Qatar
Saudi
Vietnam
Japan
Australia
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan
Kuwait
Oman

Qatar take part in this as the WC2022 qualifiers are also the Asia Cup 2023 qualifiers

Iraq, Syria, Saudi & Turkmenistan qualifying would spice up the WC and bring some much needed lolz

I shall be cheering on Vietnam to qualify!

[Winston Biscuit]

Spain lose their first WC qualifier since 1993

Thats 28 years and 66 matches. Until Sweden beat them during the week.

[Winston Biscuit]

https://twitter.com/Tim_Vickery/status/1434561529374982149?t=cV0MatB0ucm4vl7_-E7tFA&s=19

Real problems for the Brazil v Argentina game, due to kick off in 2 hours. The Brazilian health authorities want the immediate deportation of Argentina's 4 Premier League players - three of whom are set to start the game

the problem is, it seems, that any non-Brazilian who has been in the UK in the last 14 days has to serve a 14 day quarantine period. It is alleged that the 4 players did not report the fact that they had been in the UK

the rules are being followed - football inside South America has been getting a 'pass' - but this special exemption does not apply to those coming from the UK

Game did kick off but members of the Brazilian health authority walked out onto the pitch so it couldn't continue.