World Cup Qualification - Brazil 2014

[soggy biscuit]

How has Norway got into pot 1?

They certainly seem to have shot up a lot recently...........

[paultheroyal]

Sky's coverage of that was quite frankly embarrassing.

Thank god for the red button and BBC.

Englands group could of been a lot worse and thank god we missed France.

[AthleticoSpizz]

well thats an early goodbye to Scotland and Wales once again

[paultheroyal]

well thats an early goodbye to Scotland and Wales once again

and Northern Ireland.

France vs Republic of Ireland in the play offs once more?

[AthleticoSpizz]

I would give the Ulstermen better odds personally

[Toon Toon Blue army]

Germany and Sweden for ROI.. not good.

[Barry the bird boggler]

England v France in the playoffs...

[Ginger Ninjas]

0912 FOOTBALL: BBC Sport's Dan Roan on Twitter: "Holland become no 1 team in FIFA's new world rankings 2nd Spain 3rd Germany - ludicrously England now 4th above Uruguay 5th, Bra, It, Arg!"

I know it gets stick every time, but if FIFA can't even come up with a sensible ranking system, how are they running world football?

[cmonurz]

The rankings are calculated based on all results in competitive and qualifying games. In the ranking period, England's results have been better than those of the likes of Brazil and Argentina. That's it. The fact that we'd lose to Brazil is irrelevant.

[Compo's Hat]

South American qualification looks like it's going to be wide open if the first couple of rounds of matches is anything to go by.

Of the nine teams, seven have already registered a win. Paraguay and Bolivia the only ones missing out but very early days.

Big lolz at Argentina last night who went down 1-0 in Venezuela, the only South American side to never have qualified for a World Cup finals.


Peru 2-0 Paraguay
Argentina 4-1 Chile
Uruguay 4-2 Bolivia
Ecuador 2-0 Venezuela

Venezuela 1-0 Argentina
Paraguay 1-1 Uruguay
Chile 4-2 Peru
Bolivia 1-2 Colombia

[Compo's Hat]

Match schedule released for the finals.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsi ... index.html

Going to be some good evenings worth getting home for. Brazil is three-hours behind during British Summer Time.

[Mr Angry]

Match schedule released for the finals.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsi ... index.html

Going to be some good evenings worth getting home for. Brazil is three-hours behind during British Summer Time.

I think its 4hrs.

Some qualifying matches will be kicking off at 2am UK time, which is bad enough, but think of the travelling that the teams/fans will be doing; At least one poor team (bet its England!!) will have to travel from Sao Paulo to Manaus (2000 miles) then onto Recife (A 3.5hr flight). Its like having a World Cup in Europe with a game in Glasgow, followed by another in Kiev, and finally a game in Rome. Madness.

[soggy biscuit]

Brazil is three-hours behind

I think its 4hrs.

the west of Brazil is 5 hours behind

[M27Royal]

The schedule says that the times are all Brasilia times which is 3hrs behind BST
So latest kick off for a group game will be 1am BST.

[Compo's Hat]

There's only one game thst will kick off at 1am, which is the only day of the tournament that has four matches.

From what i've read most teams will end up putting the miles in so no team gains an advantage from the cooler weather in the South for all their group games.

[cmonurz]

Hope they get the infrastructure and coverage right for 2014, as this World Cup is absolutely set up for UK audiences, matches kicking off in the evening after a few pints and dinner, perfect.

[Compo's Hat]

Venezuela's win against Bolivia tonight has put them level at the top following the latest couple of rounds of South American qualifying. Argentina had to come from behind to win in Colombia after an awful home draw with Bolivia at the weekend. Luis Suarez scored all four goals for Uruguay against Chile.

Argentina 1:1 Bolivia
Colombia 1:1 Venezuela
Uruguay 4:0 Chile
Paraguay 2:1 Ecuador

Ecuador 2:0 Peru
Colombia 1:2 Argentina
Chile 2:0 Paraguay
Venezuela 1:0 Bolivia


Uruguay 7
Argentina 7
Venezuela 7
Ecuador 6
Chile 6
Colombia 4
Paraguay 4
Peru 3
Bolivia 1

[cmonurz]

Peter Taylor's Bahrain needed to erase a 9-goal deficit on Qatar to qualify for the next round and knock Qatar - having scored only 3 goals in 5 group games, Bahrain 'miraculously' beat Indonesia 10-0.

Qatar got the draw they needed in Iran to make Bahrain's result irrelevant, with a goal in the last 5 minutes.

[paultheroyal]

Peter Taylor's Bahrain needed to erase a 9-goal deficit on Qatar to qualify for the next round and knock Qatar - having scored only 3 goals in 5 group games, Bahrain 'miraculously' beat Indonesia 10-0.

Qatar got the draw they needed in Iran to make Bahrain's result irrelevant, with a goal in the last 5 minutes.

I am sure the FIFA corrupt team will be all over that result!!

[Z175]

Peter Taylor's Bahrain needed to erase a 9-goal deficit on Qatar to qualify for the next round and knock Qatar - having scored only 3 goals in 5 group games, Bahrain 'miraculously' beat Indonesia 10-0.

Qatar got the draw they needed in Iran to make Bahrain's result irrelevant, with a goal in the last 5 minutes.

What a waste of Bahrains cash! I guess Qatar bribed better...