World Cup 2006 Blog |  |
| Europe’s World Cup Qualifying Underachievers Posted: 08 Jun 2009 11:39 AM PDT
Most of the big teams are doing quite well, thank you (Holland sends its love from South Africa), but as it stands, there are some expected participants who might not have any security concerns for the summer of 2010 in the southern most part of Africa. Security issues at home, however, might be another case entirely… Africa’s third round has only just begun, having played two of the six games (and squads like Gabon adorning the top of the group tables), so it’s not quite time to sound the sirens there - though two-time defending continental champs Egypt might want to start worrying about picking up one point from their first two fixtures. Ditto for CONCACAF, which is just halfway through a one group home-and-away leaving ample time for the faltering. Asia’s three biggest footballing nations - Australia, Japan and South Korea (sorry, Uzbekistan) - have already taken three of the five spots, so for the others it’s merely Christmas come early. And over in South America, things seem to be shaping up as they should, with Brazil, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina all deservedly looking to a holiday-free summer of 2010 (with two-time WC champ Uruguay currently looking at that playoff spot). Full standings for the others at FIFA. And this, for now, leaves Europe, obviously the largest and deepest qualifying group with some teams feeling the heat. Five, maybe six, teams expected to do far better find themselves in real danger of missing out on second place. A spot which doesn’t even guarantee automatic qualification to the finals - it only ushers them into a playoff which will send eight of the nine runners-up to South Africa. Work to do certainly.
Portugal: Four points away from Hungary with four to go and it was damn near six away only for Bruno Alves to win it at the death in Albania. The home match against Malta will be an easy three on the final day of qualification, but by then it might not matter. Before that they must travel to runaway group winners Denmark while playing a crucial home-and-away with upstarts Hungary. Easily the biggest upset should they miss out on SA2010.
Of course it should be said they’ve played Spain twice already, which only helps despite the results.
And the teams which have, at least partially, capitalized on their downfalls: Denmark, Hungary, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia. Sometimes the World Cup itself is just getting there. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010 To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Inbox too full?  | |
| If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Posts
