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| Brazil Qualify for World Cup 2010, Argentina Still Sweating Posted: 05 Sep 2009 10:04 PM PDT Brazil officially qualified for World Cup 2010 tonight, and did it by beating rivals Argentina 3-1. In Argentina. Luis Fabiano bagged two goals, Luisao got the other, Jesus Datolo scored for Argentina. So that’s seven down, 25 to go, as Brazil join Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, the Netherlands and hosts South Africa. Brazil have played in every World Cup, ever, going all the way back to 1930. Things aren’t so rosy for Diego Maradona’s Argentina. The loss leaves them in fourth place in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, the last automatic qualifying berth. If they slip to fifth they’ll face a playoff, slip to sixth and they’re not going. No doubt Argentina fans will take this defeat hard, but with three games to go it’s still too early to panic. However, Argentina play second place Paraguay away on Wednesday. Defeat there and it’s time to start worrying.        |
| James McFadden is the New Diego Maradona? Posted: 05 Sep 2009 11:52 AM PDT The highlight of Scotland’s 2-0 win over Macedonia in today was the second goal. James McFadden received the ball in his own half and pretty much ran a straight line down the center of the pitch before rolling the ball home. Like Diego Maradona in 86, only more efficient. Sloppy defending for sure, and it’s not clear whether McFadden beat that second defender with a lucky bounce or a genius nutmeg. But can’t argue with the distance McFadden covered with the ball at his feet.
But second place could still mean no World Cup, as only eight second place teams (out of nine groups) make it to the play-offs, based on points won during group play. The current second place team rankings look like this: Scotland play the Netherlands on Wednesday, but unfortunately McFadden is suspended.   |
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The best part of the monthly rankings release is looking at the change in ratings for particular teams and wondering, “what the hell did they do to deserve that?”. The answer is almost always “absolutely nothing”, which is wonderful. Take for instance defending champions Italy, whose nil-nil friendly draw with Switzerland was apparently enough of a showing to vault them above Germany to 4th in this month’s rankings.
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