The likes of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and England have all booked their places in Euro 2012 already, but four tickets to the festivities in Poland and Ukraine still have yet to be punched.

That will be taken care of in the next week, with eight teams who finished second-best in their respective groups look to play their way in through the two-legged qualifying playoffs. There will no doubt be a great deal of online betting on all of the action, but there’s plenty to look forward to whether you’re a supporter of one of the teams involved or a neutral.

Bosnia-Herzegovina v. Portugal

Considering how close both of these teams came to qualifying for the tournament automatically and how tight this tie could be, one can only imagine the level of disappointment there will be for the team who comes out on the short end.

If it’s Bosnia, they’ll be left to ponder another playoff defeat against Portugal after having fallen to them 2-0 on aggregate in the 2010 World Cup playoffs. They also might rue a slow-ish start to qualifying, as they picked up only seven points from their first five matches before they went on a run of four wins in a row to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive going into their finale against France at the Stade de France. The biggest sting, however, might be from being unable to hold a late lead in that match, as they allowed France to equalize on a late Samir Nasri penalty and earn a 1-1 draw, which saw Les Bleus claim Group D by a single point.

If it’s Portugal, they’ll be kicking themselves for two early stumbles, a 4-4 home draw against Cyprus, in which they allowed an 89th-minute equalizer to a side who went on to pick up only one more point in qualifying, and a 1-0 defeat to Norway in Oslo. And they, like Bosnia, didn’t get the required result in their Group H finale, as they went down 2-1 in Copenhagen in Denmark, who claimed a surprising group win.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal have the edge in talent, with world-class stars in Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani leading the way. And Paulo Bento’s side also gets a significant boost with the return of Real Madrid defensive duo Fabio Coentrao and Pepe, who both missed the final two qualifiers, including that defeat to Denmark.

However, the fact that they lost both of their toughest away matches in qualifying is a real concern, as Bosnia won’t be easy to break down in the first leg on home soil. And while Portugal have superior quality and quality depth, Bosnia aren’t lacking. Manchester City man Edin Dzeko is in fantastic form, Miralem Pjanic has assists in each of his last four matches for Roma, and Hoffenheim duo Vedad Ibisevic and Sejad Salihovic are both fit again after missing extensive time this season through injury.

Czech Republic v. Montenegro

Neither the Czech Republic nor Montenegro were particularly impressive in qualifying, but mediocre as their qualifying runs might have been, one of them will be celebrating a place in Euro 2012 next week.

Montenegro, who finished second behind England in Group G, benefited from a fast start. They won each of their first three qualifiers, and after recording an impressive away draw against England, were already on 10 points halfway through qualifying. They would only pick up two more points in their final four qualifiers, but a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against England in their penultimate qualifier proved to be enough, as they edged out disappointing Switzerland by a point.

Group I was never in doubt, with European and world champions Spain rolling to a perfect 8-0-0 record, but the battle for second between the Czech Republic and Scotland went down to the final round of matches. The Czechs were up and down during qualifying, but they would finish two points ahead of Scotland, thanks to a 4-1 away romp in Lithuania in their finale.

Ultimately though, the real difference might have been a highly controversial 2-2 draw in Glasgow in September. In that match, the Czechs scored two late equalizers, the latter from the spot late in stoppage time after being awarded a penalty for what appeared to be (read: definitely was) a dive by Jan Rezek. That controversial penalty call in their favor was followed by a controversial penalty no-call that also went in their favor, when Scotland’s Christophe Berra went down in the box after a challenge by Roman Hubnik only to be booked for a dive.

But undeserved as some might consider it, it looks likely that the Czech Republic will be spending June in Poland and Ukraine. While this current side lacks the quality of some of its more highly-rated predecessors, they have the advantage over Montenegro in talent and experience.

Milan Baros & Tomas Rosicky

There is, however, a big question mark about keeper Petr Cech, who might miss Friday’s first leg in Prague after suffering a broken nose in Chelsea’s weekend win at Blackburn. Montenegro aren’t a particularly frightening team in attack, having scored only seven goals in qualifying, but Cech is undoubtedly one of the best keepers in the world, and his presence is a definite plus for the Czech Republic’s hopes.

He’s having a special mask created that could allow him to take part, but if he isn’t able to go, Hamburg keeper Jaroslav Drobny will get the starting nod.

Cech’s fitness could be a decisive factor in this matchup, as we likely won’t see too many goals over the two matches. Montenegro allowed only one goal in their first five qualifiers and seven total in eight matches, while the Czech Republic allowed only eight goals in eight matches, with six of those coming in three matches (the two against Scotland in Glasgow and four in their two matches against Spain).

Estonia v. Ireland

Ireland haven’t been to the European Championship since 1988, when they were eliminated in the group stage in their only appearance in the competition proper to date. They’ll be heavily favored to end that drought against Estonia, who are completely unfamiliar with being in this position, but you can be sure Ireland won‘t overlook the former minnows.

We’re accustomed to seeing Estonia near the bottom of the standings in any qualifying tournament, and it looked like their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign would end the same way after a 2-0 away defeat against super-minnows Faroe Islands in June left them on seven points with three matches remaining. Going into the September round of qualifiers, Estonia were fifth in Group C behind Italy, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, and Serbia.

Robbie Keane

A late 2-1 win in Slovenia ignited hope, and they then finished with two October wins against Northern Ireland, the latter a 2-1 win in Belfast that saw Estonia score two late goals to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Those three straight wins, combined with all the right results elsewhere, saw Estonia edge out Serbia by a point after Serbia lost in Slovenia in their finale.

But can they go one step further? Anything can happen, especially since Ireland, who finished two points behind Russia in Group B, are dealing with several selection issues. Shane Long and Liam Lawrence are missing from the squad due to injury, while John O’Shea (injury), Kevin Doyle (suspended), and Leon Best (child’s birth) will miss the first leg in Tallinn, and Shay Given, Richard Dunne, and Keith Fahey are both dealing with minor injuries.

Estonia also won three of their five away matches in qualifying, including an impressive 3-1 win over Serbia. And though they don’t have any stars (though midfielder Konstantin Vassiljev, who scored five goals in qualifying, is a real threat), they are a resilient bunch, with four of their qualifying wins (and their lone draw) coming by virtue of goals inside the final 20 minutes.

Still, you have to favor Ireland, who won’t be easy to break down defensively. They notched five clean sheets and allowed only seven goals in qualifying, with a 3-2 defeat to Russia in Dublin being the only match in which they allowed multiple goals. And in attack, Robbie Keane is fit again after an adductor injury suffered last month against Andorra sidelined him for a few weeks, and Doyle will be back for the second leg in Dublin.

Turkey v. Croatia

After a solid qualifying campaign, Croatia should feel confident going into their showdown with Turkey, who had a far bumpier path to the playoffs.

Croatia missed out on top spot in Group E, finishing two points behind Greece, with head-to-head results against Greece being their undoing. But they won seven of their ten qualifiers, and they were relatively tight at the back, allowing only seven goals.

Turkey edged out Belgium to finish a distant second behind Germany in Group A, and they only secured their place in the playoffs in their last qualifier, with a harder-than-expected 1-0 win over Azerbaijan in Istanbul, combined with Belgium‘s 3-1 defeat in Germany, sending Turkey through.

They notched only one away win in qualifying, that being a 3-0 win against eventual last-place finisher Kazakhstan in their group opener. There were also their struggles against Azerbaijan, as they scraped through on home soil and lost 1-0 in Baku, and they needed a late, late, late – and fortuitous – Arda Turan goal to beat Kazakhstan in Istanbul in September.

Guus Hiddink

Turkey will be without Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, who only made his return from a long-term injury layoff on Sunday, and he’ll certainly be missed. So, they’ll need Turan to be at his best to optimize their chances of success.

Croatia would fancy their own chances even if Sahin was available for Turkey, as Luka Modric is refocused and back at his best, and strikers Mario Mandzukic and Nikica Jelavic are both in excellent form at the moment. There also might be some added motivation for Croatia, who will be keen to replace the bitter memory of their heartbreaking Euro 2008 quarterfinal defeat to Turkey with a much, much happier one.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

I must admit that there was a time, not so very long ago, when I used to feel a creeping sense of boredom during international breaks.

In my heart of hearts I knew that I should be grateful for the fact that football was available for easy consumption at all, but after many-a-year of increasing saturation, the lull in coverage was borderline tortuous for an addict like me and the sheer paucity of games being played meant that the fortnights quickly began to drag like a millstone around the neck.

The reason? I, like many others of my generation, have had it too easy for too long.

My growing disinterest didn’t stem from any particular lack of quality, far from it, there just wasn’t enough for a man with an appetite as gargantuan as mine – and the fact that any given lay-off was usually peppered with a couple of heart-breakingly underwhelming England performances hardly served to sweeten the proceedings.

My problem was that I was being overly myopic, and perhaps a little xenophobic in my outlook. I was only really concerned with the result of, and games that had a direct bearing on, England’s result – which was not a terribly efficient way to approach the schedule, given my intrinsic disdain for the national side at the time.

If you think about it, there is actually shed loads of football being played over the two or three relevant dates (e.g. there will be 45 separate Euro 2012 qualifiers played between October 8th-12th, with one further fixture played on the 17th) and whereas, to the uninterested,  Latvia vs Georgia may not sound like it has the makings of a classic on paper, it may well turn out to be a cracking little game of football.

It is with this renewed sense of Euro-friendly optimism that I have selected a few of the upcoming qualifying games that may be worth keeping an eye on.

Germany beat Turkey in the Euro 2008 semi-finals

First up is Germany vs Turkey, Group A on Oct 8th:

This will be the first time the two countries (who currently occupy the top two positions in the Group A table) have met since the now-infamous ‘blackout’ game, i.e. the scintillating Euro 2008 semi-final that saw the Germans eventually run out as 3-2 winners.

Due to problems with the broadcasting feed, most of the world missed Germany striker Miroslav Klose score to make it 2-1 and many also missed full-back Phillip Lahm scoring the winner that took Die Mannschaft through to the final.

Germany’s youth-orientated rejuvenation has attracted many plaudits and Turkey have become a much more drilled outfit under current coach ‘Golden’ Guus Hiddink, though I’m sure that, if Hamit Altintop were to break rank and reproduce the sublime volleyed goal he netted against Kazakhstan in their previous game, no one would hold it against him.

Portugal vs Denmark, Group H on Oct 8th:

Portugal will be striving to kick-start their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign having started tentatively, taking just one solitary point from their opening two games (being held 4-4 at home by Cyprus) and parting company with their coach Carlos Queiroz.

The two sides have come up against each other on a fairly regular basis over the past couple of years, having been drawn together in the same 2010 World Cup qualifying group – both eventually reaching the finals, though with varying degrees of comfort. Denmark were always in control of their qualification campaign and secured their their place at the finals reasonably early, meanwhile Portugal started poorly and were left to qualify for South Africa via the play-offs.

Karim Benzema celebrates his goal against Bosnia

France vs Romania, Group D on Oct 9th:

A shambolic World Cup campaign ensured that France’s worst (and, paradoxically, longest-serving) manager Raymond Domenech left Les Bleus under a rather bottom-heavy cloud in the summer, but his successor  Laurent Blanc is showing signs of steadily transforming his remodelled side from the laughing stock of European football back to something resembling a footballing collective.

Blanc inherited a team in ruins and, by starting his competitive reign with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Belarus, it seemed that they may be beyond repair. However, a 2-0 victory over dark-horses Bosnia and Herzegovina in their next game has allowed the faintest titters of positivity to begin to surface again – although whether France can maintain their momentum remains to be seen.

Slovakia vs Republic of Ireland, Group B on Oct 12th:

Slovakia and Ireland have been grouped together for the second bout of  qualifying campaigns in a row, so they should be more than familiar with each other. Both countries are currently sitting pretty as unbeaten joint-leaders at the top of the Group B pile.

England vs Montenegro, Group G on Oct 12th:

England manager Fabio Capello has thrown in his customary curveballs when it comes to his squad selection, with troubled striker Wayne Rooney included alongside Bolton captain Kevin Davies in the attacking ranks, World Cup bollock-dropper-in-chief Robert Green restored and a couple of critically out-of-form players also thrown into the mix for good measure. The question is, will the Italian’s unconventional picks pay off?

You can keep abreast of all the goings-on on the road to Poland and the Ukraine by visiting Soccerlens’ dedicated Euro 2012 Qualifying groups and fixtures section.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Turkey failed to secure the top spot of the Group A encounter as they fell 3-0 to the Germans. Guus Hiddink just couldn’t inspire the Turks to score. Jaochim Low and his young and efficient squad were too good for Hiddink’s men. Two goals from Miroslav Klose and one from Mesut Ozil saw Germany take a 3-0 win at home.

Goal Highlights

Germany 1-0 Turkey (Miroslav Klose)

Germany 2-0 Turkey (Mesut Ozil)

Germany 3-0 Turkey (Miroslav Klose)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Germany vs Turkey
Group A, Euro 2012 Qualifiers
Olympiastadion, Berlin
Friday, 8th October 2010
18:45 GMT

Leaders of Group A Germany and Turkey go face to face tonight in Berlin in what could be a key fixture in determining which team will top the group. Both teams have been very successful so far but injuries will be a concern for both teams for this match.

Watch Germany vs Turkey live online. Click here to sign up.

Turkey

Guus Hiddink and improvement go pretty much hand in hand. Although when Hiddink was coaching Russia, Germany was the team to stop him in his tracks.

Turkey took care of Kazakhstan very easily in their opening match before winning a thrilling dogfight against Belgium. This time around though, Hiddink will be without Arda Turan (groin) – he has scored in both the previous games. Selcuk Sahin is also unavailable. Although Borussia Dortmund’s Nuri Sahin is available. He would have gone a full year without playing a game for his country if it wasn’t for this opportunity to arise.

Predicted Line-up:
Volkan
Gonul, Omer, Servet, Koybasi
Aurelio
Hamit, Emre, Nuri, Tuncay
Mevlut

Germany

Michael Ballack’s absence is being ignored this time and the focus has been on Lewis Holtby and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Holtby will have to wiat till November for the friendly against Sweden and Schweini is out with a foot ligament injury.

That leads to Jaochim Low’s experiment of featuring Toni Kroos alongside Sami Khedira. In the run up to the World Cup, the combination was efficient against Malta and hungary but Kroos’ ability to focux still has question marks all over it.

Marcel Jansen’s absence gives Jerome Boateng to occupy the left back spot once again. Hamit Altintop-Boateng duel did not occur in either of the Bayern Munich-Hamburg SV matches last season so we don’t know what will happen when Boateng challenges Hamit.

Also unavailable is Dortmund’s Kevin Grosskreutz – apparently suffering from flu.

Predicted Line-up:

Neuer
Boateng, Badstuber, Mertesacker, Lahm
Kroos, Khedira
Podolski, Muller
Ozil

Watch Germany vs Turkey Live Online

You can watch Turkey take on Germany live online as well as all other Euro 2012 Qualifying matches, plus hundreds of football games from around the world. Read our live football page for more details.

Also see our Euro 2012 Qualifiers page for all the Euro 2012 qualifying fixtures.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The draw for the Euro 2012 qualifying stages was held today in Warsaw and the resulting groups left us with few possibilities of upsets.

England missed out on qualification last time around but have a relatively easy group to negotiate with the likes of Wales, Montenegro and Bulgaria standing in their way. Switzerland round up the group which will provide for an interesting but relatively straight-forward qualification.

Hosts Poland and Ukraine get a bye to the finals, while European champions Spain have the Czech Republic and Scotland in their group.

Fifty-one countries participated in the draw, forming 6 groups of 6 teams and 3 groups of 5 teams each. The groups will be contested according to a league system on a home-and-away basis, with games scheduled between September 2010 and October 2011.

The nine winners and the runner-up with the best record against the top five sides in their pool qualify directly for the final tournament, the last before the championship is expanded to 24 teams. The eight remaining runners-up go into play-off matches in November 2011 to decide the final four sides to join co-hosts Poland and Ukraine.

Euro 2012 Qualifying Groups

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan

Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra

Group C: Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands

Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg

Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino

Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta

Group G: England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro

Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland

Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein

Euro 2012 Qualifying Fixtures

GROUP A

03.09.10
Belgium v Germany
Kazakhstan v Turkey

07.09.10
Germany v Azerbaijan
Austria v Kazakhstan
Turkey v Belgium

08.10.10
Kazakhstan v Belgium
Austria v Azerbaijan
Germany v Turkey

12.10.10
Kazakhstan v Germany
Belgium v Austria
Azerbaijan v Turkey

25.03.11
Austria v Belgium
Germany v Kazakhstan

29.03.11
Turkey v Austria
Belgium v Azerbaijan

03.06.11
Belgium v Turkey
Austria v Germany
Kazakhstan v Azerbaijan

07.06.11
Azerbaijan v Germany

02.09.11
Azerbaijan v Belgium
Germany v Austria
Turkey v Kazakhstan

06.09.11
Austria v Turkey
Azerbaijan v Kazakhstan

07.10.11
Azerbaijan v Austria
Belgium v Kazakhstan
Turkey v Germany

11.10.11
Germany v Belgium
Turkey v Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan v Austria

GROUP B

03.09.10
Armenia v Ireland
Andorra v Russia
Slovakia v Macedonia

07.09.10
Ireland v Andorra
Russia v Slovakia
Macedonia v Armenia

08.10.10
Armenia v Slovakia
Ireland v Russia
Andorra v Macedonia

12.10.10
Armenia v Andorra
Slovakia v Ireland
Macedonia v Russia

26.03.11
Ireland v Macedonia
Andorra v Slovakia
Russia v Armenia

04.06.11
Armenia v Russia
Slovakia v Andorra
Macedonia v Ireland

02.09.11
Ireland v Slovakia
Andorra v Armenia
Russia v Macedonia

06.09.11
Russia v Ireland
Slovakia v Armenia
Macedonia v Andorra

07.10.11
Armenia v Macedonia
Andorra v Ireland
Slovakia v Russia

11.10.11
Ireland v Armenia
Russia v Andorra
Macedonia v Slovakia

GROUP C

11.08.10
Estonia v Faroe Islands

03.09.10
Slovenia v Northern Ireland
Estonia v Italy
Faroe Islands v Serbia

07.09.10
Serbia v Slovenia
Italy v Faroe Islands

08.10.10
Slovenia v Faroe Islands
Serbia v Estonia
Northern Ireland v Italy

12.10.10
Faroe Islands v Northern Ireland
Estonia v Slovenia
Italy v Serbia

25.03.11
Slovenia v Italy
Serbia v Northern Ireland

29.03.11
Northern Ireland v Slovenia
Estonia v Serbia

03.06.11
Faroe Islands v Slovenia
Italy v Estonia

07.06.11
Faroe Islands v Estonia

10.08.11
Northern Ireland v Faroe Islands

02.09.11
Slovenia v Estonia
Faroe Islands v Italy
Northern Ireland v Serbia

06.09.11
Italy v Slovenia
Serbia v Faroe Islands
Estonia v Northern Ireland

07.10.11
Northern Ireland v Estonia
Serbia v Italy

11.10.11
Italy v Northern Ireland
Slovenia v Serbia

GROUP D

03.09.10
France v Belarus
Romania v Albania
Luxembourg v Bosnia

07.09.10
Albania v Luxembourg
Bosnia v France
Belarus v Romania

08.10.10
Albania v Bosnia
Luxembourg v Belarus

09.10.10
France v Romania

12.10.10
Belarus v Albania
France v Luxembourg

25.03.11
Luxembourg v France

26.03.11
Bosnia v Romania
Albania v Belarus

29.03.11
Romania v Luxembourg

03.06.11
Belarus v France
Romania v Bosnia

07.06.11
Belarus v Luxembourg
Bosnia v Albania

02.09.11
Luxembourg v Romania
Belarus v Bosnia
Albania v France

06.09.11
Romania v France
Bosnia v Belarus
Luxembourg v Albania

07.10.11
Bosnia v Luxembourg
France v Albania
Romania v Belarus

11.10.11
France v Bosnia
Albania v Romania

GROUP E

03.09.10
Sweden v Hungary
Moldova v Finland
San Marino v Netherlands

07.09.10
Netherlands v Finland
Sweden v San Marino
Hungary v Moldova

08.10.10
Hungary v San Marino
Moldova v Netherlands

12.10.10
Netherlands v Sweden
Finland v Hungary
San Marino v Moldova

17.11.10
Finland v San Marino

25.03.11
Hungary v Netherlands

29.03.11
Netherlands v Hungary
Sweden v Moldova

03.06.11
Moldova v Sweden
San Marino v Finland

07.06.11
Sweden v Finland
San Marino v Hungary

02.09.11
Netherlands v San Marino
Finland v Moldova
Hungary v Sweden

06.09.11
Finland v Netherlands
Moldova v Hungary
San Marino v Sweden

07.10.11
Netherlands v Moldova
Finland v Sweden

11.10.11
Sweden v Netherlands
Hungary v Finland
Moldova v San Marino

GROUP F

03.09.10
Greece v Georgia
Israel v Malta
Latvia v Croatia

07.09.10
Georgia v Israel
Malta v Latvia
Croatia v Greece

08.10.10
Greece v Latvia
Georgia v Malta
Israel v Croatia

12.10.10
Greece v Israel
Latvia v Georgia
Croatia v Malta

26.03.11
Georgia v Croatia
Israel v Latvia
Malta v Greece

04.06.11
Greece v Malta
Latvia v Israel
Croatia v Georgia

02.09.11
Georgia v Latvia
Israel v Greece
Malta v Croatia

06.09.11
Malta v Georgia
Latvia v Greece
Croatia v Israel

07.10.11
Greece v Croatia
Israel v Georgia
Latvia v Malta

11.10.11
Georgia v Greece
Malta v Israel
Croatia v Latvia

GROUP G

03.09.10
Montenegro v Wales
England v Bulgaria

07.09.10
Bulgaria v Montenegro
Switzerland v England

08.10.10
Montenegro v Switzerland
Wales v Bulgaria

12.10.10
England v Montenegro
Switzerland v Wales

26.03.11
Wales v England
Bulgaria v Switzerland

04.06.11
Montenegro v Bulgaria
England v Switzerland

02.09.11
Wales v Montenegro
Bulgaria v England

06.09.11
England v Wales
Switzerland v Bulgaria

07.10.11
Montenegro v England
Wales v Switzerland

11.10.11
Bulgaria v Wales
Switzerland v Montenegro

GROUP H

03.09.10
Portugal v Cyprus
Iceland v Norway

07.09.10
Norway v Portugal
Denmark v Iceland

08.10.10
Portugal v Denmark
Cyprus v Norway

12.10.10
Iceland v Portugal
Denmark v Cyprus

26.03.11
Cyprus v Iceland
Norway v Denmark

04.06.11
Portugal v Norway
Iceland v Denmark

02.09.11
Cyprus v Portugal
Norway v Iceland

06.09.11
Iceland v Cyprus
Denmark v Norway

07.10.11
Portugal v Iceland
Cyprus v Denmark

11.10.11
Norway v Cyprus
Denmark v Portugal

GROUP I

03.09.10
Lithuania v Scotland
Liechtenstein v Spain

07.09.10
Czech Republic v Lithuania
Scotland v Liechtenstein

08.10.10
Spain v Lithuania
Czech Republic v Scotland

12.10.10
Scotland v Spain
Liechtenstein v Czech Republic

25.03.11
Spain v Czech Republic

29.03.11
Czech Republic v Liechtenstein
Lithuania v Spain

03.06.11
Liechtenstein v Lithuania

02.09.11
Lithuania v Liechtenstein

03.09.11
Scotland v Czech Republic

06.09.11
Spain v Liechtenstein
Scotland v Lithuania

07.10.11
Czech Republic v Spain

08.10.11
Liechtenstein v Scotland

11.10.11
Spain v Scotland
Lithuania v Czech Republic

The following dates are reserved for the play-off matches between the remaining eight runners-up:

a) 11/12 November 2011
b) 15 November 2011

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Watch World Cup qualifiers live here.

International press conferences at the best of times tend to be mundane, by the numbers affairs filled with platitudes by the key figures within the national side. Not much changes when it comes to conferences prior to World Cup qualifiers, or even the finals itself, but within the words always lies a common train of thought: There are few, if any greater honours in football than representing your country at the World Cup.

England press conferences are laced with references to qualification, how much being at the World Cup means to the players and what winning the trophy would mean to their careers. The same reverence for the competition can be found in the words of any major national side, so for the smaller nations, imagine the honour of being one of the 32 teams going to the finals.

The role played by the lesser nations in World Cup finals down the years has been one of the factors which has helped the competition reach such a status in the minds of players and fans alike. Think about the likes of North Korea in 1966, Bulgaria in 1994 and Senegal in 2002, all three, along with many others, have left a mark on the finals which remains in the national and international consciousness to this day.

In the build-up to the critical juncture for sides still harbouring ambitions of following in their footsteps by qualifying for South Africa in 2010, this article takes a look at some of the other sides in international football looking to make the finals. Some will be more familiar than others, some have already left their mark on the finals in years gone by, while others are looking to secure their place for the very first time. But irrespective of the history, the ambition remains the same amongst these sides as it does in the major nations: represent your country at the World Cup.

Africa

5 sides will join South Africa in the finals on the home continent, with Ghana looking fairly assured of their place in the finals going into this weekend’s fixtures. Group 2 also looks to be a straight fight between Tunisia and Nigeria for the qualifying berth, while the Ivory Coast also appear to be headed for their second straight finals. The Elephants will all but secure qualification with a win at home today, but they need to overcome Burkina Faso, second in the group, three points behind the Ivory Coast with three games left.

Les Etalons are no strangers to the final round of African qualifying, but this represents their first real opportunity to make the finals, after securing wins away in Malawi and a surprise 4-2 win in the Burkinase capital of Ouagadougou against Guinea. Defeat against the Ivory Coast put a severe dent in their ambitions to make the finals, and defeat in Abidjan this afternoon will all but extinguish their hopes, but they will hope to replicate the kind of performances which have taken them to this stage, which include going unbeaten in the previous stage of qualifying in a group including Tunisia. If the Stallions want to put themselves back in with a shout of qualifying, they will need to rely heavily on the influence of Hamburg’s Jonathan Pitropia in midfield, along with CFR Cluj’s Yssouf Kone up front. At best, it seems a long shot for Burkina Faso, but to still be in with a shout at this stage represents significant progress for a side who haven’t come close to qualifying for the finals previously.

In with a far better shout are the somewhat more familiar name of Algeria, who have their own place in World Cup history for both the right and wrong reasons. The Desert Foxes made the finals in both 1982 and 1986, defeating eventual finalists West Germany 2-1 in their opening match of the former, which remains one of the major shocks in finals history. However, the Algerians were then the victims of the infamous agreement between the West Germans and Austrians in the final match of the group, which allowed both sides to advance to the second phase as a consequence of a 1-0 victory for the West Germans. The fix sparked international outrage, but ultimately little was done to help the Algerians, with a revision of the scheduling for the final group matches the end result of the shambolic events. Algeria never reached such a stage again, a draw against Northern Ireland in Mexico four years later proving to be their only point of the group.

Since then, qualifying for the World Cup has been a mixture of near misses (defeat over two legs against Egypt denying them a place at Italia 90) and humiliation (Defeat to Kenya over two legs in the opening stage of qualification for France 98). In the period, they also managed to win their first and only African Cup of Nations on home soil in 1990, but Algeria have toiled somewhat since that famous day in Gijon 27 years ago.

Now they probably find themselves two wins away from the World Cup finals, with home fixtures agaisnt Zambia and Rwanda coming up, which should allow them to further increase their advantage in goal difference over the Egyptians before their potentially deciding contest in Cairo on the 14th November. If the Algerians manage to win their next two games, then chances are they will go to the Egyptian capital with a near unassailable goal difference, along with a three-point lead over the reigning African Cup of Nations champions, making qualification all but guaranteed. With a couple of familiar names within their ranks, such as Portsmouth’s Nadir Belhadj, Blackpool’s Hamuer Bouazza and Hull’s new recruit Kamil Ghilas, along with lynchpin Karim Ziani, currently playing for Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, things are looking good for the Algerians in their bid to make the finals for the first time in 24 years.

Perhaps the side with the greatest chance of upsetting the odds however is Gabon, with the national side’s progress on the pitch reflecting the prosperity the country is experiencing off it. The Black Panthers’ progress since their first attempt to qualify for the finals in 1990 has been marked, going from relative also-rans up to now, where they still face a difficult task in qualifying top of Group A, but after wins in Morocco and at home to Togo, they find themselves two points clear of the latter with a game in hand to come. Four points over their next two games, home and away to Cameroon, should put them in a commanding position on top of the group ahead of a visit to Togo in October, with a home tie in Libraville against Morocco to finish their campaign.

Save for three African Cup of Nations appearances (With a fourth guaranteed due to their co-hosting with Equatorial Guinea in 2012), Gabon have largely failed to leave an impact upon African football since their introduction nearly 50 years ago. Now, with former French international Alain Giresse at the helm, and Hull’s Daniel Cousin spearheading the attack, the Azingo Nationale could be about to upset the odds, after starting out their group percieved as the weakest and least experienced of the quartet looking to secure top spot. Of all the three ‘outsiders’ in with a genuine shout of qualification, Gabon probably represent the best chance of success, along with one of the more interesting stories, given the relatively unheralded nature of the team.

Asia

Qualification for the Asian nations has been all but concluded, with Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Australia (despite their tenous claims to Asian residency) making up four of the potential five sides from Asia who can make it to South Africa next year. One spot remains available to the AFC however, with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain due to contest a play-off for 5th place, with the first leg in Riffa later, with the return in Riyadh on Wednesday, the winner going on to play New Zealand for a place in the finals.

For Al-Ahmar, who will start as underdogs against the experienced Saudi Arabians, victory would provide them with a fantastic opportunity to make the finals and finally break through into the ranks of the top Asian teams, after years of threatening to make the step up. Thus far, Bahrain’s international history has been littered with near-misses, casting themselves as the bridesmaids of the Asian Federation.

Three times the Reds have finished as runners up in the Gulf Cup of Nations since the inaugural competition in 1970. Twice they have been defeated in the final of the Arab Nations Cup since 1985. Their record in the Asian Cup was unremarkable for many years, prior to the 2004 edition in China, where the Bahrainis twice led against Japan in the semi-finals, only to concede a stoppage time equaliser and go down 4-3 after extra time, eventually finishing 4th overall.

Probably the biggest disappointment came four years ago in qualification for the last World Cup, where a play-off victory over Uzbekistan took them into a two-legged qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago, with the winner going to Germany. A 1-0 defeat away in the first leg was recovered by half-time in the return leg in Manama, before Dennis Lawrence ended the Gulf state’s hopes of making the final with the crucial away goal, The Soca Warriors winning the tie 2-1 on aggregate. Now, Bahrain potentially find themselves two wins away from their debut appearance at the finals, but with plenty of work to do to overcome the Saudi Arabians in the first instance, they could be in for another disappointment, it will be up to star turn Mahmood ‘Ringo’ Abdulrahman to upset the Saudi Arabians and take Bahrain to the brink of qualification for South Africa.

Europe

With 13 places at stake, and only the Netherlands thus far qualified for the finals, Europe remains the most open of all the continental qualifying zones. Expect to see the Dutch joined over the next few days by the likes of Germany, Spain and England over the next few days, but otherwise the groups remain open, with a few old names and new sides making an impact in their bid to make it to South Africa next June.

Hungary are probably the most notable of the ‘outsiders’ looking to make it to the finals, with a track record in international football that matches up to most, however it has been a long time since they had their moment in the spotlight. Along with the Dutch finalists of 1974 and ’78 and Brazil’s 1950 runners-up, Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars’ of 1954 probably represent one of the greatest teams to play at the World Cup who failed to come away with the title.With the likes of Sandor Kocsis, Nandor Hidegkuti and Ferenc Puskas in their ranks, the Hungarians went on an unbeaten run of 32 games, spanning over 4 years, all the way to the final, where they fell victim to the ‘Miracle of Berne’, losing to a West German side who they had defeated 8-3 in the group stages a fortnight earlier. Combined with their defeat to the Italians after extra time in the 1934 final, the Hungarians, much like the Bahrainis, have the feel of a nearly-side, although on a far grander scale.

Since the heady days of the 50′s, Hungarian football has gradually declined from World Cup finals, European Championship semi-finals in 1964 and 1972, and Honved’s status as one of the greatest European club teams, to no World Cup appearances in 23 years, no European Championship finals in 37 years, and the nadir of a 2-1 defeat to Malta in qualification for Euro 2008. Since that infamous night nearly three years ago, Hungarian football has been undergoing something of a renaissance at club and international level, although the Magyars still face an uphill battle to follow in the footsteps of domestic champions Debrecni in breaking the glass ceiling of qualification for the Champions’ League group stages.

Wins over Albania, Malta and a draw at home to Denmark have put the Hungarians in a good position to at least make the play-offs through Group 1, exploiting the slip-ups by favourites Portugal and Sweden thus far. With four games to go, the Magyars still face home and away fixtures against Portugal, a trip to Copenhagen to face the group leaders and a crucial tie at home to Sweden this evening, looking to avenge their only defeat thus far, 2-1 at the Rasunda Stadium. With an in-form Denmark still to host Portugal and Sweden, a few positive results for the Hungarians should see them into the play-offs, a few other positive results may even see them qualify automatically, heralding a remarkable return to form after a long barren spell. You get the impression that while their resurgence may be stopped in it’s tracks were they to make it to the finals, a return to the main stage for the Hungarians may provide a point of interest, even if it comes at the expense of the prescence of Cristiano Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Africa.

Group 3 remains wide open, with five sides still potentially in with a shout of making it to the play-offs or qualifying automatically, with Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic looking to build upon recent visits to the finals. For Slovakia and Northern Ireland however, filling the top two spots in the group at this late stage represents something new in the first instance, and a welcome return to form for the Northern Irish.

Formed out of the Czechoslovakian split in 1993, the Slovakians have on a number of occasions threatened to make an impression in qualifying, none more so than in making the play-offs for the first time in a major competition four years ago, before going down to a rampant Spain over two legs. Their current situation undoubtedly presents their greatest opportunity to date however, with the Slovakians going on a remarkable run of form over the last two years.

The Repre have only managed draws with Hungary and Iceland in their last nine friendlies, with defeats to the Icelandics and away to Cyprus in amongst the seven defeats. However, their six matches in qualification have produced 5 wins and only one defeat, away to Slovenia almost a year ago. With victories in Prague against the Czechs, along with home wins against fellow group rivals Poland and Northern Ireland, the Slovaks find themselves two points ahead of the chasing pack, with a game in hand over the Northern Irish and Slovenians.

With renowned talent throughout the side, such as Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel, Napoli’s Marek Hamsik and leading goalscorer Stanislav Sestak, Slovakia certainly have what it takes to pick up the necessary points from their remaining four matches to make their inaugural appearance at the finals, and trouble a few teams if and when they reach that stage.

The Northern Irish probably present the greatest threat to the Slovakians chances of finishing top of Group 3. For Nigel Worthington’s men, to even be at this stage given their position only a few years ago marks them out as possibly the most improved side in Europe over recent years. Qualification for Euro 2004 saw the Northern Irish finish rock bottom of group 6, home and away defeats to Armenia being one of the lowest moments in international history for a side famed for their exploits in knocking out the hosts against the odds at the World Cup in 1982. Ranked 45th out of 52 UEFA nations, scoring a goal to end a 1,298 minute drought in a 4-1 defeat to Norway sparked embarrasingly jubilant celebration amongst the Windsor Park faithful during a friendly in February 2004. Little were we to know at the time that would be the catalyst for the Wee Nation’s stunning revival.

Wins followed. Qualifying wins followed. Qualification wins against Denmark, Spain, England followed. Northern Ireland became competitive again. Windsor Park became a fortress. Windsor Park remains a fortress, thus far unbreached in this qualifying campaign. Suddenly, the momentum has led to the point where the team finds itself in the best position to secure a play-off spot, with a two-point advantage over Slovenia and three over Poland, but having played a game more. In order to all but secure their spot in the play-offs, the Northern Irish must build upon a poor away record with positive results in Chorzow today and in concluding their campaign in the Czech Republic a month from now. With a visit by leaders Slovakia sandwiched in between, five points should see Northern Ireland into the play-offs and given them a genuine shout of making the finals for the first time since 1986. Nine points, and the resurgence for one of Europe’s trickier outfits will be complete.

A side quickly establishing a similar reputation for itself in UEFA are the relative newcomers Bosnia-Herzegovina, currently second in Group 6, behind European champions Spain, with the focus upon retaining their play-off spot, with a four-point gap to nearest rivals Turkey. The Bosnians, much like Slovakia, came into being in 1993 and have since then developed into a side shot through with talented players, forming a cohesive unit backed by fervent support which has made visits to Sarajevo and Zenica tricky for any side, 3 defeats in 12 years and 17 World Cup qualifiers in Bosnia telling their own story.

One goal away from qualification for Euro 2004, clearly the Balkan nation are a side who have the knack for qualification campaigns, a trait which should eventually see them rewarded with a trip to a major finals. Now may be the moment for them, with Turkey stuttering badly and Belgium a former shadow of themselves, evidence coming in their 2-1 defeat in Zenica in April, off the back of a stunning 4-2 win in Genk for the Bosnians four days earlier. The double against such famous opposition has put them in great shape, ahead of a visit to Armenia later on, with Turkey and Spain still to make the trip to Southern Europe. Led by sought-after Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, with support in the shape of Lyon starlet Miralem Pjanic and Hoffenheim’s recovering marksman Vedad Ibisevic, Bosnia should at least secure themselves a play-off position given their run of fixtures remaining in the group, a two-legged tie no-one will fancy, especially given the daunting task of having to get something positive from an away day in Sarajevo or Zenica.

North America

By and large, it’s a case of the usual suspects in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, with three of the top four spots in almost certain to be filled by the United States, Costa Rica and Mexico, with the fourth placed side in the group advancing to a two-legged play-off against fifth place from the South American equivalent. Looking to disrupt the established order of the last two qualifying campaigns are Honduras, who are beginning to convert their long-held promise into tangible results, with World Cup qualification beckoning for La Bicolor.

The Hondurans aren’t complete strangers to success, with one finals appearance to their name, making a decent account of themselves in Group 5 during Espana ’82, coming off the back of a CONCACAF title (The prelude to the Gold Cup) a year earlier. Combined with two UNCAF championships in the early 1990′s, as the best side in the Central Americas region, Honduras have a decent track record of success by comparative standards in the North American region. Since their second UNCAF title in 1993 though, results have been patchy for Los Catrachos. Near misses, such as with qualifying for Japan/Korea in 2002 and finishing 3rd in the 2001 Copa America have been followed up with bad campaigns in attempting to make the finals in 1998 and 2006.

They have maintained good form all the way throughout their qualifying run up to this stage in a bid to make South Africa, and with a perfect record from three home games thus far in the final group, coupled with a draw away to 2006 finalists Trinidad and Tobago, the Hondurans have 10 points from 6 games, leading the United States by virtue of goal difference, one point clear of 4th placed Mexico. With four games remaining, including a visit to Mexico and hosting the USA, Honduras are not yet guaranteed a place in South Africa, but the signs look good. With a young side finding places within important European and world clubs (Wilson Palacios at Spurs, Ramon Nunez at Cruz Azul and David Suazo still at Inter Milan), Honduras are slowly beginning to make their prescence felt on the world stage. Qualification for South Africa next year may give this burgeoning side a chance to test their mettle against the best there is, and see how far they have improved from the inconsistent unit which characterised the last two decades for the Hondurans.

Oceania

The defection of Australia to the Asian confederation has opened the door for New Zealand to assume dominance of a confederation painfully thin on competition. Typically, the All Whites’ World Cup campaign would be long ended by now, given the sheer dominance of the Socceroos over many years in the OFC, a domination only broken once, when the New Zealanders advanced to the World Cup finals in Mexico 23 years ago, only to be hammered by the Scots, Soviets and Brazilians en route to bottom place in their group. The low point for the national side came only five years ago, when the Solomon Islands finished second in the final OFC phase of qualifying, pipping New Zealand to the right to being beaten by Australia in the final play-off.

The departure of the Australians to Asian qualifying has given New Zealand their opportunity, one seized, along with the OFC Nations Cup last year, topping a group including New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu, guaranteeing themselves a play-off against either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia for the right to go to South Africa. Victory in the continental competition gave us a chance to see the New Zealanders in action at the Confederations Cup held as a dry run for the finals in June/July. Unfortunately, there was little promise shown throughout the All Whites’ three group games, unsurprisingly being on the recieving end of a drubbing by Spain, followed by lifeless performances in losing to the hosts, and getting a point against an equally uninspiring Iraq team. As a warm-up for the serious business of the two-legged play-off to come in October and November, it was not promising for the New Zealanders.

It would be wrong to be entirely negative however, as worse sides have gone to the World Cup in years gone by (A hopelessly out of depth Zaire in 1978 and an equally bad El Salvador in 1986) and worse sides will probably go to the World Cup in the future. For New Zealand, to even be at this stage can only be a positive experience, and two positive results are all that stand between them and a prestigious spot in the finals, an achievable target, especially if the likes of Blackburn’s Ryan Nelsen, Celtic Chris Killen and San Jose Earthquakes’ Simon Elliott are on form. Beyond the qualification process, you fear for what damage could be inflicted to this New Zealand side if paired up against a serious contender, but when you relate back to the concept of the honour in representing your nation at the World Cup finals, such worries can be negated somewhat.

South Africa

With the focus firmly on the twin powers of Brazil and Argentina, particularly with the latter’s struggles to qualify for the finals, every other contender for one of the top four automatic spots, or the 5th place which will take them into a play-off against the fourth placed side from North America, has been allowed to progress through qualifying without much focus on their performance. Clearly this has helped Chile in their bid to return to the finals for the first time since France ’98, with their impressive results which have taken them to the brink of qualification relatively unheralded amongst the South American media.

With four games remaining in the group, La Roja find themselves six points clear of Ecuador in 5th place. With two wins this week, tonight against a struggling Venezuelan team in Santiago and away to Bolivia on Wednesday, Chile will all but guarantee qualification for the finals, a reward for their brand of attractive football pursued under Argentinean Marcelo Bielsa since he took the job in 2007. It will signal a return to the finals for a Chilean team with a chequered history in the competition, famous more for their anecdotal history and low points rather than their performances in the competition.

A run to the semi-finals on home soil in 1962, made famous by the oft-repeated story about beating teams after eating or drinking steretypical food or drink from their country, was marred by the ‘Battle of Santiago’, when their match against Italy descended into an all-out brawl, defined as the “most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition in football.” Combined with the ban the Chileans recieved from trying to qualify for USA ’94 after goalkeeper Roberto Rojas cut himself with a blade to make it seem as if he had been hit by a missile from the Brazilian crowd behind him during a crucial Italia ’90 qualifier, and Chile’s record of one semi-final, one second round finish and four other first round appearances soon pale into comparison.

This time around, Chile have the potential to make the headlines for the right reasons. Gone are the twin towers of Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano leading the line for the Chileans, replaced by players of lesser calibre, but who have collectively unified to produce a strong team, accounting for Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia throughout the qualifying process. Although unremarkable talents on their own, the likes of Boca Juniors midfielder Gary Medel, Sporting Lisbon winger Matias Fernandez and Monterrey striker Humerto Suazo have all contributed to put Chile on the verge of making it back to the finals. Come South Africa, they will hope to make the headlines for all the right reasons.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In a week dominated by headlines with the visit of United States President Barack Obama and his administration’s hopes of repairing somewhat strained relations with his host, Türkiye, any feelings of conciliation and mutual understanding that were fostered during this trip had absolutely no bearing on the world of sport.

And while President Obama, addressing the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, made one sporting reference to two Turkish basketball players plying their trade in America’s NBA, Mehmet Okur and Hidayet Türkoğlu, one got the feeling that even if the President were an avid football fan (there is no conclusive evidence that he is or isn’t), he would have made no attempt to foray into any  light humored discussion of the colossal derby match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe that was scheduled to be played merely days after his visit.

So divisive is this match that even if White House advisors had told the President that football is a great way to start a conversation with an average Turk, all of the President’s efforts in reaching grounds for mutual understand and respect would have been unraveled should any Turkish journalist have had the opportunity to ask the President who he would support on Sunday.

Without a doubt the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe (GS-FB as it is commonly referred to in short script) derby holds grip of the country as well as ex-pat Turks living around the world. While I will note that the renown World Soccer magazine recently placed it as the number three derby (after Boca-River and Barcelona-Real Madrid) in the world, others have done a far better job at explaining the history behind this derby and I will defer to their expertise. Yet this week’s derby held monumental ramifications for both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe aside from the usual obligations of either club to defeat its biggest rival.

The season has proved to be a huge disappointment for both Istanbul giants and in light of their position in the table with both clubs anchored at third (Fener) and fourth (Galatasaray) for a good portion of 2009, both clubs were trying to reassert their relevancy to a title race that is more and more being contested by rank outsiders Sivasspor (who have never won a title) and Istanbul’s “other” giant, Beşiktaş.

Given the fact that since 1995, with the exception of Beşiktaş’ league win in 2003, the title has been claimed by either Galatasaray or Fenerbahçe, supporters were growing impatient with a season that has been spent by both clubs on the sidelines watching a championship race. Needless to say that along with the usual baggage and burdens borne by both clubs coming into a derby, this match at Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium was crucial to either club’s championship hopes. Both clubs sat on equal points separated by goal difference but as the match kicked off, Sivasspor had extended their lead to 9 points and Beşiktaş to 8 points. In terms that can be best understood by neutrals, imagine a scenario where Chelsea and Manchester United were set to square off with the league being led by, say, Fulham. Such was the scenario.

In a dour match that ended 0-0, the highlight was an all out brawl in the dying minutes of injury time. It is a testament to the animosity felt by both clubs against the other as well as to the frustrations felt by both clubs in light of what a 0-0 draw would effectively mean to their championship aspirations. Ironically there were reports and numerous interviews in the days leading up to the derby by players from both clubs who reaffirmed that they could reconcile their friendships outside of football with a passion to see their club win.

As I noted in the days leading up to Türkiye’s World Cup qualifier against Spain, the Turkish national team is comprised of players mostly from Galatasaray and Fener whose club affiliations take a back seat to the national cause under the guidance of manager Fatih Terim. You would think that the relations fostered on the national team by stars, like Arda Turan of Galatasaray and Semih Şentürk of Fenerbahçe, might diffuse any tensions felt by the supporters. That wishful thinking was quickly dispensed as Roberto Carlos lined up one last free kick attempt. Veteran national team and Galatasaray defender Emre Aşık was felled in his own area and lashed out at Fener’s Diego Lugano. The standard camaraderie actions by teammates to protect one another quickly led to a tussle between Arda and Semih and when Semih went to the ground after an apparent punch by Arda, Galatasaray’s goalkeeper Morgan de Sanctis and fellow Turkish international Hakan Balta, lifted Semih off the ground by his shirt like a father picking up a three year old child.

The tension was also visible with the two club presidents, who sat side by side throughout the match but were seen nowhere together as the fight ensued. Galatasaray coach Bülent Korkmaz came onto the pitch to diffuse the situation amongst his players but was joined by a fan wearing an Arda kit running from one end of the pitch to the other, and like many of the clowns that engage in this behavior, never making it anywhere near the target as he was taken out by security.

More alarming was the growing discontent in the stands where UltrAslan and the other Galatasaray supporters began to rain down whatever they could throw onto the pitch. While the melee hovered around Galatasaray’s goal, in the center of the pitch stood Galatsaray’s Cassio Lincoln arm in arm with Fener’s Roberto Carlos. Both watched in amusement and seemed to enjoy whatever they might have been animatedly discussing. Perhaps the scene in front of them hit a nostalgic chord of memories from their playing days in Brazil where scenes like this are not so foreign. Whatever it was, the image of two Brazilians from either side casually conversing juxtaposed next to images of the match officials being whisked away by Turkish police holding up shields amidst raining plastic seats was one to take in.

Far less comedic is the harsh reality that both Galatasaray and Fener wake up to as they now sit 8 points behind Sivasspor with only seven matches left in the league.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Watch live World Cup qualifiers here.

With the conclusion of FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifiers yesterday we move one step closer to determining which thirty-one other countries will be joining host South Africa to contest for the globe’s biggest sporting honor. A slew of matches across the world at all time zones really reinforces that no sport can dare rival football for supremacy in popularity but also, unfortunately, in tragedy.

That point was underscored by the tragic deaths of 22 fans in Cote D’Ivoire as a result of a stampede. Their memories were honored in midweek qualifiers where a minute of silence was taken before kick-off. Organizers from South Africa had to reassure fans and FIFA that no such repeat would happen at the World Cup Finals. While there was a measure of somber from this news, there was plenty of interesting takes on the matches over the past five days.

CONMEBOL: Argentina crash out to Bolivia, and Ecuador’s new hero

With the score being flashed on television as Bolivia 6 Argentina 1, you couldn’t blame a fan for thinking the television networks, be it Sky Sports or ESPN, reversed the order of names as an April Fool’s joke. But since the match was played in La Paz, or what some neighboring countries in South America equate as to playing in heaven’s basement, the score seemed to make some sense.

So much for the vociferous support by Diego Maradona for Bolivia’s right to play matches in the high altitudes of La Paz in the face of FIFA’s suggestion against having matches played in high altitude venues. Even “el Pibe” must have been biting his tongue as he dramatically declared each of the goals scored against Argentina in their 6-1 humbling at the hands of Bolivia and Joaquin Botero (who had three) was “a stab in the heart.” For Argentines the memories of that 5-0 loss back in 1993 against Colombia must have flooded back. The honeymoon period with Diego Maradona is officially over. Argentina remain fourth on 19 points, a precarious position as they sit only two points ahead of their nearest rivals, Uruguay, and two points ahead of automatic qualification.

Another highlight this round of qualifiers was Cristian Noboa of Ecuador, a “super sub” of sorts as he came on to salvage a point by scoring the equalizer against Brasil on Sunday and repeated the feat against leaders Paraguay. At this rate, Ecuador may want to contemplate starting the man as they, along with Colombia, sit only 3 points off fifth place Uruguay.

UEFA: Surprise Package Northern Ireland and Undefeated Spain

When the draw for Group Three was made, Northern Ireland supporters must have concluded that the “luck of the Irish” might have applied only to the Republic of Ireland. Drawn with Euro 2008 participants Poland and the Czech Republic, the chances were even more marginalized (at least on paper) by the presence of Slovenia and Slovakia. Well, seven matches later, Nigel Worthington’s men sit atop of the group after some brave performances along with a little luck, courtesy of an Artur Boruc howler. Granted that second place Slovakia have two matches in hand whilst Poland and the Czech Republic each have one match in hand, Northern Ireland’s chances of returning to the World Cup after a 24 year absence are vastly improved.

Spain has justified their number one status in FIFA’s controversial ranking system with an emphatic away win over Türkiye at the Ali Sami Yen stadium. Despite the hype surrounding the deadly strike force duo of Fernando Torres and David Villa, it was Spain’s more unsung heroes that carried the day; Gerard Pique’s goal in Madrid and Alberto Riera snatching the winner late in Istanbul. Riera’s performances, for both Spain and Liverpool of late, are raising his stock and he certainly made his intentions clear by nearly scoring a rifling shot early in yesterday’s match. For two countries whose football are dominated by two clubs, (FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe for Türkiye), Villareal managed to have a sizeable representation on the pitch with Marcos Senna, Santi Cazorla, Fernando Llorente, Joan Capdevila and Türkiye’s Nihat Kahveci. That may be somewhat reassuring for fans of the “Yellow Submarine” when they take on Arsenal in a week’s time.

More troubling for Türkiye has been the ascendancy of Bosnia-Hercegovina, who quietly dispensed with Belgium in both matches and sit second on 12 points, four ahead of Türkiye. Fatih Terim has his work cut out for him as four matches remain. Spain have still yet to lose and are undefeated in their last 31 international matches. More and more Spain are demonstrating again how they were duly crowned Euro 2008 champions.

AFC: Australia move closer and tensions between North and South Korea

Australia’s inclusion into the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 has paid off dividends nicely as they sit in a comfortable position to qualify for their second consecutive World Cup appearance. While they and Japan will ultimately duel as to who will end up first or second in Group A, everything else appears to be decided as Bahrain can only hope to qualify via the back door. The same cannot be said of Group B where first to third position is separated by a mere one point.

The political climate on the Korean peninsula has been dodged by speculation as to whether North Korea is preparing to test an ICBM or simply launching a satellite and recent tensions never fail to affect any meeting between South and North Korea in sporting matters. The two countries met in Seoul on Wednesday and despite the presence of Manchester United’s Park Ji Sung and veteran left-back Lee Young Pyo, South Korea could manage only to score off a Kim Chi Woo free-kick that weaved past numerous North Korean defenders and into the net. The fireworks came after when North Korean coach, Kim Jong Hoon, fired his own ICBM at a post-match press conference blaming intentional food poisoning by the South having taken its toll on talisman Jong Tae-se and his keeper.

One wouldn’t have guessed seeing how Jong nearly scored the opening goal off a header that was scooped out by a sprawling and somewhat overweight South Korean keeper, Lee Woon Jae. South Korea sit atop of Group B on 11 points with a match in hand, North Korea lie in second place on 10 points and a rejuvenated Saudi Arabia on 10 points but third on goal difference.

The other story was Saudi Arabia’s late win over Iran in Tehran on the weekend that ended in the dismissal of Iran’s coach, Ali Daei. Iran are looking to making themselves relevant again in this group but face an uphill road to qualification.

CONCACAF: Mexico loses again and Sven on the cutting board; US recovers

Prior to Mexico’s match against Costa Rica on the weekend, the buzz in Mexico was Shaktar Donetsk’s Nery Castillo’s tirade against the Mexican media in what must have been a very tense press conference. Perhaps feeling the pressures of having lost to the United States in Columbus, Ohio and still searching for virgin points, Castillo gave the Mexican media a piece of his mind.

A 2-0 win over los ticos in the Azteca Stadium along with the fans’ chanting “Nery” gave former England coach Sven Göran Erikson some breathing room and Mexico its first three points. On that same night, leaders United States were in San Salvador to take on a team that had not scored against the Americans since 1997: El Salvador. Before the Americans could recompose themselves in the midst of a raucous stadium, former DC United player Eliseo Quintanilla had ended la selecta’s drought by scoring and a second was added by promising youngster Cristian Castillo. Unfortunately for El Salvador, who have not appeared in a World Cup since 1982, three points dwindled down to a solitary point as Jozy Alitodore and Franky Hejduk salvaged a point and some pride after the Americans had looked somewhat lost during a good portion of the match.

The real United States showed up to dispense with Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, but the bigger story was Mexico’s self destruction against Honduras and the continuation of Mexico’s woes in their qualification bid. Carlos Costly’s two goals may be the proverbial needle that breaks the back of the Mexican FA and their relationship with Sven Göran Erikson. With only three matches played, there is still a long way to go for CONCACAF until the dust settles and when it does only the top three advance with the fourth place team having to take on CONMEBOL’s fifth place team. Mexico currently occupies that fourth position on three points with El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago on two points each. With the prospect of having to face potentially a dangerous Uruguay side (that did away with Paraguay on Saturday), or with the way fortunes are turning out, Argentina, Mexico has all the incentive to find their winning ways.

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Football this weekend turns from its domestic league scene to the international stage as countries again vie for coveted and limited spots in next year’s World Cup. Perhaps for clubs like Manchester United, without a point in their last two Premiership matches, the international break is like a godsend. And while all of England can refocus on the “Three Lions” and their quest to redeem their uncharacteristic absence from Euro 2008 and to name themselves among the 32 teams in South Africa, one other match in this week’s qualifiers is worthy of our attention.

Although the final at Euro 2008 was contested between Spain and Germany, many will remember how close Türkiye was from the final during their memorable semi-final against Germany. Injuries and suspensions placed a heavy toll on a depleted Turkish side and even gave us glance into Fatih Terim’s sense of humor when he said he would play third string keeper Tolga Zengin as an outfield player in that semi-final.

The rash of injuries turned the Turkish camp into their own mini hospital and their elimination deprived fans of perhaps a final of countering football philosophies: Spanish technical perfection and execution versus a Turkish fighting mentality to win in the face of insurmountable odds.

We never saw it in Euro 2008, and perhaps with the number of injuries nursed by the Turkish team, it was better we were made to wait until this Saturday when Türkiye visit the cavernous Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid to take on Spain in their Group Five World Cup qualifier. Interestingly enough and by way of the scheduling methods at FIFA when the group draws were made, the return leg is played some four days after in Istanbul giving us a convenient home-and-away fixture minus the complications of aggregate goals and the away-goal rule.

Since Euro 2008 the football relationship between Spain and Türkiye has taken on an interesting twist. Former coach and the man who led Spain to their Euro 2008 crown, Luis Aragones, was signed by Fenerbahçe whilst the man who replaced him, Vincente Del Bosque, was once coach of BeÅŸiktaÅŸ (needless to say that this is not the highlight of Del Bosque’s illustrious managerial career). Fernando Torres’ understudy at Euro 2008, David Güiza, also followed his international manager to Fenerbahçe while Türkiye’s naturalized Brazilian, Mehmet Aurelio, flew in the opposite direction to join Real Betis. He joined fellow Turks Nihat Kahveci and Ibrahim KaÅŸ who both ply their football trade in Spain for Villareal and Getafe, respectively.

Spain sit atop of Group Five with four wins out of four matches. Türkiye follow suit in second position with two wins and two draws. However, more troubling for Fatih Terim and his squad will be finding a way to score in Madrid as Spain have yet to concede a goal at home in the course of these qualifiers. With Belgium only a point behind and Bosnia-Herzegovina trailing by two points, and both countries playing their own home-and-away this week, the pressure is certainly on Türkiye to milk as many points as possible in these two crucial matches.

Making sense of the squad

The inclusion of a number of footballers from Türkiye’s lesser known clubs (but not “lesser” in stature) demonstrates the raw talent that Fatih Terim has at his disposal for selection. The call up of Sivasspor’s Sedat Bayrak is surprising if only because of the way Sivasspor has been playing of late and the fact that they still lead the Turkcell Super Lig (Türkiye’s domestic league); one might expect Fatih Terim to include more of Sedat’s teammates, such as Mehmet Yıldiz.

Another player to take a glance at is Bursaspor’s Sercan Yıldirim, demonstrated no less by his performance in Bursa’s 2-1 win over Fenerbahçe this past week when he almost scored a Lionel Messi-like goal. It was that kind of a weekend for the big clubs in Türkiye as Galatasaray continued their midweek misery in being dumped out of the UEFA Cup by Hamburg SV and culminating in a 1-0 defeat by EskiÅŸehirspor in the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. No wonder Fatih Terim has called up Eski’s Batahun Karadeniz for these important qualifiers.

Perhaps troubling for the Turkish national team is the form of its two major contributing clubs, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. Having engaged in a tug of war for the title last season in the months leading up to Euro 2008, both clubs find themselves trying to reassert their relevance to this season’s title chase. With Fener lying in fourth position and Galatasaray in fifth (both on same points but separated by goal difference), players from both clubs account for 10 of the 25 man provisional squad. Yet out of the three clubs that sit one, two and three in the league (Sivasspor, BeÅŸitkaÅŸ and Trabzonspor), Fatih Terim has selected only four players.

I am not one who believes that a club’s position in the table is indicative of the ability of individual players, but when Fatih Terim seems to rely on the usual suspects like Sabri SarioÄŸlu and Hakan Kadir Balta, both part of a very suspect Galatasaray defense that has gone AWOL in the last two matches, one has to wonder at their inclusions in light of who Türkiye face on Saturday.

The same applies to English born Kazim-Kazim. All are competent players on their good days, but with the rut experienced by both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, there should be more questions asked of Fatih Terim’s selection process considering the burdens that will be placed on the defense. Which goalkeeper should start? Fenerbahçe’s Volkan Demirel or BeÅŸiktaÅŸ’experienced (some might say too experienced) RüÅŸtü Reçber?

And while we’re on the subject of goalkeepers, the third string keeper this time around is Ufuk Ceylan selected from Vestel Manisaspor, a club in the second division. Fatih seems to operate on two extremes: the well known and usual suspects or the complete opposite in selecting someone so obscure and out of place. Hopefully Türkiye do not find themselves in a position where they have to contemplate using a third string keeper, either in goal or as Fatih joked, as an outfield player.

Et tu, Turan?

Euro 2008 sensation Arda Turan has looked somewhat sluggish and overweight in his appearances for Galatasaray, despite orchestrating a brilliant goal scored by Milan Baros against Hamburg that showed us the vast potential Arda possesses in truly becoming world class. An injury to Bayern München’s Hamit Altintop, the real engine in my mind behind the midfield for Türkiye, certainly puts the national team at a disadvantage if he is unable to be deemed match fit in time for Saturday. And the “lifeguard” Semih Åžentürk, has been rather hot or cold for Fenerbahçe depending on which matches we talk about (scoring twice against basement dwellers Haccetepe in a 7-0 obliteration or virtually non-existent in that 2-1 loss to Bursaspor last week).

Fatih Terim may have to look to Semih’s predecessor at Fener, Tuncay Åžanlı, as the man to link up with Villareal’s Nihat Kahveci, but fortunately for Fatih Terim goal scoring is not an art lost on their strikers. Much will be asked of Türkiye’s forwards to penetrate what appears to be an invincible Spanish defense and much more will be asked of Türkiye’s defense. But I cannot help but be skeptical when the anchor of Türkiye’s defense rests on the shoulders of veteran Emre Aşık due to the absence of stalwart defenders BeÅŸiktaÅŸ’ Gökhan Zan and Galatasaray’s Servet Çetin. Hopefully for Fatih Terim and 70 million of his compatriots in Türkiye, club form will not dictate the form of his players in both qualifiers.

Fatih Terim has announced that should the national team lose both matches, “it would not be the end of the world.” Perhaps, but it could be the end of their campaign to build on what they masterfully did at Euro 2008. Only if Belgium draw both matches against Bosnia-Hercegovina would two losses against Spain be sustainable for Türkiye’s qualification for South Africa. But the one question many have is which Turkish side will come out to play? Let’s hope for football sake it is a side that plays with the same resilience and hunger against a very, very good Spanish side.

Türkiye Squad

Goalkeepers: Volkan Demirel (Fenerbahçe); RüÅŸtü Reçber (BeÅŸiktaÅŸ); Ufuk Ceylan (Manisaspor)

Defenders: Gökhan Gönül (Fenerbahçe); Sabri Sabri SarioÄŸlu (Galatasaray); Emre Aşık (Galatasaray); Sedat Bayrak (Sivasspor); Ibrahim KaÅŸ (Getafe CF); Eren Güngör (Kayserispor); Hakan Kadir Balta (Galatasaray); Ibrahim Ãœzülmez (BeÅŸiktaÅŸ)

Midfielders: Hamit Altintop* (Bayern München); Kazim-Kazim (Fenerbahçe); Ayhan Akman (Galatasaray); Mehmet Aurelio (Real Betis); Emre BelözoÄŸlu (Fenerbahçe); Nuri Åžahin (Borussia Dortmund); Melvut Erdinç (FC Sochaux); Tuncay Sanlı (Middlesbrough); Arda Turan (Galatasaray)

Forwards: Nihat Kahveci (Villareal); Batuhan Karadeniz (EskiÅŸehirspor); Semih Åžentürk (Fenerbahçe); Gökhan Ãœnal (Trabzonspor); Sercan Yıldirim (Bursaspor)

*Hamit’s inclusion depending on his injury

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We’ve looked at the players, now it’s time to look at the managers involved at Euro 2008 and find out how they got on:

Because I know you’ll ask about the grades…

A+ – Best of the tournament
A – Above expectations
B – Meeting expectations – more or less
C – Poor, not meeting expectations
D – Absolute stinker

Now, on to the good stuff:

Austria

Manager: Josef Hickersberger

Grade: B. They tried and tried and tried, but ultimately weren’t good enough. If their luck had been as good as Turkey’s they might have drawn against both Croatia and Germany and beaten Poland.

Future: Resigned after Euro 2008. No announcements on either his future or the next manager of Austria.

Croatia

Manager: Slaven Bilic

Grade: B. Croatia lost to Turkey’s luck in the quarters and little of it can be blamed on Bilic. While he should have gotten his players focused back on the game, he chaperoned his side quite well to emerge from Group B undefeated. However, after the promise shown in qualification the semis were a minimum, so Bilic gets a B.

Future: Stays in charge of Croatia to help them qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Czech Republic

Manager: Karel Brückner

Grade: C. They topped their group in qualifying and were expected to at least progress to the quarters, probably the semis if things went their way. As it were, they were manhandled by Portugal, pushed to the limits by Switzerland and bamboozled by the Turks. A tale of missed opportunities, and Bruckner could have and should have done a lot better.

Future: Bruckner announced pre-tournament that he would resign after Euro 2008. No successor has been confirmed.

France

Manager: Raymond Domenech.

Grade: D. Domenech’s side were better – at least for half of the game against Holland – than their 4th place in Group C suggested. And yet they struggled. Domenech pointed the finger at a divide amongst his players but it was his job to manage the players and he made a hash of it.

Future: Most likely to be removed. Wenger isn’t coming so the most likely successor is Didier Deschamps, while Eric Cantona has been discussed as well (albeit light-heartedly, as he’s currently coaching the French beach football team).

Germany

Manager: Joachim Löw

Grade: A. He may not be the most-respected coach at the Euros or renown for his tactical nous but he did lead Germany to the Euro 2008 final. A cynic may point out that Germany’s best performance of the tournament came when Joachim was banned from the touchline, but reaching the final means we’ll overlook that for the short-run (he still has to convince us if he’s better than Klinsmann or van Basten though).

Future: Was originally signed on a 2-year contract but in the aftermath of the Euro 08 final the future is still uncertain. I’d expect him to be given a chance to continue till South Africa 2010.

Greece

Manager: Otto Rehhagel

Grade: D. Disastrous Euro campaign for Greece. After their convincing qualifying performances many expected Greece to challenge Russia and Sweden for a spot in the quarterfinals. They were out of it from the word go. Embarrassing for the reigning European champions, regardless of the quality of the side (or lack thereof).

Future: Rehhagel is signed on till 2010, and is expected to lead Greece to World Cup qualification.

Italy

Manager: Roberto Donadoni

Grade: C. Can consider himself lucky to progress to the quarterfinals with France losing their most important player (Ribery) to injury and going down to 10 men inside the first half of their crunch game. The players fought but their manage failed to inspire and the credit for Italy lasting so long goes to the players.

Future: Donadoni’s contract had a conditional extension – the condition being that Italy met certain targets for Euro 08. Donadoni couldn’t, and his contract ended post Euro 08. Lippi was reinstated as manager soon after that.

Netherlands

Manager: Marco van Basten

Grade: B. Marco van Basten mounted a memorable escape from the much-touted Group of Death but his achievements are tainted somewhat by the limp performance against Russia in the quarters and the under-par performances of the French and Italian teams. On paper, he took Holland to the quarters, which was expected of him as a minimum.

Future: Steps down after Euro 2008 to take charge of AFC Ajax. Bert van Marwijk, currently in charge of Feyenoord, takes over the reins as the Dutch manager.

Portugal

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Grade: B. Portugal were expected to get to at least the semi-finals but looked clueless against Germany. It’s the second time in 2 international competitions that Scolari has failed to beat Germany. Announcing his move to Chelsea before the game didn’t help either.

Future: Goes on to manage Chelsea next season. Portugal are still looking for a successor, with Carlos Queiroz often mentioned as a possibility (although he’s doubtful to leave United just yet).

Poland

Manager: Leo Beenhakker

Grade: C. Poland qualifying for the first time for the Euros was definitely a major achievement but once there, Poland failed to impress. You can’t fault the coach much if you look at the players at his disposal, but they would have expected them to beat Austria at least.

Future: Signed on to lead Poland till the end of 2010 World Cup qualifiers (November 2009).

Romania

Manager: Victor Piţurcă.

Grade: B. Did a lot better than expected in the Group of Death, although they slipped when they needed to produce a result.

Future: Piturca stays in charge of Romania for the time being and will presumably lead them through World Cup qualifying.

Russia

Manager: Guus Hiddink

Grade: A. Russia were in a relatively tough group but qualified after a slow start. They were also up against some very good opposition in the quarters but got through thanks to some excellent leadership and tactics by Hiddink. The only blot on their copybook (and the reason Hiddink doesn’t get a A+) is their failure to learn from earlier mistakes against the Spanish, something that cost them the semifinal.

Future: Despite the constant speculation surrounding Hiddink’s future, the man is signed on till at least 2010.

Spain

Manager: Luis Aragones

Grade: A. Masterminding a talent-rich side through a tough tournament was never going to be an easy task, but Aragones was the tactical master this summer and it’s a pity that we did not get to see him match wits against Scolari and / or Marco van Basten at the Euros.

Future: Aragones has already announced that he would retire post Euro 08. Aragones is rumoured to be going to Fenerbahce (although the man himself denied the rumours during Euro 08) and Vincent Del Bosque is due to take over as Spain manager in the summer.

Sweden.

Manager: Lars Lagerbäck

Grade: C. It was a tough group but Sweden had as good a chance of qualification as Greece and Russia and they were ahead of Russia when the two teams met. Should have done better, although anything beyond the quarters would have been a surprising bonus.

Future: Signed on till South Africa 2010.

Switzerland

Manager: Kobi Kuhn

Grade: C. His team conceded a late goal to Turkey to lose a winnable game, but the manager’s mind was affected by his wife’s health (she was in a coma) and his players let him down against Turkey and against the Czechs.

Future: Kuhn retires from his post after Euro 2008 (no news on where he’ll go next) with former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld takes over from July 1st 2008.

Turkey

Manager: Fatih Terim

Grade: A+. Dragged his team screaming and kicking into the semi-finals on the back of 3 glorious (in retrospect at least) comebacks. Their luck ran out in the end but they never gave up thanks to their manager urging them on from the sidelines.

Future: Was linked with several European clubs but said that he would consider any offers only after Euro 2008. So far, he’s still in charge and the club reported closest to signing him on pre Euro 2008 already have their manager (Newcastle United).

Agree with the ratings? Disagree? Have an opinion on one of the managers? Sound off in the comments section below.

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