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Road to Qatar ex Concacaf


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CAF is busy with AFCON. UEFA is taking a winter break. So, we have AFC, Conmebol along with Concacaf playing in this Jan/Feb window.

As in other windows, no Canadian-based live coverage of AFC & Conmebol WCQs. fubotv has a pay-per-view option for Conmebol in the US but don't offer it in Canada. 

In AFC, 2 matches will be played with 2 more to go in March to determine 4 qualifiers and 2 playoff entrants. Iran & South Korea have largely locked up World Cup spots in one group. UAE/Lebanon/Iraq still in for playoff spot.

Second group has KSA likely to qualify. Nippon & Australia are only separated by 1 point. Japan plays the Saudis on Feb 1st at 535 ET. It will be decided in March window as the Aussies play both Nippon & KSA.

In Conmebol. 2 have qualified, 7 left in contention and we will likely see the first nation eliminated in this window. Notable matches are PAR v URU on Jan 27th at 1800 ET, COL v PER on Jan 28th at 1600 ET & PER v ECU on Feb 1st at 2100 ET.

 

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One of the wildest WCQ matches that I have seen in a while. It's emblematic on how intense Conmebol qualifying is. Great training ground for refs.

This match had 2 red cards. Alison was red carded twice but the ref overturned both after checking with VAR. Penalty also rescinded.

 

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South Korea becomes 15th nation for Qatar - joining Iran from Group A. UAE, Lebanon & Iraq will fight it out in the next window to be in 5th place playoff.

In Group B, all is up in the air between KSA, Japan & Australia. 2 will go to Qatar. 1 will need to play against Group A's third place country. The Aussies will have to run the gauntlet as their March window matches are against Japan & KSA. Home vs Japan and then at Saudi Arabia five days later. That’s 13,000km and 8 hours time difference. 

Eliminated AFC nations after this window were Vietnam, China, Syria & Oman. 

Tonga withdrew due to the natural disaster they just experienced. Add Honduras to the eliminated list and we're down to about 65 countries still vying for or have already made it to Qatar.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Oceania (OFC) finally kick off their WCQ just when many of the countries' covid cases are hitting their highest levels in 2 years. But matches are being held in in a couple smallish Qatar league stadiums from March 17 to 30. Final is set for Wednesday March 30th.

Since it's starting before the FIFA window, some of the players won't be there for all matches. Newcastle's Chris Wood is joining NZL after March 19th. Bill Tuiloma of the Timbers is also coming after March 19th for NZL.

2 groups of 8 with top 2 advancing to semis. Tonga pulled out due to suffering from a tsunami from a oceanic volcanic eruption. 

Group matches are at 1000 or 1300 EDT. OFC is providing livestreams - doesn't look like it will be geoblocked.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/livestream-group-a-cok-vs-sol/?utm_campaign=Qatar+

Screen-Shot-2022-03-15-at-9.17.15-PM.jpg?resize=660%2C465&ssl=1

 

 

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What a mess for Oceania...feel so bad for them ... waited so long to play WC qualifying only to get cancelled / abandoned.

First - Tongo and then Vanuatu and possibly Cook Islands. 

Cook Islands are pretty much done just after 1 match unless Tahiti lose worse than 0-2 ?  Even then what's the guarantee that Cook Islands will be able to field a team for semi-finals ?

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15 of 32 spots have been secured.

44 nations will be competing for the final 17 spots over the 7 days from Thursday to next Wednesday. All but 3 spots will be settled in this window.

Tuesday March 29th will be the busiest with 11 spots to be decided. 

Europe is in playoff mode to decide 2 spots while 1 spot is delayed due to Ukraine being invaded. Africa is in final 2 legs round to decide 5 spots. Asia & South America continue their group format to decide remaining auto spots and intercontinental or playoff spots. Oceania will crown their sacrificial intercontinental playoff round participant.

So, you might as well cancel everything on your calendar on Thursday, Friday, Tuesday & Wednesday to watch these notable matches EDT.

Thursday March 24
0510 Australia v Japan (cheer against JPN for Canada Pot 3)
1545 Portugal v Turkey – Univision Canada (cheer against POR for Canada Pot 3)
1545 Italy v North Macedonia – TLN (cheer against ITA for Canada Pot 3)
1545 Wales v Austria - uefa.tv
1545 Sweden v Czechia - uefa.tv
1930 Uruguay v Peru


Friday March 25
Leg 1

1100 Congo DR v Morocco - FIFA Youtube (cheer against Morocco for Canada Pot 3)
1300 Cameroon v Algeria - FIFA Youtube
1300 Mali v Tunisia - FIFA Youtube
1530 Egypt v Senegal - FIFA Youtube (cheer against SEN for Canada Pot 3)
1530 Ghana v Nigeria - FIFA Youtube (cheer against NIG for Canada Pot 3)

Super Tuesday March 29
1300 Nigeria v Ghana Leg 2 - FIFA Youtube
1300 Senegal v Egypt Leg 2 - FIFA Youtube
1400 Saudi Arabia v Australia 
1445 Poland v SWE/CZE – TBD but likely on uefa.tv or Univision
1445 POR/TUR v ITA/NMA – TLN
1530 Algeria V Cameroon Leg 2 - FIFA Youtube
1530 Morocco v DR Congo Leg 2 - FIFA Youtube
1530 Tunisia v Mali Leg 2 - FIFA Youtube
1930 Chile v Uruguay 

Wednesday March 30
1300 Oceania Final (free stream @ https://www.oceaniafootball.com/ )


 

 

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10 hours ago, Alex said:

What happens if Solomon Islands beat Tahiti 2-0? That means Cook Islands and Tahiti are tied, will we see a game between them for a semi final spot? Is there enough time?

That game will decide 1st and 2nd in the group.

 

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Here's the business for OFC.  Basically group A is single game playoff.  

https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/update-on-ofc-preliminary-competition-for-the-fifa-world-cup-2022-tm

I know it's improbable, but this creates a scenario where Tahiti or Soloman Islands could conceivably loss this match, win the semis 0-0 on penalties, then do the same in the final, and then the playoff. 

There is a path to qualify without winning or scoring. And while that was always 'possible' it is moreso now with fewer games. Honestly, I'd like to see it happen. 

 

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1 hour ago, RJB said:

Here's the business for OFC.  Basically group A is single game playoff.  

https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/update-on-ofc-preliminary-competition-for-the-fifa-world-cup-2022-tm

I know it's improbable, but this creates a scenario where Tahiti or Soloman Islands could conceivably loss this match, win the semis 0-0 on penalties, then do the same in the final, and then the playoff. 

There is a path to qualify without winning or scoring. And while that was always 'possible' it is moreso now with fewer games. Honestly, I'd like to see it happen. 

 

Solomon Islands ended up winning 3-1 today v Tahiti 

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Saudis become 4th AFC nation to qualify after tying China 1-1. They lead Arab countries with 6 World Cups. But can be tied by Tunisia and/or Morocco if they qualify.

Eliminated nations in the past week have been Russia, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, New Caledonia & Fiji.

 

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