World Cup 2018 qualiflying

[Megaclyde]

Was gonna write a long moan about the Peru Chile game, but I cba now. Stupid from Cueva and that's the match more than likely gone.

 

[Libertadores FC]

This is identical to the Uruguay match in 2013. Will comment on it in the end, but 2 goals were scored because a sub wasn't being made so we were left with 9 rather than 10. Its fucking bullshit.

I almost didn't want to watch the second half but I have a little bit of faith left in me.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Will post about the match tomorrow (or later today rather, I don't consider it tomorrow until I wake up the next day). I can take some positives from the match, but for the most part, its negative.

Megaclyde, just stick to supporting England. You'll find yourself far more frustrated at trying to support us. All the potential in the world to qualify for the WC yet we bottle it by our players self control, and being in the hardest qualification zone.

 

[voltage]

Nothing surprising about the victory of Ecuador against Bolivia unless the strong rain that adhered to the field and complicated the ball's movimentation properly what made the first half scarce of chances for both sides. But at the second half the field was less a pool and Ecuador could press more and reach the victory.

Colombia, at the first minutes, was showing more to the game but soon Uruguay, at home, could make the match more propitious to them. And the second half was even better, in terms of opportunities, to Uruguay since Colombia was trying to recover with speed with Cuadrado as main articulator but the adversaries could block him well.

Argentina and Paraguay had a match with good moves and dangerous plays, with Argentina better at first half and Paraguay at second half but something missed for both sides to open the score.

About Brazil, there were alternate moments but nothing that could bind the victory. Though I wouldn't say it was a great performance since Dunga seems very lost to elaborate tactical schemes without Neymar. But it was Neymar's last game suspended, anyway even with him coming back for the next matches many things have to improve yet. I always emphasize when Willian is "well schemed" by the coach he's dangerous and it was what happened, he did very well. And Ricardo Oliveira, despite not being extraordinary, is giving a better vibe to brazilian attack.

Chile and Peru was a bustling match. For some times Chile was better but even with one more man they let Peru attack and consequently the score, even with a total of seven goals, was tight considerating one goal of difference to the teams' individual scores.

The thing is, until now, there is no national team above the average at South America eliminatories, so the places to the World Cup are cluttered. But it's hard to imagine Brazil and Argentina not reaching it so I'd say by now that it'd be Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina. Anyway Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and maybe Paraguay can take a place on the four too. I think just for Venezuela and Bolivia it will be hardest.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Time for my thoughts on the match.

I didn't think we played well at any point in the match. Dreadful performance from us and we deservedly lost. We've been good away from home performance wise, but if we can't win our home games, we won't qualify for the WC. In South America, you can't rely on winning away games if you want to qualify, that just doesn't work. Its possible to win a lot of away games yes, as Colombia proved in the last qualifiers, but a team like Peru who hasn't won away since 2004, it doesn't work for us. For us, its getting a few points away from home and getting most of our points at home.

Onto the game

We lost the game the moment Cueva got red carded, and in a really stupid way as well. He grabbed the ball and threw it to a Chileans face. Identical to what Yotun did against Uruguay back in 2013, which was very, very similar to this match. We managed to take the lead after that, however Carillo went off injured and we were left in the game with 9 men while he was recovering and took a long time to make subs. Guess what happened because of that? Chile score 2 goals. After that, we tried to get back in the match in the second half, they catch us on the counter and score a 4th to make it 2-4. We were able to score a 3rd to make it 3-4 in the 90th minute but it was too late to get another.

Farfan is easily our best player and terrorized Chile's defence the entire match. He will be key in our campaign and we missed him against Colombia. He scored our 2 goals. 1 was a penalty but he took it well. There isn't much else to say here, but he was class and we will need him if we're to get anywhere near qualifying.

Gallese wasn't very good today. He was good for us at the Copa America and he did make some decent saves but he looked really incompetent throughout the entire match. Not running out when they made a dangerous ball, looking insecure overall. The defence wasn't great also so that could be part of the reason.

Zambrano was much better than usual. He did get a yellow but after the red he tried his best to stay calm, and I'm happy with that because he's learning. He's a good defender in my opinion but he needs to control himself. As for Ascues, our other defender, he looks off the game because he hasn't been playing for Wolfsburg. Another good player but he needs to stop playing out of defence so much because eventually they will take the ball on him and score on us.

Guerrero scored today and he's now tied on goals with Cubillas meaning he's the all time top scorer in Peru's history. Good for him, he's been great for us and I'm happy for him, but I would have preferred it if he broke the record while winning because despite that, I'm still very frustrated at the result which is far more important. He didn't look happy at scoring that goal, and I don't blame him.

As for Chile, they are easily in top 5 in the world now and will qualify for the World Cup comfortably. Sanchez is on form and he turned up against us as I feared. Arsenal has one hell of a player. He's class.

 

[Megaclyde]

Bolivia just smashed Venezuela 4-2, Venezuelas defense looked a shambles at times

 

[G-Dragon]

Chile vs Colombia boring so far. Can't wait till European friendlies, some big games.

 

[voltage]

Ecuador is doing very well. A deserved win against Uruguay.

 

[SALTIRE]

Argies 1 - 0 up at half time with a fine goal against Brazil. Second half about to kick off.

 

[SALTIRE]

Brazil equalised in the second period and it finished 1 - 1.

 

[mistermagic]

I'm liking how FIFA changed the organisation for Africa in that they switched to groups and not home and away tie. Makes the qualification process more interesting. We're only in the 2nd round currently, the big nations have entered the fold.

We're gonna have to wait a while longer for Asia as it's still group stage phase. 8 groups from which all group winners and 4 best-runners-up will progress to the final round. Couple of surprises already: Jordan top their group in front of Australia, Qatar are doing remarkably well just like Thailand. We may have some unfamiliar names in the final round.
The final round doesn't change: 2 groups of 6, top 2 go through, 3rds square up for a play-off and the winner plays Uruguay.

No changes in qualification either for Concacaf and Conmebol. Can't wait for the Euros to be done with so we can get some serious qualification going on.

 

[voltage]

Sincerely Argentina could've win easily from Brazil until Douglas Costa got in. And he starting on the bench is another thing of the millions Dunga does and I just can't understand.

 

[Libertadores FC]

I give up on World Cup Qualification

Brazil weren't even good last night and we lost 3-0

 

[voltage]

Willian and mainly Douglas Costa did good against Peru because finally the tactical scheme was propicious (more free) not only to them but to other players like Renato Augusto, for example. While Neymar and our defense weren't that good. Surely there's still a lot of things to improve but it's nice to see Willian and now Douglas Costa showing their talent and helping a lot the team, it feels way less dependent of only Neymar.

And Uruguay had a great win against Chile.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Willian and mainly Douglas Costa did good against Peru because finally the tactical scheme was propicious not only to them but to other players like Renato Augusto, for example. While Neymar and our defense weren't that good. Surely there's still things to improve but it's nice to see Willian and now Douglas Costa showing all their talent and helping a lot the team, it feels way less dependent of only Neymar.

And Uruguay had a great win against Chile.

The game against you was lost before it even begun. What did Hurtado or Penny do to get a starting spot? Penny was at fault for all the goals and gave no security. Our attack was useless last night as well.

I thought you were terrible last night personally but we were even worse. However I do agree that you do seem less dependent of Neymar now, as Willian has improved a lot since his early Chelsea days and Douglas Costa is class. Neymar as you said, was awful last night.

 

[Megaclyde]

Good win for Uruguay and Suarez is back next match.

 

[voltage]

The game against you was lost before it even begun. What did Hurtado or Penny do to get a starting spot? Penny was at fault for all the goals and gave no security. Our attack was useless last night as well.

I thought you were terrible last night personally but we were even worse. However I do agree that you do seem less dependent of Neymar now, as Willian has improved a lot since his early Chelsea days and Douglas Costa is class. Neymar as you said, was awful last night.

I don't think we played good as well but there were some improvement from the "limb" we're being before at least, and yeah, we got help of Peru's worst mistakes than ours.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Good win for Uruguay and Suarez is back next match.

For the match against us

 

[Megaclyde]

Oh really, I dunno why but I thought it was against Brazil
Tbh even without Suarez I think Peru are gonna struggle

 

[official_rf]

Russian national team players struggle to draw a mascot for the FIFA World Cup 2018

 

[DarkSithLord]

Not a World Cup Qualifier but an African Nations Cup qualifer as Comoros Islands end their 3,084 day wait for their first competitive win after a 1-0 win against Botswana.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35901369

Love things like this. Congrats to them.

 

[epic73]

Not a World Cup Qualifier but an African Nations Cup qualifer as Comoros Islands end their 3,084 day wait for their first competitive win after a 1-0 win against Botswana.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35901369

Love things like this. Congrats to them.

On a slightly related note, San Marino (who have won one game ever) once scored 8 seconds into a match against England before losing 7-1.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

tell me more news of this sort within a 13 year time period

no earlier tho, that would be crazeballs

 

[epic73]

tell me more news of this sort within a 13 year time period

no earlier tho, that would be crazeballs

It popped into my head.

 

[SALTIRE]

Brazil v Uruguay tonight (or Neymar v Suarez if you want).

 

[G-Dragon]

Brazil already 2-0 up. Uruguay look poor.

 

[SALTIRE]

Brazil already 2-0 up. Uruguay look poor.

Aye, Brazil are all over them.

 

[SALTIRE]

Get one back though through Cavani.

 

[G-Dragon]

Aye, Brazil are all over them.

And Uruguay get one back

 

[SALTIRE]

It's a pretty good game tbh.