The Soccer Thread

[TruffleShuffle]

New Zealand is terrible. Like "wouldn't qualify for the Hex" terrible.

 

everyone who has athletic ability there plays rugby. soccer probably just gets the dregs of whoever isn't playing rugby or going mountaineering.

[wolf stansson]

New Zealand is terrible. Like "wouldn't qualify for the Hex" terrible.

 

everyone who has athletic ability there plays rugby. soccer probably just gets the dregs of whoever isn't playing rugby or going mountaineering.

I know you think you know stuff because you live in the region or lived or whatever, but that's nonsense. Obviously Rugby is king, but NZ has produced some great players for their population. Common thread for NZ and Australia, overachieving in sport.

[bukie]

Cameroon qualifies for the World Cup after beating Tunisia 4-1.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/196qlm0ydq6a8gif/ku-medium.gif

 

Qatar's vagina stadium

[shnsajax]

I like the lineup today, good audition for Shea and Bedoya. Mostly happy to see Mikey, Jozy, and Aron all starting.

[UMFan83]

France up 2-0 at halftime. Going to be a great final 45

[Guest]

Sweden up 2-1 on Portugal with 18 minutes left. They're tied on aggregate but Portugal would go through on away goals if it ends like this.

[Guest]

Well so much for that. Ronaldo scores twice in three minutes to put Portugal up 4-2 on aggregate.

[CubInOK]

Zlatan up 2-1 on Ronaldo with 18 minutes left. They're tied on aggregate but Ronaldo would go through on away goals if it ends like this.

 

Well so much for that. Ronaldo scores twice in three minutes to go up 4-2 on aggregate.

Fixed those.

[shnsajax]

Well so much for that. Ronaldo scores twice in three minutes to put Portugal up 4-2 on aggregate.

 

It's a shame Zlatan doesn't get to go.

[wolf stansson]

All of these playoffs are going boringly to form. France, Croatia, Ghana and Mexico all in.

[wolf stansson]

Calm down, Portugal.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5338/7099750195_31f7dff13c_o.gif

 

He's got this.

[USSoccer]

Yeesh, Ronaldo, don't hurt 'em.

 

I really, really hope they don't end up in our group. Gonzo and Besler would need therapy after the game.

[USSoccer]

France the beneficiary of another blown call at home in a WCQ playoff...

[Guest]

France the beneficiary of another blown call at home in a WCQ playoff...

 

The offsides that should have been called? Hard to complain since they blew one that cost France a goal a few minutes before.

[Guest]

So...

 

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Columbia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland

Pot 2: USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Australia

Pot 3: Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador

Pot 4: Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Bosnia, England, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, France

 

One of the 9 UEFA teams will have to be moved into Pot 3. Wonder how they'll determine which one.

[wolf stansson]

Switzerland, Algeria, England, US would be oh so sweet.

[UMFan83]

So...

 

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Columbia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland

Pot 2: USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Australia

Pot 3: Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador

Pot 4: Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Bosnia, England, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, France

 

One of the 9 UEFA teams will have to be moved into Pot 3. Wonder how they'll determine which one.

 

You are going to feel stupid after NZ's 4-0 triumph tonight

[shnsajax]

Is the new MLS team really being call "Orlando City"? Just sounds really odd.

[wvcbxl]

One of the 9 UEFA teams will have to be moved into Pot 3. Wonder how they'll determine which one.

 

Bosnia - Lowest ranking

[wolf stansson]

GREAT news guys! Agudelo's UK work permit was denied, killing the Stoke move. He's free to sign anywhere. Holland, plz.

 

The Scottish FA would no doubt approve him, so he could still make the long rumored Celtic move happen.

[shnsajax]

Yes, please Holland. Hell AZ will be looking to replace Aron within 9 months.

[Guest]

One of the 9 UEFA teams will have to be moved into Pot 3. Wonder how they'll determine which one.

 

Bosnia - Lowest ranking

 

You were right that it's the lowest ranked team but that team is France. They'll be in a group with one of the seeded South American teams so there aren't three UEFA teams in one group.

[wvcbxl]

One of the 9 UEFA teams will have to be moved into Pot 3. Wonder how they'll determine which one.

 

Bosnia - Lowest ranking

 

You were right that it's the lowest ranked team but that team is France. They'll be in a group with one of the seeded South American teams so there aren't three UEFA teams in one group.

 

:blush:

I read the wrong ranking (the UEFA country ranking is only used to assign places in CL and EL)

[bukie]

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Columbia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland

Pot 2: USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Australia

Pot 3: Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador, France

Pot 4: Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Bosnia, England, Greece, Croatia, Portugal

 

Opens the door for a potential Spain-USA-Chile-Netherlands/Italy nightmare group, thanks to the insistence on potting strictly by association. If they did things more like the CL draw, or even the NCAA tourney S-curve, even giving the host nation top seed, it'd look more like...

 

Rank

Host. Brazil

1. Spain

2. Germany

3. Argentina

4. Colombia

5. Belgium

6. Uruguay

7. Switzerland

8. Netherlands

9. Italy

10. England

12. Chile

13. USA

14. Portugal

15. Greece

16. Bosnia-Herzegovina

17. Ivory Coast

18. Croatia

19. Russia

21. France

23. Ghana

24. Mexico

31. Costa Rica

32. Algeria

33. Nigeria

34. Honduras

44. Japan

49. Iran

56. South Korea

57. Australia

59. Cameroon

 

Straight S-curve groups, sliding teams up/down a spot only for association rules:

Group A: Brazil, Bosnia, Croatia, Cameroon

Group B: Spain, Greece, Ivory Coast, Australia

Group C: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, South Korea

Group D: Argentina, USA, Russia, Iran

Group E: Colombia, England, France, Japan

Group F: Belgium, Chile, Ghana, Honduras

Group G: Uruguay, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria

Group H: Switzerland, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Algeria