FIFA World Cup 2014

[joew2005]

CONMEBOL Qualification Round -

7 October 2011
Uruguay vs Bolivia / Peru vs Paraguay / Argentina vs Chile / Ecuador vs Venezuela

11 October 2011
Venezuela vs Argentina / Paraguay vs Uruguay / Chile vs Peru / Bolivia vs Colombia

11 November 2011
Argentina vs Bolivia / Paraguay vs Ecuador / Colombia vs Venezuela / Uruguay vs Chile

15 November 2011
Colombia vs Argentina / Venezuela vs Bolivia / Chile vs Paraguay / Ecuador vs Peru

2/3 June 2012
Argentina vs Ecuador / Bolivia vs Chile / Peru vs Colombia / Uruguay vs Venezuela

9/10 June 2012
Bolivia vs Paraguay / Venezuela vs Chile / Uruguay vs Peru / Ecuador vs Colombia

7 September 2012
Colombia vs Uruguay / Ecuador vs Bolivia / Argentina vs Paraguay / Peru vs Venezuela

11 September 2012
Peru vs Argentina / Uruguay vs Ecuador / Chile vs Colombia / Paraguay vs Venezuela

12 October 2012
Argentina vs Uruguay / Colombia vs Paraguay / Ecuador vs Chile / Bolivia vs Peru

16 October 2012
Bolivia vs Uruguay / Paraguay vs Peru / Chile vs Argentina /Venezuela vs Ecuador

22 March 2013
Argentina vs Venezuela / Uruguay vs Paraguay / Peru vs Chile / Colombia vs Bolivia

26 March 2013
Bolivia vs Argentina / Ecuador vs Paraguay / Chile vs Uruguay / Venezuela vs Colombia

7 June 2013
Argentina vs Colombia / Bolivia vs Venezuela / Paraguay vs Chile / Peru vs Ecuador

11 June 2013
Ecuador vs Argentina / Chile vs Bolivia / Colombia vs Peru / Venezuela vs Uruguay

8 September 2013
Paraguay vs Bolivia / Chile vs Venezuela / Peru vs Uruguay / Colombia vs Ecuador

10 September 2013
Uruguay vs Colombia / Bolivia vs Ecuador / Paraguay vs Argentina / Venezuela vs Peru

11 October 2013
Argentina vs Peru / Ecuador vs Uruguay / Colombia vs Chile / Venezuela vs Paraguay

15 October 2013
Uruguay vs Argentina / Paraguay vs Colombia / Chile vs Ecuador / Peru vs Bolivia


The final top 4 position teams shall clinch tickets to WC2014.
(4 teams fr CONMEBOL goes to WC2014)

Final 5th position shall go into Inter-confederation play-off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...tion_(CONMEBOL)


Inter-confederation play-off -
AFC 5th round winner shall go into a 2-leg play-off against CONMEBOL 5th-placed team in a home-and-away play-off.
The winner over 2-legs betw AFC 5th round winner & CONMEBOL 5th-placed team shall clinch ticket to WC2014.
(1 team goes to WC2014)

[joew2005]

UEFA Qualification Round -

Group 1 - Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia & Wales.

Group 2 - Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Armenia & Malta.

Group 3 - Germany, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Faroe Islands & Kazakhstan.

Group 4 - Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Estonia & Andorra.

Group 5 - Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus & Iceland.

Group 6 - Portugal, Russia, Israel, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan & Luxembourg.

Group 7 - Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia-&-Herzegovina, Lithuania, Latvia & Liechtenstein.

Group 8 - England, Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova & San Marino.

Group 9 - Spain, France, Belarus, Georgia & Finland.

Group phase matches shall be play fr sept 2012 till oct 2013, aft Euro 2012.

The final 9 group winners shall clinch tickets to WC2014.
The best 8 runner-ups of the 9 groups shall go 4 2-leg play-off, 2 determine the remaining 4 teams going 2 WC2014.

[joew2005]

OFC 1st Round Qualification

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa, & Tonga will compete in a single round-robin tournament at a central venue from 21–26 Nov 2011.

The winner of the group will join the remaining 7 OFC teams in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup,which will also double as the 2nd qualifying round.


OFC 2nd Round Qualification (2012 OPC Nations Cup)
The 7 teams alrdy in the 2012 OPC Nations Cup -
New Zealand, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia & Papua New Guinea.
Plus OPC 1st round winner, total 8 teams in the 2012 OPC Nations Cup.
The 8 teams shall be divided into 2 groups of 4 each.
Group A - Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tahiti & 1st round winner.
Group B - Fiji, New Zealand, Solomon Islands & Papua New Guinea.


OFC 3rd Round Qualification

The 4 semi-finalists of the 2012 OPC Nations Cup will advance 2 the 3rd round, consisting of a double round-robin held on a home-&-away basis, which will take place betw 7 Sept 2012 & 26 Mar 2013.

The winner of OPC 3rd round will then compete in a 2-legged play-off against CONCACAF 4th round 4th placed team, 4 the right 2 play in the 2014 FIFA WC finals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._qualification

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...tion_play-offs)

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...n-draw?cc=4716

Blanc hits out over France seeding
July 31, 2011

Laurent Blanc has criticised his side's exclusion fr the top European seeds in the 2014 World Cup qualifying draw aft they landed in the same group as champions Spain.

Blanc's men will also face Belarus, Georgia & Finland aft being drawn in Group I but, as WC winners in 1998 & runners-up in 2006, the coach is unsure why Les Bleus r ranked so low.

"I don't know why France r in the 2nd group, why Greece, Norway & Croatia r ranked higher," Blanc told reporters. "We had 2 face 1 of the top (seeded) teams, & we got the biggest.

"We should hv been in the 1st group - & now we hv drawn the best team of the last World Cup, but then, you hv no choice."

France were upset by Belarus 1-0 in Paris in September b4 a 1-1 draw in Minsk last month, but Blanc tried focus on the positive side of being in the only 1 of the 9 European groups 2 hv 5 rather than 6 teams.

"It's 2 matches less. In the calendar tat can hv its importance,'' he said. ''The best international players play in the best clubs so they also play in European competitions.

"If you only focus on Spain, you'd say 'it's impossible, it's a very difficult group' but the 1st team qualifies & so do the best 2nd-placed teams. It's not a disadvantage 2 be 2nd & Logic would say we'd take (2nd) among the 5 teams.''

Blanc also admitted tat he was actually relished the prospect of facing old rivals Spain.

"It will be a beautiful match becos ... 2 face the best is always enriching," he added.

FIFA bases their seeding on the world rankings, with France in 10th place among the European teams.

The fact tat they were in Pot 2 means tat, with only the group winners assured of an automatic place in the finals, 1 of Spain or France will most likely hv 2 qualify thru a 2-leg European playoffs 2 reach the World Cup.

[joew2005]

Qualification matches in Sept 2011


AFC 3rd round matches on 2 Sept -
Group A - China PR vs Singapore / Iraq vs Jordan
Group B - South Korea vs Lebanon / UAE vs Kuwait
Group C - Japan vs North Korea / Syria vs Uzbekistan
Group D - Australia vs Thailand / Oman vs Saudi Arabia
Group E - Iran vs Indonesia / Bahrain vs Qatar

AFC 3rd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Jordan vs China PR / Singapore vs Iraq
Group B - Kuwait vs South Korea / Lebanon vs UAE
Group C - Uzbekistan vs Japan / North Korea vs Syria
Group D - Saudi Arabia vs Australia / Thailand vs Oman
Group E - Qatar vs Iran / Indonesia vs Bahrain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round


CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 2 Sept -
Group A - El Salvador vs Dominican Republic / Suriname vs Cayman Islands
Group B - Trinidad & Tobago vs Bermuda / Guyana vs Barbados
Group C - Panama vs Bahamas / Dominica vs Nicaragua
Group D - Canada vs Saint Lucia / Saint Kitts & Nevis vs Puerto Rico
Group E - Grenada vs Belize / Guatemala vs Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Group F - Haiti vs U.S. Virgin Islands / Antigua & Barbuda vs Curaçao

CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Cayman Islands vs El Salvador / Dominican Republic vs Suriname
Group B - Barbados vs Trinidad & Tobago / Bermuda vs Guyana
Group C - Nicaragua vs Panama / Bahamas vs Dominica
Group D - Puerto Rico vs Canada / Saint Lucia vs Saint Kitts & Nevis
Group E - Saint Vincent & the Grenadines vs Grenada / Belize vs Guatemala
Group F - Curaçao vs Haiti / U.S. Virgin Islands vs Antigua & Barbuda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._v_El_Salvador

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...a-boss?cc=4716

Camacho named new China boss
August 14, 2011

Former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho has been appointed boss of China until the 2014 World Cup.

Camacho has been assigned with preparing China's players 4 the tournament & putting a new coaching structure in place 2 deliver long-term development, the Chinese FA said.

The 56-year-old, who had a long & successful playing career with Real Madrid, has gone on 2 coach several Spanish teams, including a short spell in charge @ the Bernabeu in 2004, & Portuguese giants Benfica.

He led Spain fr 1998 to 2002, with his team beaten in quarter-finals @ Euro 2000 & the 2002 World Cup.

His main task with China will be steering the team thru qualifying & in2 the next WC, which will be held in Brazil.

China, the world's most populous nation, hv only reached the WC finals 1s, in 2002, when the team lost all 3 of their group games without scoring a goal. They r currently ranked 73rd in the world by FIFA.

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...-korea?cc=4716

Samurai Blue cut through Korea
August 11, 2011

"Japan confirm their status as Asia's best" would make a decent headline 4 tis article. Aft all, it was good enough 4 newspapers in both Seoul & Tokyo on Thursday morning as media fr both nations reacted 2 Japan's 3-0 win over their rivals in Sapporo.

The friendly started with a minute's silence 4 recently deceased Japanese football star Naoki Matsuda & ended with thunderous applause as a confident Samurai Blue put South Korea to the sword in 1 of the most comprehensive wins seen 4 some time in tis fixture betw Asia's biggest rivals.

Shinji Kagawa scored the 1st b4 the break & added a 2nd 7 mins aft though by tat time Keisuke Honda had already added a 2nd. Japan could hv scored more but will be just happy with a 1st win @ home over Korea in 13 years.

In Asia, no team goes 2 Japan expecting 2 win but South Korea is perhaps the only 1 2 be a little disappointed when it doesn't do so. Just last year, fine victories came in Tokyo in February & Saitama in May, just hours b4 the 2 teams left 4 the WC. Aft the latter, Park Ji-Sung-inspired triumph (more results like tis & calls 4 his return fr retirement will not be far behind) , Japanese journalists openly scoffed @ then-coach Takeshi Okada & his target of a semi-final place in South Africa. Korean scribes r nowhere near tat stage but woke up on Thursday morning feeling a little depressed.

B4 the game, Korean coach Cho Kwang-Rae said tat the hosts, who had lifted the Asian Cup 6 months previously, were approaching 'international standard'. Fr an eastern point of view, tat means an ability 2 match it with the best of the Europeans & South Americans. If there was only a little doubt b4 the game tat Japan has wat it takes 2 take on teams the old continents hv 2 offer, there was none aft. The encouraging thing is tat under Okada's successor Alberto Zaccheroni, Japan r improving. The Italian has settled the boys in blue in2 tis 4-2-3-1 formation. Tis is a well-organised team, fairly solid @ the back, increasingly fluid going 4ward & full of confidence.

There r also some very good players 4 'Zac' 2 choose fr. Playing behind the main striker alongside Honda & Shinji Okazaki, Kagawa was the star of the show. His brace was made all the sweeter by the fact he missed the 2nd half of last season thru an injury sustained in the Asian Cup semi-final against Korea @ the start of the year. By the looks of things, the 22-year-old has returned not only 2 fitness but 2 the form tat saw him become a star of the Bundesliga in the 1st half of last season with champions Borussia Dortmund. His 2nd could be a belter.

Captain Makoto Hasebe was the epitome of coolness & authority in midfield & didn't put a foot, or a pass, wrong while Honda revelled in the space he was allowed. Japan's ability 2 keep the ball while moving it around @ speed had the opposition on the back foot fr the 1st minute when Okazaki, who scored a spectacular goal 4 Stuttgart in the opening weekend of the Bundesliga last weekend, tried something similar but curled a shot just over fr long range. The former Shimizu S-Pulse man was just 1 of a growing number of European-based players on display. With Japan missing Inter left-back Yuto Nagatomo, perhaps the team's best player @ the Asian Cup.

Korea could point 2 absences of their own. The team has long been strong down the sides but aft the recent retirements of Lee Young-Pyo & Park Ji-Sung, the left especially has become an issue. Full-back Kim Yong-Chol was withdrawn early in the 1st half & a creaky defence became downright leaky when replacement Park Won-Jae didn't even make half-time. The right usually belongs 2 Lee Chung-Yong but like Bolton Wanderers, the Taeguk Warriors will be without the wily wideman for 9 months thanks 2 a broken leg collected in a pre-season friendly. Coach Cho opted not 2 call young stars Ji Dong-Won & Son Heung-Min 2 allow them a jetlag-free start 2 their respective Premier League & Bundesliga seasons & may hv regretted tat decision as he stood on the sidelines of a bouncing Sapporo Dome.

With a defence cut open time & time again, a midfield outpassed & outclassed & an attack unable 2 take advantage of wat chances were created, there were hardly any positives 4 Korea 2 take fr tis loss with the only caveat tat recent results & performances hv been good enough not 2 get carried away over 1 result - however poor. Korea had been looking good in recent months, & playing some decent stuff, with successive wins over Honduras, Serbia & Ghana on the back of the Asian Cup in which a very young team impressed b4 coming within a penalty shootout of the final. The same young players need 2 bounce back 4 the start of Korea's qualification campaign for 2014 tat starts in 3 weeks with a home match against Lebanon.

If there r now a few clouds of doubt hanging over the southern half of the Korean peninsula there r only clear skies abv the Land of the Rising Sun with Brazil clearly visible on the horizon.


Australia Win again in Europe

Aft friendly victories in the Netherlands & Germany in the recent past, Australia fans r not going 2 get 2 excited abt a 2-1 win in Wales but it was a good result. Wales were motivated & had summoned a strong squad.

Tim Cahill grabbed the opener & just in case there were going 2 be any concerns expressed tat the Socceroos were still over-reliant on the old guard, 22-year-old Robbie Kruse got the 2nd. The result was not a surprise which, fr an Aussie point of view, is perhaps the best part abt it.


China down Reggae Boyz

The Chinese media was none 2 impressed with the choice of opponent 4 tis last warm-up 4 the 1st group stage of qualification 4 the 2014 WC. Tis, remember, is where China has slipped up on the past 2 occasions. Being put in a relatively easy group has not really calmed any nerves so playing Jamaica ahead of games against Singapore, Jordan & Iraq had the team on a hiding 2 nothing.

@ least the hosts won 1-0 thanks 2 Zhao Peng though tat was little consolation 2 Coach Gao Hongbo who has now been replaced by former Spain boss Jose Antonio Camacho. The move came as no surprise as it has been a badly-kept secret 4 weeks.

And...

Kuwait did the old 'warm-up 4 a game against 1 of the Koreas by arranging a friendly against the other 1' routine' & drew 0-0 with the North in a result tat surprised nobody. Syria drew 1-1 in Kazakhstan thanks 2 a goal fr Nadim Sabagh, a decent result & a decent warm-up 4 a tough WC group tat includes Japan, Uzbekistan & North Korea while Oman & Bahrain drew 1-1.

[joew2005]

Qualification matches in Sept 2011


AFC 3rd round matches on 2 Sept -
Group A : China PR 2-1 Singapore / Iraq vs Jordan
Group B : South Korea 6-0 Lebanon / UAE vs Kuwait
Group C : Japan 1-0 North Korea / Tajikistan 0-1 Uzbekistan
Group D : Australia 2-1 Thailand / Oman vs Saudi Arabia
Group E : Iran vs Indonesia / Bahrain vs Qatar

AFC 3rd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Jordan vs China PR / Singapore vs Iraq
Group B - Kuwait vs South Korea / Lebanon vs UAE
Group C - Uzbekistan vs Japan / North Korea vs Syria
Group D - Saudi Arabia vs Australia / Thailand vs Oman
Group E - Qatar vs Iran / Indonesia vs Bahrain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round


CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 2 Sept -
Group A - El Salvador vs Dominican Republic / Suriname vs Cayman Islands
Group B - Trinidad & Tobago vs Bermuda / Guyana vs Barbados
Group C - Panama vs Bahamas / Dominica vs Nicaragua
Group D - Canada vs Saint Lucia / Saint Kitts & Nevis vs Puerto Rico
Group E - Grenada vs Belize / Guatemala vs Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Group F - Haiti vs U.S. Virgin Islands / Antigua & Barbuda vs Curaçao

CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Cayman Islands vs El Salvador / Dominican Republic vs Suriname
Group B - Barbados vs Trinidad & Tobago / Bermuda vs Guyana
Group C - Nicaragua vs Panama / Bahamas vs Dominica
Group D - Puerto Rico vs Canada / Saint Lucia vs Saint Kitts & Nevis
Group E - Saint Vincent & the Grenadines vs Grenada / Belize vs Guatemala
Group F - Curaçao vs Haiti / U.S. Virgin Islands vs Antigua & Barbuda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._v_El_Salvador

[joew2005]

AFC 3rd round results -
Group A : China PR 2-1 Singapore / Iraq 0-2 Jordan
Group B : South Korea 6-0 Lebanon / UAE 2-3 Kuwait
Group C : Japan 1-0 North Korea / Tajikistan 0-1 Uzbekistan
Group D : Australia 2-1 Thailand / Oman 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Group E : Iran 3-0 Indonesia / Bahrain 0-0 Qatar

Group A
Jordan P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA0 GD+2 Points=3
PRC P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=3
Singapore P1 W0 D0 L1 GS1 GA2 GD-1 Points=0
Iraq P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA2 GD-2 Points=0

Group B
Soth Korea P1 W1 D0 L0 GS6 GA0 GD+6 Points=3
Kuwait P1 W1 D0 L0 GS3 GA2 GD+1 Points=3
UAE P1 W0 D0 L1 GS2 GA3 GD-1 Points=0
Lebanon P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA6 GD-6 Points=0

Group C
Uzbekistan P1 W1 D0 L0 GS1 GA0 GD+1 Points=3
Japan P1 W1 D0 L0 GS1 GA0 GD+1 Points=3
North Korea P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA1 GD-1 Points=0
Tajikistan P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA1 GD-1 Points=0

Group D
Australia P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=3
Saudi Arabia P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Points=1
Oman P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Points=1
Thailand P1 W0 D0 L1 GS1 GA2 GD-1 Points=0

Group E
Iran P1 W1 D0 L0 GS3 GA0 GD+3 Points=3
Qatar P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Points=1
Bahrain P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Points=1
Indonesia P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA3 GD-3 Points=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round

[joew2005]

CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 2 Sept
Group A : El Salvador 3-2 Dominican Republic / Suriname 1-0 Cayman Islands
Group B : Trinidad & Tobago 1-0 Bermuda / Guyana 2-0 Barbados
Group C : Dominica 0-2 Nicaragua
Group D : Canada 4-1 Saint Lucia / Saint Kitts & Nevis 0-0 Puerto Rico
Group E : Grenada 0-3 Belize / Guatemala 4-0 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Group F : Haiti 6-0 U.S. Virgin Islands / Antigua & Barbuda 5-2 Curaçao

Group A
El Salvador P1 W1 D0 L0 GS3 GA2 GD+1 Pts=3
Suriname P1 W1 D1 L0 GS1 GA0 GD+1 Pts=3
Dominican Republic P1 W0 D0 L1 GS2 GA3 GD–1 Pts=0
Cayman Islands P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA1 GD–1 Pts=0

Group B
Guyana P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA0 GD+2 Pts=3
Trinidad and Tobago P1 W1 D0 L0 GS1 GA0 GD+1 Pts=3
Bermuda P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA1 GD–1 Pts=0
Barbados P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA2 GD–2 Pts=0

Group C
Nicaragua P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA0 GD+2 Pts=3
Panama P0 W0 D0 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Pts=0
Dominica P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA2 GD–2 Pts=0

Group D
Canada P1 W1 D0 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Pts=3
Saint Kitts & Nevis P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Pts=1
Puerto Rico P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Pts=1
Saint Lucia P1 W0 D0 L1 GS1 GA4 GD–3 Pts=0

Group E
Guatemala P1 W1 D0 L0 GS4 GA0 GD+4 Pts=3
Belize P1 W1 D0 L0 GS3 GA0 GD+3 Pts=3
Grenada P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA3 GD–3 Pts=0
Saint Vincent & Gren. P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA4 GD–4 Pts=0

Group F
Haiti P1 W1 D0 L0 GS6 GA0 GD+6 Pts=3
Antigua and Barbuda P1 W1 D0 L0 GS5 GA2 GD+3 Pts=3
Curaçao P1 W0 D0 L1 GS2 GA5 GD–3 Pts=0
U.S. Virgin Islands P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA6 GD–6 Pts=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...F_Second_Round

[joew2005]

AFC 3rd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Jordan vs China PR / Singapore vs Iraq
Group B - Kuwait vs South Korea / Lebanon vs UAE
Group C - Uzbekistan vs Japan / North Korea vs Syria
Group D - Saudi Arabia vs Australia / Thailand vs Oman
Group E - Qatar vs Iran / Indonesia vs Bahrain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round

CONCACAF 2nd round matches on 6 Sept -
Group A - Cayman Islands vs El Salvador / Dominican Republic vs Suriname
Group B - Barbados vs Trinidad & Tobago / Bermuda vs Guyana
Group C - Nicaragua vs Panama / Bahamas vs Dominica
Group D - Puerto Rico vs Canada / Saint Lucia vs Saint Kitts & Nevis
Group E - Saint Vincent & the Grenadines vs Grenada / Belize vs Guatemala
Group F - Curaçao vs Haiti / U.S. Virgin Islands vs Antigua & Barbuda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._v_El_Salvador

[joew2005]

AFC 3rd round results -
Group A : Jordan 2-1 China PR / Singapore 0-2 Iraq
Group B : Kuwait 1-1 South Korea / Lebanon 3-1 UAE
Group C : Uzbekistan 1-1 Japan / North Korea 1-0 Syria
Group D : Saudi Arabia vs Australia / Thailand 3-0 Oman
Group E : Qatar 1-1 Iran / Indonesia 0-2 Bahrain


Group A
Jordan P2 W2 D0 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Points=6
PRC P2 W1 D0 L1 GS3 GA3 GD0 Points=3
Iraq P2 W1 D0 L1 GS2 GA2 GD0 Points=3
Singapore P2 W0 D0 L2 GS1 GA4 GD-3 Points=0

Group B
Soth Korea P2 W1 D1 L0 GS7 GA1 GD+6 Points=4
Kuwait P2 W1 D1 L0 GS4 GA3 GD+1 Points=4
Lebanon P2 W1 D0 L1 GS3 GA7 GD-4 Points=3
UAE P2 W0 D0 L2 GS3 GA6 GD-3 Points=0

Group C
Uzbekistan P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=4
Japan P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=4
North Korea P2 W1 D0 L1 GS1 GA1 GD0 Points=3
Tajikistan P2 W0 D0 L2 GS0 GA2 GD-2 Points=0

Group D
Australia P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=3
Saudi Arabia P1 W0 D1 L0 GS0 GA0 GD0 Points=1
Thailand P2 W1 D0 L1 GS4 GA2 GD+2 Points=3
Oman P2 W0 D1 L1 GS0 GA3 GD-3 Points=1

Group E
Iran P2 W1 D1 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Points=4
Qatar P2 W0 D2 L0 GS1 GA1 GD0 Points=2
Bahrain P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA0 GD+2 Points=4
Indonesia P2 W0 D0 L2 GS0 GA5 GD-5 Points=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round

[joew2005]

AFC 3rd round qualification -

Group A
Jordan P2 W2 D0 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Points=6
PRC P2 W1 D0 L1 GS3 GA3 GD0 Points=3
Iraq P2 W1 D0 L1 GS2 GA2 GD0 Points=3
Singapore P2 W0 D0 L2 GS1 GA4 GD-3 Points=0

Group B
Soth Korea P2 W1 D1 L0 GS7 GA1 GD+6 Points=4
Kuwait P2 W1 D1 L0 GS4 GA3 GD+1 Points=4
Lebanon P2 W1 D0 L1 GS3 GA7 GD-4 Points=3
UAE P2 W0 D0 L2 GS3 GA6 GD-3 Points=0

Group C
Uzbekistan P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=4
Japan P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Points=4
North Korea P2 W1 D0 L1 GS1 GA1 GD0 Points=3
Tajikistan P2 W0 D0 L2 GS0 GA2 GD-2 Points=0

Group D
Australia P2 W2 D0 L0 GS5 GA2 GD+3 Points=6
Thailand P2 W1 D0 L1 GS4 GA2 GD+2 Points=3
Saudi Arabia P2 W0 D1 L1 GS1 GA3 GD-2 Points=1
Oman P2 W0 D1 L1 GS0 GA3 GD-3 Points=1

Group E
Iran P2 W1 D1 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Points=4
Qatar P2 W0 D2 L0 GS1 GA1 GD0 Points=2
Bahrain P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA0 GD+2 Points=4
Indonesia P2 W0 D0 L2 GS0 GA5 GD-5 Points=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI..._Th ird_Round


CONCACAF 2nd round results -
Group A : Cayman Islands 1-4 El Salvador / Dominican Republic 1-1 Suriname
Group B : Barbados 0-2 Trinidad & Tobago / Bermuda 1-2 Guyana
Group C : Nicaragua 1-2 Panama
Group D : Puerto Rico 0-3 Canada / Saint Lucia 2-4 Saint Kitts & Nevis
Group E : Belize 1-2 Guatemala
Group F : Curaçao 2-4 Haiti / U.S. Virgin Islands 1-8 Antigua & Barbuda

Group A
El Salvador P2 W2 D0 L0 GS7 GA3 GD+4 Pts=6
Suriname P2 W1 D1 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Pts=4
Dominican Republic P2 W0 D1 L1 GS3 GA4 GD–1 Pts=1
Cayman Islands P2 W0 D0 L2 GS1 GA5 GD–4 Pts=0

Group B
Guyana P2 W2 D0 L0 GS4 GA1 GD+3 Pts=6
Trinidad and Tobago P2 W2 D0 L0 GS3 GA0 GD+3 Pts=6
Bermuda P2 W0 D0 L2 GS1 GA3 GD–2 Pts=0
Barbados P2 W0 D0 L2 GS0 GA4 GD–4 Pts=0

Group C
Nicaragua P2 W1 D0 L1 GS3 GA2 GD+1 Pts=3
Panama P1 W1 D0 L0 GS2 GA1 GD+1 Pts=3
Dominica P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA2 GD–2 Pts=0

Group D
Canada P2 W2 D0 L0 GS7 GA1 GD+6 Pts=6
Saint Kitts & Nevis P2 W1 D1 L0 GS4 GA2 GD+2 Pts=4
Puerto Rico P2 W0 D1 L1 GS0 GA3 GD-3 Pts=1
Saint Lucia P2 W0 D0 L2 GS3 GA8 GD–5 Pts=0

Group E
Guatemala P2 W2 D0 L0 GS6 GA1 GD+5 Pts=6
Belize P2 W1 D0 L1 GS4 GA2 GD+2 Pts=3
Grenada P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA3 GD–3 Pts=0
Saint Vincent & Gren. P1 W0 D0 L1 GS0 GA4 GD–4 Pts=0

Group F
Haiti P2 W2 D0 L0 GS10 GA2 GD+8 Pts=6
Antigua and Barbuda P2 W2 D0 L0 GS13 GA3 GD+10 Pts=6
Curaçao P2 W0 D0 L2 GS4 GA9 GD–5 Pts=0
U.S. Virgin Islands P2 W0 D0 L2 GS1 GA14 GD–13 Pts=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...F_Second_Round

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...unting?cc=4716

Pressure mounting
September 7, 2011

A famous foreign coach working in Asia 1s said: "Even if u r building some nice new restrooms in the desert, until they r finished u still hv 2 go outside 2 take a leak." The point being made was tat it is all well & good trying 2 build a new team & construct a new style but in the meantime u still hv 2 get the results. It is something tat some other famous foreign coaches should keep in mind as the continent's qualification campaign 4 the 2014 World Cup gathers pace. Aft 2 games of 6 in the penultimate round of qualification, some r struggling.

Logically, the more Asian countries tat hire big-name coaches 2 try & get them 2 the WC, the more r going 2 fail. It is also common sense 2 suggest tat these famous figures need 2 be hired as far ahead of time as possible if they r really going 2 hv a chance 2 make fundamental changes b4 the action starts. Getting the new guy in 2 usher in a new era of success just weeks b4 the start of qualification is a tough task regardless of how much cash is being deposited in2 bank accounts. Guus Hiddink & South Korea made the biggest Asian success story of them all but it didn't happen by accident. It took 18 months of work, preparation & warm-up game aft warm-up game.

Alberto Zaccheroni has been in Japan 4 a year & it shows. The Asian champions may hv been 2nd-best in Uzbekistan but still came away with a 1-1 draw. The players r not only accustomed 2 the Italian's style & his 4-2-3-1 system, they r confident in it, always safe in the knowledge of wat they & their team-mates shld be doing. It also helps tat he has yet 2 lose a game with the Samurai Blue.

Frank Rijkaard is perhaps the most famous of all the 20 coaches trying 2 finish in the top 2 in their groups & progress 2 the next stage but the Dutchman has had just weeks 2 turn Saudi Arabia in2 a team. Results mean tat he doesn't hv much longer. A 3-1defeat @ home 2 Australia on Tuesday evening makes it 1 point fr the 1st 2 games in Group D 4 The Sons of the Desert & tis isn't even the final round of qualification. There can be no more slip-ups.

Suffice 2 say, it's not wat the paymasters in Riyadh had in mind. Failure 2 qualify 4 the 2010 WC could be seen as a blip as it was the 1st such setback in 2 decades. Crashing out of the 2011 Asian Cup @ the 1st round could be seen as a blip as 6 out of the 7 previous appearances had resulted in a place in the final . A fading powerhouse? Perhaps, but a powerhouse nonetheless & with 1 of the most famous coaches of the 21st century standing on the sidelines, the Green Falcons would be moving back in the right direction & make it all the way 2 Brazil.

That is the idea and that is Rijkaard's brief. There's nothing else. The Saudis drew 0-0 in Oman in the opening match, a result tat would not hv been 2 bad if it hadn't been followed by the Australian loss. The Socceroos had just come off 1 of the longest journeys ever known during continental qualification 4 the WC. Travelling fr Brisbane 2 Dammam is a tiring trip @ the best of times but when you hv played on the Friday night & then hv a game 4 days later, 2 perform as Australia did was impressive.

Tis was the 1st meeting betw the 2 teams since Australia joined the AFC in 2006 & it is sad tat fans down under didn't see some of the past Saudi sides tat had pace, power & aggression. Rijkaard is trying 2 get his players 2 play shorter & quicker passes as opposed 2 the more direct play of the past. There were flashes of play tat were encouraging but the lack of the team's lack of warm-up matches is now being felt as is the absence of creativity. Mohammed Noor is getting on but he is 1 of the best midfielders in the Middle East. His goals, his leadership, his experience & his ability 2 play r all missed.

When he was coach of Barcelona & the Netherlands, Rijkaard probably nvr imagined tat his fate would hang on 2 games against Thailand but tat is the reality he now faces. The Elephants were unlucky 2 lose 2-1 to a late goal in Australia & then won convincingly @ home 2 Oman. The 1st meeting is just 5 weeks away & defeat in Bangkok would leave Saudi Arabia in serious danger.

Other big names r also finding tat Asia is no walk in the park. Paul Le Guen @ Oman has no goals & 1 point fr his 1st 2 competitive games. 4 the tiny Gulf State, a place in the final round would be a success but tat is looking less likely esp when you consider tat the next match is in Sydney. A loss there & it could be all over 4 the Frenchman.

And then u hv the 2 most recently appointed tacticians who will go a long way 2 deciding each other's fate. China's Jose Antonio Camacho arrived in the Middle Kingdom promising 2 help change football @ all levels. The former Spanish boss may not get the chance. Despite being in wat was thought 2 be the easiest of the 5 groups, China hv not been impressive, struggling 2 a 2-1 home win over Singapore & then losing 2-1 in Jordan.

Assuming tat a resurgent Jordan, the only team along with Australia 2 hv a 100% record, can take 4 points fr the currently pointless Singapore, China r likely 2 be fighting it out with Iraq 4 the 2nd spot. Zico was given the Iraq job just b4 the 1st game @ home 2 Jordan. Tat defeat was followed by a win in Singapore. Whether Zico or Camacho goes 2 the next round will largely depend on wat happens in 180 minutes of football in Oct & Nov when they go head-2-head.

China won't feel 2 downhearted as the team's performance was improved in Ammam despite the loss. Camacho only arrived last month &, like Rijkaard, is trying 2 introduce a more patient & thoughtful way 4 the team 2 play but it was the old double-whammy of mistakes @ the back & an inability 2 convert numerous chances tat cost the visitors, who, on another night, would hv won.

Fans may not feel downhearted but, aft missing out @ tis stage in the past, they will be nervous. So will Iraq. Wat matters now 4 both men, Spanish & Brazilian, is how they spend the next few weeks.

The pressure is already on 4 those teams with indifferent starts. Now is the time tat fans & federations start 2 care less & less abt big names, new styles and long-term philosophies. They just 1 a win. It's time to take a leak.

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...ssment?cc=4716

UAE sack Katanec after qualifying loss
September 7, 2011

The UAE FA is searching 4 a new national team coach aft sacking Slovenian Srecko Katanec following Al Abyad's dismal WC qualifying defeat 2 Lebanon.

Katanec's side were beaten 3-1 on Tuesday - a 2nd successive loss in Asian qualifying - & UAE now sit bottom of Group B.

The former Slovenia & Macedonia coach was promptly fired, leaving UAE searching 4 a replacement b4 their next qualifier, a daunting trip 2 Asian giants South Korea.

Fluminense coach Abel Braga has already been approached, but rejected the chance 2 return 2 the UAE, where he managed Al-Jazira betw 2008 & 2011.

With 4 WC qualifying fixtures remaining, there r reports tat UAE may field their U23 side in a bid 2 give them more competitive experience ahead of 2012 qualifers in September.

In the volatile world of West Asian football, Katanec's 2-year spell was particularly impressive - but the UAE hv now lost patience with the Slovenian, who only won 2 of his 11 fixtures in charge.