The International break is upon us now and while the USA and England are playing, they are only taking part in friendly matches, with their World Cup progression already confirmed. Next month the Groups will be selected but over the next two weeks we find the remaining teams confirmed after playoffs. That will be my focus for this article.
WEDNESDAY 13th
Mexico v New Zealand:
Today sees two games the first of which is Mexico hosting New Zealand. The Kiwi’s travel to the Azteca with a monumental task in hand. Two of their players no longer even have regular clubs they play for and we all know how daunting the Mexicans can be at home.
However El Tri haven’t exactly been on fire recently and in fact have the USA to thank for the fact they are still in with a shot of Brazil next year. If New Zealand can hold the Mexicans to a tie or at most losing by a single goal then I think they go back to their own ground with a good shot. The return leg takes place in Wellington a week later on the 20th November.
Prediction: MEXICO
Jordan v Uruguay:
The hosts and winners of the very first World Cup now find themselves having to go through the playoff process, despite having an inform Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani in their side. I think Uruguay will progress, like Mexico, quite easily against Jordan and after Wednesdays game we will have some idea as to just how easy the return in Montevideo will be on the 20th. Suarez hat trick with the form he is in would not be out of the question in this opening match.
Prediction: URUGUAY.
FRIDAY 15th
Greece v Romania:
Manchester City’s backup keeper had been shunned by his country due to his inactivity in recent years. Since City dropped Hart he has gone on a four win, conceding only three goal streak and now finds himself back in contention.
Greece will be tough opponents though and only narrowly missed out from automatic qualification finishing on the same amount of points as Bosnia. The Bosnian’s had scored many more goals and so went through on a much better goal difference.
If Romania do make it to Brazil next year it will only be their second time after the South African World Cup in 2010 and the one in the USA in 1994 when all the players bleached their hair blond, played three games, lost all three and didn’t score a single goal. I fancy Greece to progress but much will depend on just how well the Romanian back line stands firm in the opening game in Piraeus next Tuesday.
Prediction: GREECE.
Portugal v Sweden:
The Portuguese missed out to Russia in the Groups but stay alive with the playoffs. This is not a strange scenario for the Portuguese who had to go through a similar scenario against Bosnia for the 2012 Euros, and the same opponent in their 2010 World Cup play offs.
That said, this time around they haven’t had any exceptional results, 3-0 wins at home to Azerbaijan and Luxembourg were actually probably low scoring if we are to be honest and certainly not good enough for a side boasting the talents of Ronaldo.
Sweden on the other hand finished behind Germany in their Group and may just have the belief needed to take them past a suspicious Portuguese side.
Again, next Tuesday will be the return leg and both teams will know exactly what is expected of them.
Prediction: SWEDEN
Ukraine v France:
The Ukraine missed out by a single point over England in Group H while France made light of a relatively easy Group with the only difficult side really being Spain, who took Group I.
The question is will the Ukraine have enough for France who will be looking to get back to a World Cup and make up for their terrible showing at the 2010 event.
On the other hand, the Ukraine will be looking at getting to their second ever World Cup and their first since 2006.
Prediction: FRANCE
Iceland v Croatia:
I am a little torn about this particular one. It would be great to see Iceland make it to their first ever World Cup but against Croatia they do not have a good record. Playing twice they have scored just the single goal and conceded seven with two defeats.
Croatia got third place in France back in 1998 but were knocked out in the Group stages in the next two World Cups. 2010 they didn’t even qualify and so they will be looking to deny Iceland and reclaim their spot on the top stage in football.
Prediction: CROATIA.
SATURDAY 16th
Cameroon v Tunisia
0-0 in the first leg means a defeat or score draw for the home team will see Cameroon miss out on the World Cup for the second time in the last three tournaments. I have a soft spot for Cameroon with my first real World Cup being the one in Italy in 1990 when Roger Milla led the guys to the Quarter Finals before being beaten by my own country, England. Thirteen years later a player who was on loan at my domestic side, Manchester City, died on the pitch while playing for Cameroon.
I think Tunisia will struggle to overturn Cameroon on their own turf though especially after the first leg in Rades finished goaless
Prediction: CAMEROON.
Nigeria v Ethiopia:
Nigeria won the first leg of this game 2-1 in Addis Abeba last month and it is expected their qualification is confirmed after Saturdays game in Calabar.
Ethiopia would have to go someway to overturn the deficit they face as they travel to Nigeria and I think it will just be too much of an ask. A tie would usually be a fantastic result for the side but even that would not be good enough in this case.
Prediction: NIGERIA.
Egypt v Ghana:
Egypt had a disastrous first leg in Ghana, losing 6-1. A 5-0 win would be enough for the Egyptians but can I see Ghana not scoring and conceding five? I don’t think so.
The political climate in Egypt is not the best and the Ghanaians will just want to get in and out as quickly as possible on their way to Brazil.
Prediction: GHANA.
Senegal v Ivory Coast:
How vital could the stoppage time Papiss Cisse from the first leg be for the Senegalese! Looking at a 3-0 defeat his goal turned it into 3-1 and gave his side a vital away goal. That means instead of having to win 3-0 to take the game to extra time, they now only have to win 2-0 to go through.
Of course if the Ivorians score then that all becomes null and void and with players like Drogba, Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou in the side who would bet on the hosts keeping that vital clean sheet?
Prediction: IVORY COAST
Algeria v Burkina Faso:
The Stallions have never been to a World Cup finals before and the penalty with four minutes to go in the opening game give them a decent shot for this game. Any goals they score in Saturdays game in Blida will be a bonus but the two away goals conceded by BF a month ago may come back to haunt them.
Algeria did qualify for the 2010 Tournament where they managed to get a 0-0 draw against England but went out in the Group stage. Before that though you have to go back twenty four years for their last World Cup appearance, in Mexico ‘86 where they were placed in a Group with Brazil and Spain. As a result they never progressed.
Prediction: ALGERIA (but hoping for BF!!)
