Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
Bunch of matches tonight and tomorrow:
Asia:
09.30, grp 1, Brisbane: Australia vs Qatar (Qatar unbeaten before this long away trip, which should be easy meat for Aussie football on the up.)
10.32, grp 1, Saitama: Japan vs Uzbekistan (conversely, Uzbek football are on the way down - epitomised by 0-3 by Kuruvchi to Adelaide - and with a loss here the Uzbeks are as good as out of the Cup.)
11.00, grp 2, Seoul: South Korea vs United Arab Emirates (UAE with two narrow losses, and unlikely to come out of East Asia with much. The Emirates have never beaten South Korea away from home.)
12.30, grp 2, Tehran: Iran vs North Korea (Iran have won the last five against North Korea, and never lost; they're also back on form after a dismal run in spring threatened to eliminate them. However, North Korea do top the group after a draw with South Korea.)
Europe:
15.00, grp 4, Moscow: Russia vs Finland
15.30, grp 3, Teplice: Czech Republic vs Slovenia (the recovery starts here for the Czechs, who trail by six points against the less fancied Slovenes - they're 7-1 with the bookies. A loss here would be critical for the Czechs, however.)
16.00, grp 2, Riga: Latvia vs Israel (Latvia's chance of keeping in the hunt for second - they've already dropped points against Greece at home and can't afford any more.)
16.00, grp 7, Kaunas: Lithuania vs Faroe Islands
17.00, grp 9, Oslo: Norway vs Netherlands (Norwegian news media claim a win is needed - personally, I think Norway can make do with a draw, as I fancy 12 more points will be enough for second. Though 12 points from six games pretty much implies an unbeaten run.)
17.30, grp 1, Ta'Qali: Malta vs Hungary
17.30, grp 8, Tbilisi: Georgia vs Bulgaria
18.00, grp 9, Reykjavík: Iceland vs FYR Macedonia
18.15, grp 2, Luxembourg: Luxembourg vs Moldova
18.15, grp 5, Zenica: Bosnia and Hercegovina vs Armenia (Bosnia have been unlucky so far, but if they drop points to Armenia, they can wave goodbye to South Africa.)
18.15, grp 6, Zagreb: Croatia vs Andorra
18.30, grp 2, Pireas: Greece vs Switzerland (a Greek side in storming form should dismiss Switzerland, which would condemn the Swiss to hunting for second.)
18.30, grp 3, Bratislava: Slovakia vs Poland (Slovakia fell in Slovenia, while Poland are still unbeaten.)
18.30, grp 5, Tallinn: Estonia vs Turkey
18.30, grp 6, Minsk: Belarus vs England
18.30, grp 7, Wien: Austria vs Serbia (After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Serbia have fell behind their smaller neighbours Croatia in footballing prowess, but a win against former owners Austria would help them on the way to winning a closely fought group.)
18.45, grp 3, Belfast: Northern Ireland vs San Marino
18.45, grp 4, Mönchengladbach: Germany vs Wales
18.45, grp 5, Brussel: Belgium vs Spain (Belgium hope to continue their fine form, but are 4-1 outsiders against a Spanish side who hasn't conceded yet.)
18.45, grp 8, Dublin: Republic of Ireland vs Cyprus
18.50, grp 8, Lecce: Italy vs Montenegro
19.45, grp 1, Braga: Portugal vs Albania
CONCACAF (matches starting Thursday GMT):
00.00, grp 2, Kingston: Jamaica vs Honduras (last chance saloon for Jamaica; and even then they'll have to hope that Honduras doesn't beat Mexico.)
00.00, grp 1, La Habana: Cuba vs Guatemala (dejected Cubans have one last chance of qualifying, but with 14 conceded goals in four games, it looks unlikely. A big win would help them keep T&T at bay by goal difference.)
01.11, grp 1, Port of Spain: Trinidad and Tobago vs USA (any point is a victory for Trinidad, given that Guatemala travel to the States in November and are unlikely to take points there, while T&T should beat Cuba - a point here would take goal difference out of the equation.)
02.00, grp 2, Edmonton: Canada vs Mexico (Mexico qualify with a win here, which shouldn't be above them.)
02.00, grp 3, San José: Costa Rica vs Haiti (Haiti need a win, an unlikely result tstl by the 12-1 outsiders.)
02.00, grp 3, San Salvador: El Salvador vs Suriname (Suriname need something like a seven-goal win here to have a hope. Not likely.)
South America:
Tuesday 20.00, La Paz: Bolivia 2-2 Uruguay (River Plate man Sebastian Abreu headed in the 89th-minute equaliser to save an important point for Uruguay. Bolivia's chances receding aws.)
21.10, Asunción: Paraguay vs Peru (top against bottom. Recent results and home advantage means Peru are 7-1 outsiders.)
Thursday 00.15, Santiago: Chile vs Argentina (Chile are top four, but look unlikely to defend that status. A loss here would bring the chasing pack awfully close, while Argentina could get considerable breathing room. Equally, a win for Chile would mean Argentina were back in the thick of things.)
Thursday 01.00, Puerto la Cruz: Venezuela vs Ecuador (both sides out of the top five - Venezuela embarrassed themselves by conceding three goals in twenty minutes against Brazil, and probably aren't World Cup
Thursday 01.00, Rio de Janeiro: Brazil vs Colombia (rather like Chile-Argentina, a match where the more fancied team should get a large cushion, but if they lose they will struggle.)
Asia:
09.30, grp 1, Brisbane: Australia vs Qatar (Qatar unbeaten before this long away trip, which should be easy meat for Aussie football on the up.)
10.32, grp 1, Saitama: Japan vs Uzbekistan (conversely, Uzbek football are on the way down - epitomised by 0-3 by Kuruvchi to Adelaide - and with a loss here the Uzbeks are as good as out of the Cup.)
11.00, grp 2, Seoul: South Korea vs United Arab Emirates (UAE with two narrow losses, and unlikely to come out of East Asia with much. The Emirates have never beaten South Korea away from home.)
12.30, grp 2, Tehran: Iran vs North Korea (Iran have won the last five against North Korea, and never lost; they're also back on form after a dismal run in spring threatened to eliminate them. However, North Korea do top the group after a draw with South Korea.)
Europe:
15.00, grp 4, Moscow: Russia vs Finland
15.30, grp 3, Teplice: Czech Republic vs Slovenia (the recovery starts here for the Czechs, who trail by six points against the less fancied Slovenes - they're 7-1 with the bookies. A loss here would be critical for the Czechs, however.)
16.00, grp 2, Riga: Latvia vs Israel (Latvia's chance of keeping in the hunt for second - they've already dropped points against Greece at home and can't afford any more.)
16.00, grp 7, Kaunas: Lithuania vs Faroe Islands
17.00, grp 9, Oslo: Norway vs Netherlands (Norwegian news media claim a win is needed - personally, I think Norway can make do with a draw, as I fancy 12 more points will be enough for second. Though 12 points from six games pretty much implies an unbeaten run.)
17.30, grp 1, Ta'Qali: Malta vs Hungary
17.30, grp 8, Tbilisi: Georgia vs Bulgaria
18.00, grp 9, Reykjavík: Iceland vs FYR Macedonia
18.15, grp 2, Luxembourg: Luxembourg vs Moldova
18.15, grp 5, Zenica: Bosnia and Hercegovina vs Armenia (Bosnia have been unlucky so far, but if they drop points to Armenia, they can wave goodbye to South Africa.)
18.15, grp 6, Zagreb: Croatia vs Andorra
18.30, grp 2, Pireas: Greece vs Switzerland (a Greek side in storming form should dismiss Switzerland, which would condemn the Swiss to hunting for second.)
18.30, grp 3, Bratislava: Slovakia vs Poland (Slovakia fell in Slovenia, while Poland are still unbeaten.)
18.30, grp 5, Tallinn: Estonia vs Turkey
18.30, grp 6, Minsk: Belarus vs England
18.30, grp 7, Wien: Austria vs Serbia (After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Serbia have fell behind their smaller neighbours Croatia in footballing prowess, but a win against former owners Austria would help them on the way to winning a closely fought group.)
18.45, grp 3, Belfast: Northern Ireland vs San Marino
18.45, grp 4, Mönchengladbach: Germany vs Wales
18.45, grp 5, Brussel: Belgium vs Spain (Belgium hope to continue their fine form, but are 4-1 outsiders against a Spanish side who hasn't conceded yet.)
18.45, grp 8, Dublin: Republic of Ireland vs Cyprus
18.50, grp 8, Lecce: Italy vs Montenegro
19.45, grp 1, Braga: Portugal vs Albania
CONCACAF (matches starting Thursday GMT):
00.00, grp 2, Kingston: Jamaica vs Honduras (last chance saloon for Jamaica; and even then they'll have to hope that Honduras doesn't beat Mexico.)
00.00, grp 1, La Habana: Cuba vs Guatemala (dejected Cubans have one last chance of qualifying, but with 14 conceded goals in four games, it looks unlikely. A big win would help them keep T&T at bay by goal difference.)
01.11, grp 1, Port of Spain: Trinidad and Tobago vs USA (any point is a victory for Trinidad, given that Guatemala travel to the States in November and are unlikely to take points there, while T&T should beat Cuba - a point here would take goal difference out of the equation.)
02.00, grp 2, Edmonton: Canada vs Mexico (Mexico qualify with a win here, which shouldn't be above them.)
02.00, grp 3, San José: Costa Rica vs Haiti (Haiti need a win, an unlikely result tstl by the 12-1 outsiders.)
02.00, grp 3, San Salvador: El Salvador vs Suriname (Suriname need something like a seven-goal win here to have a hope. Not likely.)
South America:
Tuesday 20.00, La Paz: Bolivia 2-2 Uruguay (River Plate man Sebastian Abreu headed in the 89th-minute equaliser to save an important point for Uruguay. Bolivia's chances receding aws.)
21.10, Asunción: Paraguay vs Peru (top against bottom. Recent results and home advantage means Peru are 7-1 outsiders.)
Thursday 00.15, Santiago: Chile vs Argentina (Chile are top four, but look unlikely to defend that status. A loss here would bring the chasing pack awfully close, while Argentina could get considerable breathing room. Equally, a win for Chile would mean Argentina were back in the thick of things.)
Thursday 01.00, Puerto la Cruz: Venezuela vs Ecuador (both sides out of the top five - Venezuela embarrassed themselves by conceding three goals in twenty minutes against Brazil, and probably aren't World Cup
Thursday 01.00, Rio de Janeiro: Brazil vs Colombia (rather like Chile-Argentina, a match where the more fancied team should get a large cushion, but if they lose they will struggle.)
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