Originally posted by dinny
View Post
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
2018 World Cup Qualifiers .
Collapse
X
-
Originally posted by cogito View PostHow did Italy end up at 17 ?
Italian football is suppose to be on the up, a few young lads making a name for themselves in Serie A and the crowds have started to pick up this season.
Comment
-
I would love us to fluke into another World Cup , but its difficult to watch this team and most other Irish sides for the last 20 years or so . We have never qualified as group winners since 1987 , and that was down to Gary Mc Cay for Scotland against Bulgaria , its always the scenic route we take just like last night . NI won their Euro Group last time out as did Iceland this time so it can be done , but we always have to have a wobbler . Still Wales and Scotland would love to wobble like us .
Comment
-
-
World Cup play-off race: ranking of second-placed teams
There are nine European groups in FIFA World Cup qualifying but only runners-up from eight of them will advance to November's play-offs. So how is the odd one out decided?
How the best second-placed teams are ranked
All nine group winners qualify automatically. The eight best runners-up with the best records against the sides first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups go into the play-offs for UEFA's remaining four berths (the exclusion of results against sixth-placed teams was retained to alleviate any possible imbalance between the qualifying groups caused by the late introductions of Gibraltar and Kosovo).
With matches against the bottom side in the six-team groups discounted, the runners-up are ranked by the following criteria, in this order, as per FIFA competition regulations, article 20 paragraph 6, criteria a), b), c), then h) and i):
1 Highest number of points
2 Best goal difference
3 Highest number of goals scored
4 Fair play points (first yellow card -1pts; second yellow card/indirect red card -3pts; direct red card -4pts; yellow card, plus direct red card -5pts)
5 Drawing of lots
As it stands: second-placed teams
Teams in bold are confirmed in play-offs
Pos. Grp Team Pld Pts GD Goals
1 B Portugal 7 18 +18 22
2 G Italy 8 17 +4 12
3 E Denmark 8 14 +7 13
4 I Croatia 8 14 +4 8
5 A Sweden 7 13 +10 17
6 C Northern Ireland 8 13 +4 10
7 H Greece 8 13 +4 9
8 D Republic of Ireland 8 13 +1 7
9 F Slovakia 8 12 +5 10
Other teams that could finish second in their groups
A: France 16pts, GD +9, Goals 13
A: Netherlands 10pts, GD 0, Goals 11
B: Switzerland 21pts, GD +14, Goals 18
H: Bosnia and Herzegovina 8pts, GD +1, Goals 13
Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland have all rubber-stamped places in the play-offs.
Either Portugal or Switzerland, and one of France, Sweden and the Netherlands will join them on Tuesday.
Greece will be in the play-offs should they beat Gibraltar to clinch Group H's runners-up berth.
Slovakia will be in if Greece do not beat Gibraltar and Bosnia and Herzegovina defeat Estonia to finish second in Group H.
Who needs what?
What happens next?
The eight best runners-up enter a draw for the four play-off ties held in Zurich on 17 October, starting at 14:00CET. Teams will be seeded according to the FIFA rankings published the previous day, with the highest-ranked quartet in Pot 1 and the remaining sides in Pot 2.
The teams then play on a home-and-away basis, with the order of the legs decided by the draw. The first meetings take place between 9 and 11 November, with the second legs played over the following three days. The winner of each tie enters the draw for the World Cup on 1 December.The mind is everything. What you think you become.
Comment
-
Comment