Lesser lights may yet shine at this World Cup

November 17, 2009

Depending on the results of the second legs of the UEFA World Cup playoffs on Wednesday, next year’s tournament in South Africa could contain rather too many of football’s lesser lights for some fans out there.

Portugal, France and Russia, could all perish and the tournament, which is supposed to be the pinnacle of the game, could have a cast list including Honduras, New Zealand, North Korea, Slovakia, Bosnia and Slovenia.

Some fear the absence of world stars like Portugal’s Real Madrid playmaker Cristiano Ronaldo, Russia’s magician Andrei Arshavin and France’s mercurial Frank Ribery would de-value the tournament.

But would it be such a bad thing?

Some would suggest that Europe’s top nations should be guaranteed entry into the World Cup finals with a few token places for the also-rans.

But where would that leave the likes of Bosnia? Who could deny them their place on the biggest stage for the first time if they overturn a 1-0 deficit against Portugal in Zenica.

While that would leave Ronaldo kicking his heels on some beach next year, it would open the way for new names. Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko may not have much of a profile yet outside his home country and the Bundesliga where he plays, but after scoring 10 times in qualifying few would begrudge him his chance.

France have endured a fairly miserable few years under Raymond Domenech since finishing as runners-up in 2006. They should be there next year after winning 1-0 in Dublin last weekend but there may well be a few wry smiles from some of their rivals if they blow it in Paris.

Bar owners in South Africa’s host cities may also be hoping that Ireland’s party-loving fans are in town next year. And while Ireland have no A-list players, their supporters would certainly embellish the tournament.

PHOTO: Bosnia’s Edin Dzeko react during their World Cup playoff first leg against Portugal at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Nov 14, 2009. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro

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Tags: Bundesliga, cristiano ronaldo, cup playoffs, edin dzeko, host cities, jose manuel, loving fans, North Korea, paris bar, playmaker, raymond domenech, reuters, ribeiro, tournament photo, uefa world cup

World Cup playoff draw – your views

October 20, 2009

Draw for the European World Cup playoffs:

Republic of Ireland v France
Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece v Ukraine
Russia v Slovenia

Two-legged ties to be played on Nov 14 and 18.

Is that the sound of a World Cup playoff shock I hear? France, 2006 runners-up, will have to beat Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland over two legs to reach South Africa next year and that is no easy feat.

The Irish were unbeaten in qualifying and drew with world champions Italy twice while with Trapattoni as coach they have the wiliest of wily foxes, whatever you think of his English.

We talked a lot on this blog about the controversy over seedings but it would be hard to separate Greece and Ukraine on paper let alone on the field.

Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in qualifying and just scraped the playoffs so let’s not discount proud Bosnia yet. Is Guus Hiddink destined for another World Cup with Russia? Let us know what you think in the comments.

PHOTO: France team, Oct 14. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

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Tags: Bosnia, bosnia herzegovina, Charles Platiau, controversy, Cristiano, cristiano ronaldo, cup playoffs, foxes, France, france team, giovanni trapattoni, greece, Italy, photo france, portugal, republic of ireland, reuters, ronaldo, runners, russia, shock, slovenia, South Africa, two legs, ukraine, world champions, World Cup

Usual suspects will be at the World Cup, but would we have missed them?

October 15, 2009

So now we know which European teams are in the World Cup playoffs and we have a pretty good idea of the seedings, though FIFA’s updated rankings out at the end of the week will provide confirmation ahead of Monday’s draw.

It looks like Russia, France, Greece and Portugal will be the seeded teams with Ukraine, Ireland, Bosnia and Slovenia playing them. After Argentina’s qualification in the final match against Uruguay, it looks increasingly likely that all the big teams will be there in South Africa.

But four days on from my blog on Sunday, the decision to seed the Euroepan teams in the qualifiers doesn’t look any fairer.

Doctor Mario, in a comment on that blog, said seeding was a reward for credits earned but it will take a long time for a new nation like Slovenia to earn enough credits to start a qualifying campaign on a level playing field.

That’s one of the reasons why it tends to be the same old faces making it to the finals. If you are Italy, France, Germany or Spain you know that in your qualifying group will have no other “elite team”, just a couple of second or third tier nations and some also-rans.

If you are someone like Wales, Israel or Finland you know you will have to pull off a series of upset wins even to finish second in your group. And if you do it your reward is to be seeded in the bottom half again in the playoffs.

How much help do France need? If they are not good enough to win a group comprising Serbia, Austria, Lithuania, Romania and the Faroe Islands where is the justice in giving them another helping hand in the playoffs?

They didn’t make the World Cup in 1994 and I don’t remember too many people complaining about a degraded tournament.

In fact Bulgaria, who qualified ahead of them and had a particularly woeful World Cup record, produced some of the most memorable moments of the finals as they went all the way to the semi-finals. Four years later, France won the World Cup.

The 1970 World Cup is many people’s choice as the best-ever tournament — it’s hard to see how it would have been enhanced had Argentina been there.

There is no asterix alongside the results of the 1974 and 78 finals saying * Note: England failed to qualify.

Everyone is saying that Portugal, and Cristiano Ronaldo, should be there next year because the best players should be seen on the world stage, but Portugal have played in only four of the 18 World Cups. They are hardly a fixture.

And where was the help for Ryan Giggs, George Best or George Weah, whose lowly-seeded teams never made it through.

And anyway, it’s not the point. It’s FIFA’s unexpected introduction of the seeding that has so angered so many people. If they thought that was the fairest way then they should have enshrined it in the regulations at the start of qualifying, shouldn’t they?

PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after being injured against Hungary during their 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match at Luz stadium in Lisbon October 10, 2009. REUTERS/Marcos Borga

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Tags: confirmation, cup playoffs, doctor mario, elite team, faroe islands, FIFA, final match, france germany, france greece, france won the world cup, helping hand, italy france, memorable moments, old faces, qualifying group, semi finals, serbia, slovenia, South Africa, world cup record

Is seeding the World Cup play-offs playing fair?

October 12, 2009

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and for every FIFA marketing slogan there is a subsequent decision that can make fans wonder if world football’s governing body is being serious.

“Fair Play Please” is the current favourite but how, exactly, does that square with the decision to make the European zone World Cup playoffs a seeded affair?

Nowhere in the acres of pre-qualifying regulations was there a suggestion that the playoffs would be seeded but now the good people of Zurich have realised that some of the biggest names in the game could be involved in the November home and away matches, the new rule has been presented as a fait accompli.

So the eight teams in the playoffs will be seeded according to their FIFA ranking — conveniently avoiding the prospect of France playing, say, Portugal and one of the continent’s big guns being forced to miss out.

Unsurprisingly, the decision was not welcomed by the likes of Ireland – into the playoffs but likely to be seeded in the “bottom half”.

Bosnia were too busy celebrating making the playoffs on Saturday to worry about their structure but wouldn’t they be right in thinking they deserve as much a chance of facing, say, Greece or Slovenia as Russia or France?

The nine group winners got their reward in automatic qualification. Shouldn’t the best eight second-place teams (Norway look set to be the unlucky ninth-best runners-up who will miss out altogether) be left to take their chances having, in some cases, overcome tough seeding in the group the first time round to make it this far?

The arrival of bright new teams, and the chance for unfamiliar players to make names for themselves on the biggest stage of all, help keep the World Cup fresh and exciting. If the rules just make it more likely that the Big Boys always make it, the worry must be that the game and the tournament will end up being the loser.

PHOTO: Ireland’s Liam Lawrence reacts after their 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Italy at Croke Park Stadium in Dublin October 10, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples

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Toluca set to join Cruz Azul in CCL quarters

September 29, 2009

Toluca is on the verge of joining Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals – and it may not have to do anything to get there.

The Diablos Rojos prepared for Thursday’s scheduled Group B meeting against Marathon in San Pedro Sula by beating La Maquina at Estadio Azul in the Mexican Apertura on Saturday.

But if D.C. United doesn’t beat San Juan Jabloteh on Wednesday in Washington, Toluca’s game will merely be a formality. Even with a D.C. win, all Toluca needs is a draw against Marathon.

Toluca’s victory over Cruz Azul, in which both teams finished with 10 men, extended its winning streak to six games in all competitions and gave it the overall lead in the Mexican Apertura.

“It was an important triumph,” Duenas said. “They made things complicated, but we were able to react to get the win. We keep on setting the pace in the league and that’s important. First place is a reward for all of the hard work.”

Marathon, meanwhile, remained in the United States following a 3-0 drubbing by D.C. United on Thursday. With flights into Honduras postponed and the Honduran Apertura suspended amid political turmoil due to the return of deposed President Manuel Zelaya to Tegucigalpa, the plan was for Marathon to rest and relax and await word about returning to San Pedro Sula.

“Yes it’s true that we have had some letdowns,” Marathon midfielder Mariano Acevedo said. “We are still in the tournament, but we have to find a way to advance past D.C. United.”

D.C. United and Marathon are both six points behind Toluca, but the U.S. side has the advantage on goal difference with two games remaining. It could also have an advantage of facing a Jabloteh side already demoralized from having been virtually eliminated from contention with four losses in as many games.
It also was ousted from Trinidad’s First Citizens Cup, losing to Joe Public 2-0 on Friday night at Marvin Lee Stadium.

D.C., which is also fighting for a berth in the MLS Cup playoffs, lost 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes Sunday afternoon at home.

Jaime Moreno put D.C. in front on 26 minutes, but the Quakes scored twice in the final 32 minutes for their first three points away from home this season.

Moreno is suspended for Tuesday’s match after picking up a red card following a late skirmish.

“We’ve put ourselves in a bad spot by slipping two home games,” D.C. coach Tommy Soehn said. “We’ve talked about this home stretch but talking about it means nothing if you don’t finish through and get your points. So we’ve let ourselves down and we’ve got to find a way out of it.”

By Dylan Butler

Tags: champions league quarterfinals, concacaf champions league, cruz azul, cup playoffs, d c united, D.C., diablos, drubbing, Dylan Butler, earthqua, first citizens, goal difference, Honduras, joe public, manuel zelaya, Mariano Acevedo, marvin lee, Marvin Lee Stadium, mexican apertura, mls cup, overall lead, President Manuel Zelaya, San Jose, san juan, san juan jabloteh, san pedro sula, setting the pace, Tommy Soehn, Trinidad, United States, Washington

Seattle claims first berth in 2010-2011 CCL

September 4, 2009

NEW YORK –The Seattle Sounders have become the first team to qualify for the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League, cementing their place by beating D.C. United to win the U.S. Open Cup.

The Sounders’ 2-1 victory in Washington Wednesday night made it the first team to clinch a place in the 24-team field and claim the first of four berths from the United States.

“With their average attendance this year, the Sounders will be a great addition to the Champions League,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. “We can’t wait to have them.”

Seattle, competing in its first season in Major League Soccer, has led MLS with an average crowd of 30,587 playing at Qwest Field, more than 10,000 better than the next best team: Toronto FC (20,308).

Freddy Montero and Roger Levesque scored second-half goals to give the Sounders, led by goalkeeper and former U.S. national team veteran Kasey Keller, a 2-0 lead before Clyde Simms tallied in the 89th minute to set off a furious push in injury time by D.C. United.

D.C., which is involved in the Group Stage of this year’s CONCACAF Champions League, was seeking a third straight berth in the confederation club championship and still can claim either the other Preliminary Round berth or one of the two Group Stage places in 2010-2011 through the campaign of the MLS regular season and MLS Cup playoffs.

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