2018 Russia World Cup Qualifying

[MC Prussian]

10 hours ago, MattP said:

With you on Peru Alf, that beautiful kit back at the World Cup would be great.

 

A tournament without Argentina would be strange though. 

If Rayo Vallecano did World Cups.

Edited 6 September 2017 by MC Prussian

[Finnegan]

10 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

If Rayo Vallecano did World Cups.

 

Paulo

[jammie82uk]

Unless I'm missing something this seems like a very unwarranted severe punishment

 

 

South Africa v Senegal World Cup qualifier to be replayed after referee ban

Associated Press

 

Joseph Lamptey was banned for life after awarding a penalty for a non-existent handball. 

 

Fifa has ordered the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal be replayed after the referee awarded a penalty for a nonexistent handball and was banned for life for match manipulation.

 

The game, which South Africa won 2-1 in November last year, will be replayed this November on a date still to be decided. It says it made the decision to order a replay after the court of arbitration for sport upheld a life ban for the referee in question, Joseph Lamptey of Ghana.

 

Fifa found Lamptey guilty of breaching the rule relating to “unlawfully influencing match results”.

He gave a penalty for a nonexistent handball against the Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly during the game in Polokwane, South Africa. Replays showed the ball struck Koulibaly’s knee and dropped to the ground.

 

South Africa scored the penalty and went on to win the qualifier for their only victory so far in the final round of qualifiers in Africa. A different result could have a big impact on the South Africa-Senegal group. Senegal trail the joint-leaders Burkina Faso and Cape Verde by a point.

[Finnegan]

Suppose it depends if they felt he gave it deliberately to fix the match. 

[whoareyaaa]

8 hours ago, jammie82uk said:

Unless I'm missing something this seems like a very unwarranted severe punishment

 

 

South Africa v Senegal World Cup qualifier to be replayed after referee ban

Associated Press

 

Joseph Lamptey was banned for life after awarding a penalty for a non-existent handball. 

 

Fifa has ordered the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal be replayed after the referee awarded a penalty for a nonexistent handball and was banned for life for match manipulation.

 

The game, which South Africa won 2-1 in November last year, will be replayed this November on a date still to be decided. It says it made the decision to order a replay after the court of arbitration for sport upheld a life ban for the referee in question, Joseph Lamptey of Ghana.

 

Fifa found Lamptey guilty of breaching the rule relating to “unlawfully influencing match results”.

He gave a penalty for a nonexistent handball against the Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly during the game in Polokwane, South Africa. Replays showed the ball struck Koulibaly’s knee and dropped to the ground.

 

South Africa scored the penalty and went on to win the qualifier for their only victory so far in the final round of qualifiers in Africa. A different result could have a big impact on the South Africa-Senegal group. Senegal trail the joint-leaders Burkina Faso and Cape Verde by a point.

I would imagine this is rife in world football at the moment with the access to online bookies and such.

 

I would say its happening right in front of our face in the Prem as well week in week out.

[shen]

On 5/9/2017 at 22:03, Super_horns said:

Going to be a straight fight between ROI and Wales for 2nd behind Serbia as it stands.

 

NI look better than both ..

RoI looked absolutely dreadful. No idea how they're still second in their group if this is how they play football. I imagine if they put their rugby players in this team they'd do at least as well.

Very impressed by NI. They deserve a lot of praise for performing the way they have in this and the previous qualifying tournament.

[Finnegan]

26 minutes ago, shen said:

RoI looked absolutely dreadful. No idea how they're still second in their group if this is how they play football. I imagine if they put their rugby players in this team they'd do at least as well.

Very impressed by NI. They deserve a lot of praise for performing the way they have in this and the previous qualifying tournament.

 

They're not second, we are. But we're shit too. 

 

We're basically relying on finishing second and Bosnia being more shit than us. 

[Nalis]

On 07/09/2017 at 08:47, Finnegan said:

 

They're not second, we are. But we're shit too. 

 

We're basically relying on finishing second and Bosnia being more shit than us. 

 

Nah you'll be fine. You'll win your next 2 games and have 14pts (for the games against 1st to 5th) which will be enough.

[foxes_rule1978]

England have two world class players in rashford and Kane, we need to get that working if we want to make an impact next summer 

[StanSP]

On 09/09/2017 at 18:20, foxes_rule1978 said:

England have two world class players in rashford and Kane, we need to get that working if we want to make an impact next summer 

Rashford is not world class.

 

Not saying he can't be in future, but he's definitely not that now. 

[Finnegan]

I personally don't think I'd even call Kane world class. 

 

He's a world class finisher, sure, but the rest of his game is prone to be average. 

 

Tottenham are set up to lay the ball on a plate for him. They play good football and create plenty of chances for him to take advantage of. He dispatches those chances with aplomb, no doubt. 

 

But England don't play like Tottenham, your game isn't all about setting up Kane. It leaves him often looking isolated and out of the match. 

[Finnegan]

On 08/09/2017 at 21:27, Nalis said:

 

Nah you'll be fine. You'll win your next 2 games and have 14pts (for the games against 1st to 5th) which will be enough.

 

I'd bet cash money we draw in Georgia and with Ireland tbh. 

[Daggers]

Russian anti-violence robots

 

https://interestingengineering.com/video/this-shocking-video-shows-a-robot-getting-attacked-with-a-baseball-bat-on-the-streets-of-moscow

[AjcW]

David Brooks becomes the second English teenager to choose Wales in the last couple of months.

 

Good for him and Ethan Ampadou, clearly feel they have more of a chance of breaking in earlier.

I do think watching England play has a lot to do with it though, I've watched Wales last couple of internationals and genuinely enjoyed them and the atmosphere. There's none of that with England, no spark that would make youngsters want to commit to going through the age levels.

 

I'd imaging playing alongside Bale and Ramsay is a little more attractive than Henderson and ****ing Livermore too! 

[spacemunky]

2 hours ago, AjcW said:

David Brooks becomes the second English teenager to choose Wales in the last couple of months.

 

Good for him and Ethan Ampadou, clearly feel they have more of a chance of breaking in earlier.

I do think watching England play has a lot to do with it though, I've watched Wales last couple of internationals and genuinely enjoyed them and the atmosphere. There's none of that with England, no spark that would make youngsters want to commit to going through the age levels.

 

I'd imaging playing alongside Bale and Ramsay is a little more attractive than Henderson and ****ing Livermore too! 

With Brooks and Woodburn, the future looks bright for the Welsh.

[Finnegan]

2 hours ago, AjcW said:

David Brooks becomes the second English teenager to choose Wales in the last couple of months.

 

Good for him and Ethan Ampadou, clearly feel they have more of a chance of breaking in earlier.

I do think watching England play has a lot to do with it though, I've watched Wales last couple of internationals and genuinely enjoyed them and the atmosphere. There's none of that with England, no spark that would make youngsters want to commit to going through the age levels.

 

I'd imaging playing alongside Bale and Ramsay is a little more attractive than Henderson and ****ing Livermore too! 

 

Enjoy watching Wales

 

Atmosphere at home in the smaller stadium is pretty good to be fair. Even watching at home I almost got goosebumps listening to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau before Woodburn's goal the other week. 

 

But the football is ****ing shocking. We've been doggo since the Euros. 

 

Russia, Slovakia and Belgium games last summer we were genuinely tidy. Largely dreadful since. 

[AjcW]

59 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Enjoy watching Wales

 

Atmosphere at home in the smaller stadium is pretty good to be fair. Even watching at home I almost got goosebumps listening to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau before Woodburn's goal the other week. 

 

But the football is ****ing shocking. We've been doggo since the Euros. 

 

Russia, Slovakia and Belgium games last summer we were genuinely tidy. Largely dreadful since. 

I think more from a competitive nature point of view. Understand your point about poor quality, but I enjoy the determination to win and actually be on the offensive where possible. 

 

You just don’t get that with England. 

[spacemunky]

Bale out for Wales for their two qualifiers with a calf strain.

[Finnegan]

Well. We're out. 

[Stinkenzo]

Just been having a look at the stadiums for next summer after coming across a Stadium with two stands "outside the ground". I think it's clever personally (post 2018 for the club who play there) and doesn't make the view any worse than it already is at some stadiums.

 

Anyway, 4 of the stadiums being used are home to Russia 2nd tier sides, and one more at two clubs that aren't even in the top two tiers, however I can only find little info on these clubs so I don't know how accurate this website is http://stadiumdb.com/designs/rus/stadion_nizhny_novgorod

 

That compared to 5 top tier sides, as well their national ground and what I think was used in the winter olympics a few years ago.

 

Lokomotiv Moscow has a 28k stadium, short of the 35-45k average for most of the grounds bar 2 of them.

CSKA Moscow 30k stadium

Krasnodar has a great new stadium with 35k capacity, not picked for the WC

Terek Grozny 30k and only 6 years old (looks bloody older already though)

Anzhi 31k

2nd tier side Fakel 31k

2nd tier Yenisey 32k

 

The 2nd tier sides whose stadiums are down as hosting matches on stadiumdb, well soccerway.com seems to have a different opinion. So perhaps these clubs will be moving in after the WC? If so how is that sustainable? Either way its strange these stadiums are being construced and not being given or perhaps even built in areas around the bigger sides who could actually cope financially if asked to play there? You would think the new stadiums for Krasnodar and CSKA were built with the WC in mind?

I get they're still all a bit small to be considered to host world cup matches

 

[Wymsey]

Hope the next two games are passionate ones, instead of just pedestrian and slow.

[isaidno]

Do the top 3 in central America go through automatic ?

[Guest MattP]

12 minutes ago, isaidno said:

Do the top 3 in central America go through automatic ?

Yes then 4th place plays Australia or Syria in a play off.

Edited 3 October 2017 by MattP

[isaidno]

Thanks, I'm out in Mexico at the moment , so will try and watch USA vs Panama and Mexico vs Trinidad on Saturday.

[purpleronnie]

Interesting way Russia are getting round the minimum capacity at world cup games.  Hope the weathers good.