Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Italy, the European champions are out of the WC after losing to North Macedonia

Wales and Portugal won, Sweden and the CRep are into extra time

Scotland won't play Ukraine until June, seemingly, while Poland v Russia was abandoned after Russia were thrown out

what happens next, I have no idea, but somehow out of the wreckage of the play offs, 3 teams will go through to Qatar

Durhamfootman wrote:Italy, the European champions are out of the WC after losing to North Macedonia

I guess tonight they didnt have Gareth the plank handing the match on a plate to them.

Southgate... the man who turns worms into Lions. Sadly, the opposition I mean.

I guess this shows how crap Italy really were.

of course... that's the second WC in a row that Italy have failed to qualify for

heads will have to roll

Wales will face either Scotland or Ukraine late in June, and the winner of Sweden/CRep will face Poland next Tuesday

Portugal play North Macedonia, presumably also next Tuesday

sussexpob wrote:

Durhamfootman wrote:Italy, the European champions are out of the WC after losing to North Macedonia

I guess tonight they didnt have Gareth the plank handing the match on a plate to them.

Southgate... the man who turns worms into Lions. Sadly, the opposition I mean.

I guess this shows how crap Italy really were.

Italy who beat Belgium and Spain on their way to the final, and we lost to on penalties?

Guess there must have been seven planks managing all the teams Italy beat at Euro 2020 then.

World cup draw today.

What an absolute joke that Qatar not only qualify automatically as hosts, but automatically get to be seeded.

There's some strong teams in pot 2, most notably Germany, and Netherlands and Denmark too. But nothing in pots 3 or 4 that scream obvious 'group of death'. Senegal are African CoN champions and no pushovers. And Wales in pot 4, if they qualify, might well cause an upset or two.

The hosts always get in pot one from memory.

Gingerfinch wrote:The hosts always get in pot one from memory.

True, but it's still silly. Why not automatically qualify them but put them in the most appropriate pot for their FIFA rank, like with everyone else?

bigfluffylemon wrote:

Gingerfinch wrote:The hosts always get in pot one from memory.

True, but it's still silly. Why not automatically qualify them but put them in the most appropriate pot for their FIFA rank, like with everyone else?

I suppose it's good for TV that the host has a better chance of progressing?

England are in group B

all they need to draw now is Germany, Wales/Scotland/Ukraine, and Australia/UAE/Peru to fill it full of banana skins

England
USA

England have only ever lost and drawn with the States, but this feels so much better than Netherlands, Germany, Croatia. And better than losing 3 or 4 players to injury after drawing Mexico or Uruguay

England
USA
Iran.... who were drawn pot A but couldn't go there, so England avoid Senegal and Mane too

we might be able to persuade Iran to bring some oil with them too.... it will be winter, after all

Group E

Spain
Germany
Japan

an early contender for group of death?

England's first game will be against Iran on the opening day