World Cup 2018 Qualifying

[Smurph 2,843]

Lyle Taylor scores on his Montserrat debut

[partick_twinny 298]

Lyle Taylor scores on his Montserrat debut

And still hasn't set foot in Montserrat in his life I've heard.

[Eednud 14,174]

Australia drawn in Qualifying Group B with Jordan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Bangladesh. Only top side guaranteed place in next qualifying stage. Games between 11 June 2015 & 29 March 2016.

[BAWS 2]

Australia drawn in Qualifying Group B with Jordan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Bangladesh. Only top side guaranteed place in next qualifying stage. Games between 11 June 2015 & 29 March 2016.

Oz will walk that group.

[Eednud 14,174]

Oz will walk that group.

They should do but travel to the Stans will be fun. Full Asian draw as follows:

The Draw:

Group A: 1. UAE 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Palestine 4. Timor-Leste 5. Malaysia

Group B: 1. Australia 2. Jordan 3. Tajikistan 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Bangladesh

Group C: 1. China 2. Qatar 3. Maldives 4. Bhutan 5. Hong Kong

Group D: 1. Iran 2. Oman 3. India 4. Turkmenistan 5. Guam

Group E: 1. Japan 2. Syria 3. Afghanistan 4. Singapore 5. Cambodia

Group F: 1. Iraq 2. Vietnam 3. Thailand 4. Indonesia 5. Chinese Taipei

Group G: 1. Korea Republic 2. Kuwait 3. Lebanon 4. Myanmar 5. Laos

Group H: 1. Uzbekistan 2. Bahrain 3. Philippines 4. DPR Korea 5. Yemen

[BAWS 2]

They should do but travel to the Stans will be fun. Full Asian draw as follows:

The Draw:

Group A: 1. UAE 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Palestine 4. Timor-Leste 5. Malaysia

Group B: 1. Australia 2. Jordan 3. Tajikistan 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Bangladesh

Group C: 1. China 2. Qatar 3. Maldives 4. Bhutan 5. Hong Kong

Group D: 1. Iran 2. Oman 3. India 4. Turkmenistan 5. Guam

Group E: 1. Japan 2. Syria 3. Afghanistan 4. Singapore 5. Cambodia

Group F: 1. Iraq 2. Vietnam 3. Thailand 4. Indonesia 5. Chinese Taipei

Group G: 1. Korea Republic 2. Kuwait 3. Lebanon 4. Myanmar 5. Laos

Group H: 1. Uzbekistan 2. Bahrain 3. Philippines 4. DPR Korea 5. Yemen

And how many go through to the next round from Asia? Take it each group winner goes through? What after that?

[Bully Wee Villa 8,732]

The eight group winners and four best runners-up progress. They also guarantee qualification for the 2019 Asian Cup.

[Markka 246]

They should do but travel to the Stans will be fun. Full Asian draw as follows:

The Draw:

Group A: 1. UAE 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Palestine 4. Timor-Leste 5. Malaysia

Group B: 1. Australia 2. Jordan 3. Tajikistan 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Bangladesh

Group C: 1. China 2. Qatar 3. Maldives 4. Bhutan 5. Hong Kong

Group D: 1. Iran 2. Oman 3. India 4. Turkmenistan 5. Guam

Group E: 1. Japan 2. Syria 3. Afghanistan 4. Singapore 5. Cambodia

Group F: 1. Iraq 2. Vietnam 3. Thailand 4. Indonesia 5. Chinese Taipei

Group G: 1. Korea Republic 2. Kuwait 3. Lebanon 4. Myanmar 5. Laos

Group H: 1. Uzbekistan 2. Bahrain 3. Philippines 4. DPR Korea 5. Yemen

I reckon Groups F & H will probably be the tightest of the 8. Edited April 14, 2015 by Markka

[Mr Bairn 71]

Qatar and Saudi Arabia should upset the top seeds, IMO. Australia, Japan, Iran and Korea are all dead certs. In group F Iraq are probably the weakest of all the top seeds, but they've been fairly lucky to avoid being drawn against one of the dangerous 2nd/3rd seeds to they should get through this round.

Group H the hardest to call. Uzbekistan & Bahrain have been two of the "nearly men" of the last few qualifying campaigns. North Korea actually qualified in 2010, but have been w**k ever since. I fancy Uzbekistan but this could go one of three ways.

[Eednud 14,174]

• Qatar and Saudi Arabia should upset the top seeds, IMO. Australia, Japan, Iran and Korea are all dead certs. In group F Iraq are probably the weakest of all the top seeds, but they've been fairly lucky to avoid being drawn against one of the dangerous 2nd/3rd seeds to they should get through this round.

  Group H the hardest to call. Uzbekistan & Bahrain have been two of the "nearly men" of the last few qualifying campaigns. North Korea actually qualified in 2010, but have been w**k ever since. I fancy Uzbekistan but this could go one of three ways.

  Third round: The 12 teams (an increase from 10 for 2014) which advance from the second round will be divided into two groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. Assuming the same number of slots allocated to the AFC as the previous World Cup (4.5 berths), the top two teams of each group will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the two third-placed teams will advance to the fourth round.
• Fourth round (if required, dependent upon the allocation of places to the AFC at the 2018 FIFA World Cup): The two third-placed teams of each group from the third round will play home-and-away over two legs. The winner will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs

[Swarley 4,978]

Looking forward to the Tajikistan v Kyrgyzstan derby. Should be pwopa naughty.

Disappointed that North and South Korea, China and Chinese Taipei avoided each other.

[NorthernLights 1,265]

Goals from Qatar v Bhutan

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34155310

[lichtie23 5,014]

Jordan leading Australia in the 2nd half

[Swarley 4,978]

Just catching up on highlights, I see Ecuador beat Argentina 2-0

[highlandcowden 475]

Ecuador-Bolivia on just now.pitch is like a swimming pool,cant see how this is being allowed to continue

[Cicero 443]

Ecuador-Bolivia on just now.pitch is like a swimming pool,cant see how this is being allowed to continue

I cannot believe this has got to half time. There is no way that match would have been allowed to be played here. There are lakes forming all over the pitch.

[HibeeJibee 8,661]

Usual story in top competitions like international qualifiers or CL - if it doesn't finish tonight they have to come back tomorrow so almost anything goes.

[Eednud 14,174]

FFA telt by FIFA that Australia must travel to Bangladesh later this month. (It's already next month here).

"The world governing body were unmoved by FFA's request to switch the 17 November duel in Dhaka to the UAE, amid growing unrest in the country with Islamic State admitting responsibility for a bomb attack last weekend which killed a 16-year-old boy and wounded scores of others.

Last month an Italian aid worker was gunned down in the diplomatic quarter, while a Japanese citizen was also murdered days later, with IS again the culprits.

But despite rising tensions in a nation where Muslim hardliners are targeting those they consider do not pay strict adherence to their interpretation of Islamic edicts, FIFA decreed on Saturday morning that Dhaka is a safe venue for the Socceroos to venture to."

FIFA insist there is an adequate security plan in place to deal with any potential threats to the well-being of Australia’s travelling party.

“At the request of FIFA, the Bangladesh Football Federation has provided the match security plan as well as the corresponding security guarantees ahead of the match,” explained the spokesperson.

“In addition, FIFA has appointed a security officer for the match.

“The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Bangladesh and Australia is scheduled to be played on 17 November 2015 in Dhaka.”

It’s the outcome FFA least wanted and all payers and staff will be given the option to pull out, should they, or their families, feels the risks are too great.

However, with so much at stake in terms of the qualification ramifications, it's unlikely any would take up that option, and will instead rely on the Bangladesh authorities, FIFA and Australia’s own security personnel to provide adequate protection.

[Swarley 4,978]

“In addition, FIFA has appointed a security officer for the match."

That'll keep everyone safe then

[South Lanarkshire Jag 923]

That'll keep everyone safe then

It's Dembe out of The Blacklist IMO