November 11 to December 1, 2019 (Qatar 2022 Qualifiers and Physico Championship Playoffs)A Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2019. November 11 to December 1, 2019 (Qatar 2022 Qualifiers and Physico Championship Playoffs)Africa The group stages for African World Cup Qualification continued this week, with Guinea hosting the Sudan and eSwatini travelling to Tanzania in Group A.
Guinea and the Sudan, coming off the high of qualifying for the 2020 AFCON, sought to continue their stake on qualifying for Qatar. Guinea dominated the first half but had no reward for their chances. Nevertheless, straight after the break, Mohamed Yattara scored after stealing from a defender. Naby Keïta then backed it up after winning a one-on-one battle against his marking man and ensured Guinea’s win against the hapless Sudanese.
Tanzania controlled much of the match against eSwatini in the replay from Match Day 1. The first half was played at a frenetic pace, before Tanzania slowed the momentum of the game after the half-hour mark. From there, they were able to score via Jonas Mkude, playing in a more attacking midfielder role. Mkude scored a brace, first by shooting from the semicircle and cutting back across himself, fooling the eSwatini goalkeeper. His second was a lead into the gap behind the defence, and though the eSwatini goalkeeper got a glove to the ball, the shot had enough power behind it to hit the back of the net. Substitute Hassan Dilunga then made the score three-nil with a lead from right wing and a strong shot that gave the goalkeeper little chance of saving. This was a great bounce-back from the loss in March.
In Group D, Zambia took on Burkina Faso, both on a high after AFCON qualification. Zambia and Burkina Faso had chances in the first half, only to muff them as the game looked like being dominated by the home side with 59% possession at the break. The second half looked bleak and heading in the direction for a scoreless draw when Zambia switched to a 3-5-2 formation, taking a risk in finding a way to goal. That risk failed to pay off when Cédric Kaboré latched onto a parry by the Zambian goalkeeper and slid the ball into a clear net. Zambia tried to equalise, but the three points went to Burkina Faso.
The other two nations to play in Group D, Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea, failed to qualify for AFCON, and thus needed to resurrect some pride in their tactics to go deep in qualification for Qatar. Shimelis Bekele had the best chance of the first half, though his shot from a tight angle flew straight at the Equatorial Guinean goalkeeper. After the break, Ethiopia ramped up the pressure, gaining deeper and deeper into their attacking territory. In the 77th minute, striker Amanuel Gebremichael forced a shot from just outside the box and curled the ball around the diving goalkeeper. Ethiopia then tried for a second goal, with Gebremichael’s free kick hitting the crossbar and Bekele failing to outsmart the goalkeeper. In the end, the three points were enough for Ethiopia to take from the match.
Group E’s Sierra Leone and Ghana match was played, for the most part, in the middle of the park. When in attack, the Ghanaians were indecisive; the home side were caught offside on multiple occasions. Just after the hour mark, Sierra Leone hit the corner of the woodwork twice in the same passage of play, much to the dismay of the home crowd. Instead, the game petered out to a scoreless draw, though Sierra Leone looked solid up front and will take that into their next encounter.
Mauritania was another side taking on an AFCON-qualified nation in Algeria. However, the visitors gained the upper hand when Islam Slimani walked into an easy goal in the 16th minute. Mauritania looked unperturbed and fought for an equaliser, though Algeria sat back in defence and made it tough to find any cracks. However, Ismaël Diakité’s long-range shot found the back of the net in the second half, leaving a tense final 28 minutes. Algeria kept their cool, and working down the right flank, cut a low cross right in front of Slimani, who eased the ball into goal and gave Algeria a crucial away win.
Group B’s Comoros, having just qualified for AFCON 2020, hosted Malawi in a crucial match to set up the second phase of World Cup Qualifiers. Though Comoros had the better of possession in the first half, it was Malawi who netted the only goal of the game via Robin Ngalande, tapping in after his teammates breezed through a lacklustre Comoros defence. The hosts tried wrestling back control, and though they looked the better side in midfield, except in one-on-one challenges, the Malawian defence ensured all shots were taken from long range, which led to poor shot accuracy and therefore no goal scored.
The Gambia hosted their fellow AFCON Qualifiers in South Africa in their first of three encounters, since they would be facing off against each other in June’s tournament. This would be a testing match to see if the Gambians had what it takes to tackle the African stalwarts. The home side held their own in the first half, creating opportunities down the wings and keeping South Africa away from their own goal. However, the second half opened up, and by the 58th minute, South Africa had two goals via Themba Zwane and Athenkosi Dlala. Zwane’s goal, his second for the Qualifiers, was a grand header that somehow found the back of the net despite the angle and distance to goal, while Dlala came off the bench and scored from a free kick with his first touch (though the Gambian goalkeeper should have stopped it). From there, South Africa doubled down in defence and left with a two-goal away victory.
In Group C, Lesotho faced off against a different looking Libya after both failed to reach AFCON 2020. The changes in the team paid off as Libya’s Salem Al-Meslati scored in the 26th minute, banging home into the back of the net after a Lesotho defender chested a long ball right into his path. Lesotho should have equalised on multiple occasions. Their best chances came when a chipped shot hit the outside of the post, and late when a header hit the crossbar before the ball was eased to safety. Libya gained a crucial three points to set up their campaign.
Having qualified for AFCON 2020, Benin needed to defeat Niger and maintain momentum in the lead up to the tournament in seven months. However, Benin could not score, even though they dominated right across the park. The Niger defence did enough to keep the side at bay and end the game in a scoreless draw, giving Niger the lead in the group and Benin fourth place.
Guinea-Bissau faced the tough task when they hosted Egypt in Group F. Both sides had a chance to score in the first half. However, the crowd boosted the home side and right on the hour mark, scored via substitute Frédéric Mendy. Another choice substitution in Bura in central defence helped Guinea-Bissau as they scored with the head for the second time from a man off the bench. The second goal took the sting out of the match for the final ten minutes and Guinea-Bissau gained a vital win against the north Africans.
Tunisia faced the Congo in the other Group F match, hoping to gain a jump on Egypt after their loss. Tunisia had a shot in the second minute via Wahbi Khazri, which hit the post. This opened the game up as defence and build up play went out the window. Tunisia had two more chances in the first half, including Taha Yassine Khenissi’s poster. In the 67th minute, the Congolese surprised with a goal from Silvère Ganvoula. Tunisia remained unperturbed and equalised via Naim Sliti’s run into space and goal. However, they could not gain a second goal; the match ended all square.
In Group G, the Mauritius’ defence held their own for 75 minutes away to Nigeria. The Nigerians certainly had their chances, only to be halted. The dominance across the park (except in possession, surprisingly) eventually led to a goal by Onyinye Ndidi after the goal was left open from two previous shots by his teammates. Ahmed Musa then made it two goals when he led onto a through ball and fired into the back of the net.
Côte d’Ivoire needed a win against fellow AFCON participant Madagascar to establish a solid position in Group G. The hosts romped five goals past the hapless Madagascans, leaving them in the wake. Max Gradel opened the scoring with a solid header. Nicolas Pépé then shot a low ball into the net out of the reach of the opposing goalkeeper. From a corner, defender Ismaël Traoré made it three goals right on halftime as he headed above everyone else. Pépé scored two more goals after the break; two headers in a one-on-one battle that found the back of net. From there, the Ivoirians showed why they are a true force in the group and why they will need to be stopped soon, otherwise they are likely to win the group. As for Madagascar, they sit on the bottom, with a goal difference of negative nine.
São Tomé and Príncipe, who reached the AFCON 2020 tournament, faced against Kenya who were trying to qualify for a second World Cup in a row. The hosts had the better of the match, dominating in possession and passing accuracy. This led to a few more chances for São Tomé over Kenya, culminating in a goal by substitute striker Capito. However, Kenya quickly replied via Michael Olunga and the match ended in a draw, with both sides leaving the ground content.
A one-all draw also took place between the Seychelles and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese had the upper hand early in the match, resulting in solid chances, before midfielder Jacques Maghoma scored in the 28th minute due to a poor clearance. The home side, a goal down, worked back into the match, and for long periods looked the better side. Five minutes from the end, substitute Nigel Hoareau rose above everyone else from a corner kick and headed home the equaliser, which the Seychelles bench celebrated as if they had won the game.
The Central African Republic hosted Rwanda in Group I and hoped to gain a crucial win. However, the general consensus is they lost two points in a scoreless draw. Rwanda had early chances before the home team took charge of the match, though they had missed shot after missed shot in a disappointing display in their front third. The Central African Republic continued to push Rwanda back on the field, but all their efforts produced no fruit.
Somalia did not manage a shot on target as they hosted Cameroon, who scored twice via Karl Toko Ekambi and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. These were the only two shots on target in a rather dull match, where neither side really possessed any continual domination until Cameroon seized control of the game late and managed those two goals.
Mozambique, coming off the back of a successful AFCON qualification campaign, hosted Togo in Group J World Cup Qualifiers. Mozambique had the control of the first half, culminating in a 33rd-minute goal by Stanley Ratifo, who caught hold of a parried shot to find the gap between the goalkeeper and the post. After the break, Togo had the advantage and pressured the Mozambican defence into little errors. Mathieu Dossevi scored the equaliser in the 62nd minute, and from there, an even rest of the match kept the score one-all.
As for Namibia, they had the upper hand for much of the match against Mali. Petrus Shitembi should have scored early for the hosts, as he collected the ball from an initial save, but his first shot rebounded back off the goalkeeper and his second missed the mark. In the second half, Shitembi worked down the right wing and shot again, with the same result taking place. In the end, the scoreless draw was much in the Malian favour.
South America World Cup Qualifiers commenced in South America, with Bolivia hosting Venezuela. Bolivia needed to resurrect their footballing confidence after having missed out on Copa America qualification, the only South American side to do so. Venezuela were on a high, though they had lost at home to the Bahamans, and needed a quick boost of energy to back up away to Bolivia. The first half was relatively dull, as Bolivia could only turn their 69% possession into one shot on target. In the second half, both sides had chances to score, but muffed each one. Substitute Josef Martínez possibly had the best chance of the match; a one-on-one with the Bolivian goalkeeper, only for the keeper to win the battle enough for his defence to clear the ball. In the end, the scoreless draw worked in no team’s favour, though Venezuela gained an important away point.
Ecuador flew to Argentina to open their campaign. And though it was Argentina who had the better of the chances, it was Ecuador’s Jefferson Orejuela that opened the scoring right before the break. Argentina immediately responded via Leandro Paredes, scoring into an open goal after Paulo Dybala’s initial shot. In the second half, with the score level, the Ecuadorian defence held firm. Paredes had two more attempts at goal, only to have them thwarted. Then, as additional time neared its end, Ángel Di Maria came off the bench and crossed from the right wing to Dybala, whose header found the back of the net, and with it, Argentina’s first three points on their way to the World Cup.
Ecuador now enter the Physico Championship Playoffs, against Liberia, while Argentina tackle Colombia for a place in the same tournament. Should they progress, they will meet Malta in the first match, while Ecuador plays Sweden or Latvia.
In the match between Chile and Peru, the Chileans had two goals by the 22nd minute thanks to Alexis Sánchez and Eduardo Vargas. Peru did surprise a slackened defence by scoring through Christian Cueva, making the latter part of the match tense as both sides sought another goal. Nevertheless, Chile won 2-1 and set themselves on the right path toward Qatar.
Uruguay kept the pattern of the home side winning 2-1, overcoming a powerful Paraguay. Luis Suárez opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he was found alone against the Paraguayan goalkeeper. However, in spite of Uruguay dominating, Paraguay equalised via �"scar Cardozo. Suárez restored the lead for his side when he took two attempts to score a second, although on replay it looked like him and the defender kicked the ball at the same time. Nevertheless, the goal stood, and Uruguay went on to gain their first three points of the Qatar campaign.
Chile now enter the Physico Championships with their first match against either Denmark or Australia, along with Belarus and giants Germany in their group.
North America The group stages for North American World Cup qualification commenced this week, with Nicaragua hosting Costa Rica in Group D. Nicaragua, buoyed by their inclusion in the Gold Cup, looked keen to overcome powerhouse Costa Rica, who had qualified for the Copa America. Both sides had chances in the first half; Costa Rica hit the post and Nicaragua’s shots needing deft saves and quality defensive blocks. In the second half, Nicaragua ramped up the pressure, getting decent shots on target. However, the away side caught the Nicaraguans on the counterattack and scored via Jonathan Moya. Joel Campbell then tapped in a goal with his first touch coming off the bench, effectively gifting his side the full points.
Honduras, also in the same group as Costa Rica in the upcoming Copa America, hosted Barbados, hoping to grant their fans a game to remember. The first half saw Honduras have the upper hand but were unable to get shots on target. However, late in the half, they created more touches in the final third, and this momentum carried over after the break when Jonathan Toro caught a cross with his head and snagged the first goal. Barbados would not be overawed and from a set piece equalised via Akeem Hill. Honduras sought a goal for the win, only to come up fruitless, and Barbados celebrated a key draw to open their Qatar campaign.
Cuba, also having barely qualified for the Gold Cup, hosted St Kitts and Nevis, who had drawn away to Trinidad and Tobago in their last match. Cuba went in with a young side, and it showed in exuberance, but also in low-quality finishes. Cuba struggled to gain the upper hand on the scoresheet, but when St Kitts went down to ten men, they were patient and the goal did come thanks to York González running on to a through ball and hitting it first time. From there, Cuba held firm and gained the three points, although they would have preferred to have scored far more.
Costa Rica now face Gabon in the Physico Championship Playoffs, while the others will wait for more World Cup Qualifiers next year.
El Salvador hosted Mexico in Group A and looked red hot with a nine-minute goal from Darwin Cerén. The cutback pass from wide to near the penalty spot continued to annoy Mexico as El Salvador employed it time and again. Only Guillermo Ochoa in goals had the answers to deny El Salvador a second. When Roberto Alvarado headed a goal in the 58th minute, the game looked as though it may end a draw. However, Jose Macías had other ideas as he scored twice in quick succession, wrestling the game away from the hosts’ hands, including his second which knocked the bottom of the right-hand post before spinning over the line. Mexico were not done, however, and a fourth goal came off Carlos Antuna’s header, beginning their qualification phase on a high note, and effectively telling the rest of the nations in their group their best game might not be enough to overpower the might of Mexico.
Panama dominated the match against Puerto Rico from start to finish, helped by an early goal from Rolando Botello. The midfielder coolly trapped a cross from the left flank, before slipping the ball beyond the goalkeeper with his left. Botello should have scored twice more, with two attempts going wide (six shots in total for the match). From there, the trend continued, as Panama racked up fifteen shots, with only five on target, by the break. The second half was similar, with more easy misses with the head and the foot. In the end, the only goal was the difference, and Panama will rue their missed chances (26 shots in total with only nine on target), while Puerto Rico will thank the footballing gods they only lost by a goal.
As for Guyana hosting Curaçao, the game petered out to a scoreless draw in spite of some early attacking prowess from the home side. Curaçao managed to keep them at bay, though they struggled to get the ball down the other end to score a vital away goal. In the end, neither side felt happy about their performance in a group that requires goals to keep in the hunt of Mexico.
Panama now face Mexico in the Physico Championship Playoffs, where the winner will play against Portugal, Serbia and Guinea.
In Group B, Grenada hosted Jamaica and needed to start off on a winning note. However, Jamaica had a goal in the twentieth minute from Junior Flemmings, who breezed out of reach of the Grenadian defence and finished with an easy shot. After the break, Maalique Foster doubled the lead for Jamaica. Grenada looked downtrodden in their play, not knowing a way back into the match. Midfielder Kwazim Theodore stepped up and fired a goal when the ball was passed to him as he ran between two defenders. However, the Jamaican defence held tight in spite of a late charge to level the score, and Jamaica came away with an opening Match Day victory.
David Junior Hoilett scored twice in Canada’s away win over St Vincent and the Grenadines. Hoilett opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute, cruising the ball into the back of the net. St Vincent were keen on rectifying this, only they struggled in the front third. It took substitute Nazir McBurnette to equalise in the 74th minute, but a blunder pass in defence gifted Hoilett his brace and Canada the ideal start on their path to Qatar.
Bermuda, having qualified for the Copa America, hosted Haiti in their opening group game. However, an early injury and then a deflected goal scored by Sony Mustivar set the tone of the match. Wildedonald Guerrier then nailed a header from a quick cross, doubling the visitor’s lead. Bermuda worked back into the game via Zeiko Lewis pocketing in the 59th minute, but for the third time in a row in Group B, the hosts lost two-one.
Jamaica next face Austria in their opening match of the Physico Championships. The rest of the nations will face off in World Cup Qualifiers at a later date.
The Americans, like the Bermudans, looked like they had partied too hard after qualifying for the Copa America, as two quick goals from Marcus Joseph gave Trinidad and Tobago in Group C the edge. The US side warmed to the game in time, and had a few chances, but the host’s defence held firm. In fact, they should have scored a third but were unable to get on target late.
Guatemala sought qualification for their second World Cup in a row with a three-goal win over Montserrat. Edi Guerra opened the scoring after being first to a goalkeeping parry. Rodrigo Saravia then mirrored the first goal and rolled the parried shot into the back of the net. Guatemala eased off, though a third goal seemed more and more likely, and Jose Martínez obliged the fans by stealing the ball off the Montserrat goalkeeper and punting the ball home.
The Dominican Republic started their campaign off with a bang, with a fourth-minute steal and goal from Dorny Romero against the Bahamas. The hosts kept up the pressure and did not relent, though the Bahamans held on and patiently waited for their chance. It came in the 68th minute via Raymorn Sturrup, who outworked the defenders and placed a shot on target, which found the back of the net. From there, the Dominican Republic side ramped up the pressure, only for Romero to miss two more attempts wide, and the match ended one-all.
All six nations will play again in the new year against one another.
Physico Championship Playoffs This period of matches saw the Physico Championship Playoffs as twenty nations became ten, adding to the twenty-two nations already qualified.
Gabon hosted Costa Rica, the latter who played with a back five to thwart the attack of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Instead, it was Denis Bouanga who netted first, thanks to Aubameyang’s cross. Wilfried Ebane then made it two goals when he edged up from left back and snagged a goal from long range with his right boot. In the second half, Bouanga’s head came to the fray again, scoring Gabon’s third. Costa Rica replied soon after the hour mark, finally, as substitute Jonathan Moya outsmarted the Gabonese defence. However, Player of the Match Lloyd Palun restored the three-goal lead as he won the ball near the 18-yard box and rounded the ball beyond the Costa Rican goalkeeper, Keylor Navas. In the end, Gabon proved they are more than just their star striker, and the 4-1 scoreline exemplified that.
Needing to win by three goals in the return leg, Costa Rica made a couple of changes, though keeping their back five in the hope of exploiting the wings on their home turf. However, Gabon looked the more dangerous in their attacking third, and Bouanga won a penalty off Giancarlo González, which Aubameyang shot to the right (even though Navas got some purchase on it). Aubameyang then made it two goals in the fifteenth minute, finding gaps in the defence that should not have been present. Costa Rica, starting to show cracks in their side, could not find a way to goal in spite of some key chances. Finally, in the 77th minute, Joel Campbell got onto a left footer out of reach of the Gabonese goalkeeper and pegged back one goal. However, it was not enough, and Gabon gained their second win and entered the tournament to play against South Korea, Hungary and Brazil.
Mauritania hoped to repeat their African counterpart’s efforts against Finland. However, Finland looked strong early, with Teemu Pukki missing to the right of goal. Mauritania then took control of the first half, having a few close efforts, but only one that led to a shot on target. In the second half, Ismaël Diakité was found alone near the penalty spot and opened the scoring for Mauritania. Teemu Pukki had a yellow card late in the match. Finland’s offsides kept them out of the game and Mauritania had the advantage going into the second leg.
Looking to score early, Mauritania looked dangerous, and scored via Adama Ba. Needing three goals now to progress, Finland went on the offence. Joel Pohjanpalo missed a key header and Pukki and Nicholas Hamalainen were found offside. Eventually, Robert Taylor found the back of the net, giving Finland a lifeline. In the second half, Finland ramped up the pressure, only to have their continual shots blocked. Taylor should have given his side the lead in the match after he was found free in front of goal, only to miss to the left. More blocked chances kept the ball away from goal, and the game ended in a draw, with Mauritania progressing. They join a group of Jamaica and Austria, and the winner of Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.
Vietnam’s attacking passes were on point in the first leg but they were unable to turn them into effective chances. Both sides should have taken the lead in the first half, only to miss the mark. Straight after the break, it was Vietnam who scored when Phong H�"ng Duy Nguyễn ran onto a brilliant pass and shot first time. Ngọc Hải Quế then followed suit when he ran onto a ball outside the box and fired home Vietnam’s second. Saudi Arabia immediately responded with a goal from Hattan Bahebri. Late in the match, Abdullah Otaif equalised with a slow chip over the Vietnamese goalkeeper. Then, in the 89th minute, Firas Al-Buraikan gave the away side the lead, almost ending Vietnam’s chance at progressing to the final stage.
Being up 3-2, Saudi Arabia sought to end the second leg early and decisively. Al-Buraikan scored early with his right boot along the ground and out of reach of the Vietnamese goalkeeper. Otaif almost scored in the same manner, only for the left-hand post to thwart his effort. After the break, a penalty came the way of the hosts, with Salem Al-Dossari easily snagging it. The match soon petered out, with Saudi Arabia scoring the last five goals across the two legs to ensure progression.
Greece faced Kazakhstan in a do-or-die moment. Efthymios Koulouris opened the campaign for the Greeks in the 27th minute, giving them the edge over the Kazakhs. In the second half, Dimitrios Kourmpelis should have doubled the lead, only to hit the woodwork with his first attempt, then miss to the right when the goal was wide open. Instead, José Zeca scored for the hosts, telling their opponents they needed to bring their best in the return leg.
Instead, Greece took the early lead via the head of Koulouris. Not much took place for the remainder of the first half, though in the second Kazakhstan got their first real shot, with Baktiyor Zainutdinov hitting the left-hand post. Instead, Dimitrios Limnios doubled Greece’s lead, effectively ending the contest with 28 minutes remaining. Substitute Petros Mandalos then bagged a goal in additional time, making the result 3-0, and 5-0 overall. Greece now face the might of France, England and the Ukraine.
Australia flew to Denmark to fight for a place in the Physico Championships. Not much occurred for the match until Thomas Delaney’s shot hit the woodwork in the 41st minute. In the second half, the front three of Kasper Dolberg, Yussuf Poulsen and Martin Braithwaite all had chances, only for Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to tap the latter two’s shots over the bar. Dolberg had two attempts but both missed the mark. At the death, Denmark countered off a corner, only for Daniel Wass to barely miss. The game ended a scoreless draw, leaving the winner of the second leg as the advancing team.
Australia brought Aaron Mooy back into the fray for the home match. This helped as Australia went on the attack early, culminating in a shot by Mathew Leckie and a follow-up shot into the back of the net by Adam Taggart. James Jeggo backed it up minutes later with a deft touch beyond Kasper Schmeichel. In the 24th minute, Dolberg headed a replying goal, making it 2-1. Another goal from Denmark and they would advance. Delaney produced a header, again with the cross coming from the right wing. However, Jeggo had a second goal after Leckie’s cross found him at the penalty spot, and again, Australia had the advantage. The Socceroos nearly had a fourth goal, only for it to be blocked. Neither side looked like overriding the other in the second half, though Australia created more chances, particularly with Massimo Luongo strengthening their left wing. Denmark made a late surge, only to see the result go the way of the Australians 3-2. Australia will now face Germany, Belarus and Chile, all on home soil for the first three games, a great preparation for their Asian Cup campaign in January.
Ecuador played hosts to Liberia, with Antonio Valencia earning a yellow card early in the match. Around the half hour mark, Liberia needed to clear from the line three times in the same passage of play. The Liberian goalkeeper also made a choice save right before the break as Romario Ibarra made an attempt on goal. After the break, Ecuador passed with ease around the Liberian defence, leading to an Ángel Mena goal coming from right midfield. Liberia could have replied immediately, only to lose the one-on-one with the goalkeeper and then miss the resulting parry. Down the other end, Enner Valencia chested a cross down and scored with ease.
The two-goal buffer seemed enough in the reverse leg, as Liberia tried their chipping game twice. That was to no avail as Enner Valencia scored again, effectively ending the two-legged encounter. Liberia sought to get a result from this match, at least, but the Ecuadorian goalkeeper made two key saves twelve yards away from his line right before the break. After halftime, Tonia Tisdell scored with a power shot from the edge of the box, bringing the second leg level. Cristian Ramírez restored the Ecuadorian lead with a free kick that could not be stopped. Liberia nearly scored off a corner, only for the goalkeeper to thwart the first header and the woodwork to stop the second. Finally, it seemed the same would happen at another corner, but Sam Johnson made no mistake this time. Unfortunately, substitute Eduar Preciado pounced on a chance, hitting the left-hand post before the ball crossed the line. With five minutes remaining, Liberia had little hope of equalising again, and even though they had chances late, the Ecuadorian defence ensured a 3-2 win, and 5-2 the score across both legs. Ecuador now face Slovenia, Italy and the winner between Sweden and Latvia.
Latvia hosted first, but it was Marcus Berg who scored in the second minute to set an example of how the two games would play out. However, Latvia came close four times to scoring, were it not for the Swedish goalkeeper. Dāvis Ikaunieks scissor-kicked for goal, only for the goalkeeper to tap it over the bar. Ikaunieks had a chance early in the second half with his head, as did substitute Glebs Kļuškins. Kļuškins had a shot from wide with his left that needed a double grab to keep the Latvians away from goal.
In the home leg, Sweden knew an early goal would make it tricky for Latvia. Berg headed home after an initial Latvian goalkeeping save. Latvia looked to reply, only to miss to the left. The first half petered out as Sweden struggled to dominate in the final third. The second half saw plenty of unsuccessful long-range shots for Sweden. Ikaunieks missed a key chance to equalise to the left. In the end, Sweden won the game one-nil and progressed to the Championships.
Iraq welcomed Ireland as the two sides looked to progress into the group containing the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Algeria. The hosts started off well, scoring early via Amjed Attwan. Ireland soon got back into the match and Adam Idah equalised. Both sides had real chances at a second, though in the end the one-all scoreline remained there.
In the reverse leg, Ireland altered their side, hoping an early goal or two would suffice. Idah scored again, though it came as the hour mark approached. Minutes later, Aaron Connolly doubled the lead, almost giving Ireland the win. However, Iraq would not quit and quickly replied via Alaa Ali Mhawi. Ireland quickly resettled and sought for a third. It did not come, but the time taken in their attacking third meant Ireland wore down the clock until the final whistle. Ireland now take on the Netherlands first, while Iraq will partake in the Asian Cup in January, first facing Bahrain.
In the toughest match up of the Playoffs, Argentina came from two goals down to draw level late. Wilmar Barrios scored a brilliant goal with his body almost horizontal. In the 34th minute, Mateus Uribe scored from a corner, making it two-nil. Leandro Paredes pegged one back right before the break, before Lionel Messi rose to the occasion and tucked the ball into the goal in the 86th minute.
Argentina thrust hard in the first ten minutes to try and gain the upper hand at home. No goal came, but they were patient. However, Colombia scored first as an own goal by German Pezzella came to fruition from a little too much pressure for the Argentinians. For the second time, Argentina needed to come from behind. Messi stepped up again late, with his shot blocked by the Colombian goalkeeper, only for substitute Guido Rodríguez to fire into the open goal. Lautaro Martínez then backed up moments later when the initial shot hit the post. From there, Argentina held on, and will now take on Malta, Andorra and Switzerland in one of the easier groups for the Physico Championships. Meanwhile, the World Cup winners in Colombia must dust off the disappointment and tackle England in the Inter-Nations League next year during the lead up to the Copa America.
In the final Playoff, Panama hosted Mexico in a match that started off with end-to-end play. Panama then settled first, having more shots over their opponents. However, there was no way, it seemed, of ruffling the net. Late in the match, Jose Macías scored for the Mexicans against the run of play. However, Panama kept their cool and replied via Alberto Quintero from right midfield. Searching for the winner, Panama had their shots thwarted by the Mexican goalkeeper, and the game ended one-all.
In the reverse leg, the defences were in full effect as Mexico attacked and attacked but found no way to goal. Both sides had their chances in the second half to win the game. It was all to nought as Mexico played for the scoreless draw in the final minutes, knowing their away goal would send them through.
Mexico play Portugal, Serbia and Guinea in the Championships, while Panama must wait for the next World Cup Qualifiers Match Day.
Friendlies The Gambia and the Sudan played a friendly match. The Gambia started red hot as they nearly scored via Moudou Barrow hitting the bottom of the left-hand upright. However, the Sudanese worked back into the match. In the 62nd minute, a penalty was awarded to the away side, and Ramadan El-Agab made no mistake by smacking into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Assan Ceesay should have equalised when his perfect run found the ball deep in the box with no defenders near him. Somehow, the Sudanese goalkeeper kept the ball from dribbling over the line. The Sudan held on to a vital away friendly victory.
© 2020 Steve Clark |
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Added on September 20, 2020 Last Updated on September 20, 2020 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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