As the qualifying rounds for the 2010 World Cup finals draw for a close, the excitement is at its peak amongst the football lovers. With titans like Argentina and Portugal still battling to be in the hat when the draw is made in Cape Town on December 4, it is all but natural that keen fans keep fretting in excitement and anticipation. Once the qualification rounds are complete, all but nine World Cup teams will be determined. Here is the state of play ahead of the tournament:
South America:
In the South American zone all the eyes are on whether Diego Maradona’s Argentina will miss their first finals since 1970. In a group where the top four sides qualify and the fifth-placed team goes into a play-off in November against the fourth-placed CONCACAF side, the Argentines face Uruguay who are only a point behind them in fifth. Having lost four straight games away from home Argentine is not set for a faceoff with some of the league’s most prolific scorers of Uruguay. If Diego’s men lose and Ecuador wins in their away clash with Chile, Argentina would finish sixth and will be oust from the 2010 challenge.
Five-time champions Brazil, and dark horses Paraguay and Chile have already secured places in the South American zone.
Europe:
England, Netherlands and European champions Spain have safely occupied three of the nine automatic places on offer in September, and were recently joined by three-times champions Germany, defending champions Italy, Denmark and Serbia. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal enter into tonight’s final qualifier against Malt, desperately needing a win in Group One to give the Iberians their best chance of a play-off position.
While group two leaders Switzerland only need a draw with Israel to make their second straight World Cup finals, a defeat could see Greece seal a berth instead if they beat Luxembourg. In group three, Slovakia must beat Poland to prevent Slovenia from winning the top spot if they complete an expected victory over a poor San Marino.
In group six Ukraine needs only to beat Andorra for a play-off spot while Group Nine sees Norway needing a culmination of results to go their way to grab a play-off place.
CONCACAF:
Mexico’s win over El Salvador (4-1) has secured them a place in the World Cup, while the United States qualified after defeating Honduras. Now, Costa Rica and Honduras are battling it out for the final qualification place and play the United States and El Salvador respectively, while the fourth-placed team will go into a play-off position against the fifth-placed South American nation.
Africa:
Ghana were the first country from Africa to clinch qualification, comfortably winning their group last month with two matches still to play, while the Ivory Coast joined them to leave three other places still up for grabs for the next round of qualifiers in November.
Asia / Oceania:
The four automatic places have been taken by Australia, Japan and North and South Korea, while Bahrain face a play-off against Oceania group winners New Zealand for the zones’ remaining finals spot. Bahrain were held 0-0 at home in the opening leg in Manama on Saturday, with the return leg in Wellington on November 14.