South Africa or Bust! 11 Nations
Have Qualified, 21 More To Go
It's either freaking cold or sizzling hot depending on which way you look at it. The World Cup qualifying barometer is acting out of sort as we go into an exciting, nail-biting weekend of soccer.
It will be a day of reckoning for most teams that have yet to make sure of qualifying for that all-important trip to South Africa for the World Cup finals.
Some teams will be sweating profusely, wondering about their fate. Argentina and Portugal come to mind. Supporters of countries whose chances are still hanging in the balance will be biting their fingernails.
The fever is back, more intense than ever.
Thirty-two nations will take part in the finals, including hosts South Africa.
There will be 13 nations from Europe, six from Africa, four from South America, four from Asia and three from CONCACAF. Two more places will be decided in an Oceania/Asia play-off and a CONCACAF/South America play-off.
The teams who have already qualified are:
South Africa (CAF - as hosts)
Japan (AFC)
Australia (AFC)
South Korea (AFC)
Netherlands (UEFA)
North Korea (AFC)
Brazil (CONMEBOL)
Ghana (CAF)
England (UEFA)
Spain (UEFA)
Paraguay (CONMEBOL)
Here are the upcoming weekend's fixtures:
AFRICA
GROUP A
Cameroon v Togo
Saturday, Oct 10
A win for favourites in this group, Cameroon, over their neighbours will secure their ticket to South Africa. They will earn ten points from five games. If Gabon lose at home to Morocco, Cameroon qualify automatically with a win.
GROUP B
Nigeria v Mozambique
Sunday, Oct 11
The Super Eagles face a do-or-die situation when they meet Mozambique. Nigeria are two points behind Tunisia with two games left. A draw, coupled with a win for Tunisia over Kenya, will see Nigeria eliminated. Fans in football-mad Nigeria are sweating hoping for a positive result.
ASIA/OCEANIA
Bahrain v New Zealand
Saturday, Oct 10
This is one of the best chances for New Zealand to join the football elites in the finals for the seond time since 1982. But it's going to be a tough call against a team that had already dumped Middle East giants Saudi Arabia.
EUROPE
GROUP 1
Denmark v Sweden
Saturday, Oct 10
Portugal v Hungary (Match to watch)
Saturday, Oct 10
Phew, this is a group on a knife-edge. The permutaton is mind-boggling for the contenders to see who win a berth. Denmark are in a strong position if they beat neighbours Sweden who, in turn, must win to nick second spot. But that depends on a drawn match between Portugal and Hungary.
Defeat at home for the Portuguese will end their hopes of qualification, and it would be a shame not to see Cristiano Ronaldo in South Africa.
Ronaldo (picutre) did not play in Real Madrid's defeat by Sevilla in La Liga last week due to injury. Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz will surely need Ronaldo back for this crucial match.
The Magyars are behind the Portuguese only on goal difference. Portugal also need to beat Malta in their last match and hope that Denmark and Sweden slip up.
The other two minnows, Albania and Malta, are out of the reckoning.
GROUP 2
Switzerland are on top, three points ahead of Greece and Latvia. All having to play two more matches. Israel are still in with a chance, two points behind. Luxembourg and Moldova are out.
GROUP 3
Czech Republic v Poland
Sunday, Oct 11
The Czechs need to beat the Poles and ensure that Slovakia don't lose to Slovenia if they are to keep their hopes of second place alive.
GROUP 4
Russia v Germany
Saturday, Oct 10
It's down to Germany and Russia in this group. Win or lose, both are guaranteed a play-off place. So this match is all about who will have bragging rights by grabbing first place.
Germany will go to South Africa if they win, regardless of their result against Finland in their final qualifier.
Russia need not only to defeat Germany but also to win their last match against Azerbaijan in Baku to book a place in the finals.
GROUP 5
Armenia v Spain
Sunday, Oct 11
Belgium v Turkey
Monday, Oct 12
Spain, who have qualified for the finals, will go through the motion with Armenia. The second spot will probably be a tussle between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey
Bosnia-H are four points ahead of Turkey with two games remaining. If they beat Estonia, or if Turkey drop any points in the next matchday, they finish second.
If Bosnia fail to beat Estonia they face a tense last matchday against Spain. A loss might pave the way for Turkey who meet Belgium on Monday. and Armenia in their last match.
GROUP 6
Ukraine v England
Sunday, Oct 11
Fabio Capello's England squad have already qualified, meaning that only Croatia and Ukraine are battling it out for second place. Belarus and Kazakhstan are out.
GROUP 7
France v Faroe Islands
Sunday,Oct 11
Serbia are assured of second place after drawing with France. Now, all they must do is beat struggling Romania to guarantee top spot. The Serbs are four points ahead of France who, themselves, are four ahead of Austria.
GROUP 8
Republic of Ireland v Italy
Saturday,Oct 10
Second place is assured for the Azzurri. Marcello Lippi's team need only to draw away in this match to finish top dogs.
Italy are on 20 points, Ireland on 16, and Bulgaria on 11 with two games remaining.
However, if the Irish beat the Italians, the race for top spot is open. Bulgaria must win against Cyprus to keep their hopes of second place alive.
GROUP 9
This group has finished all their matches.. The Netherlands finished with eight wins out of eight; Norway edged past Scotland and Macedonia into second place. The Norwegians, however, will almost certainly be ranked the weakest of the runners-up and thus will not enter into the play-offs.
SOUTH AMERICA (CONMEBOL)
Argentina v Peru (Match to watch)
Sunday, Oct 11
Bolivia v Brazil
Sunday, Oct 11
Colombia v Chile
Sunday, Oct 11
These are trying times for Argentina coach Diego Maradona. He's not happy with the way things are going with the Albiceleste. He's not happy with interference in his job. He's not happy with technical director Carlos Bilardo who had made some decisions without consulting him.
From the "happiest guy in the world" when he was appointed a year ago, Maradona is planning to straighten things out with Argentine FA president Julio Grondona.
Argentina face the danger of not qualifying for the finals for the second time since 1970 unless they beat Peru and then take on Uruguay who, together with Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia, are direct rivals for a play-off place.
Argentina realistically must beat Peru to stay in the hunt before facing a more formidable Uruguay in Montevideo in the last match.
For resurgent Chile, it's just a matter of beating Colombia in Bogota to get their South Africa ticket.
Paraguay already joined Brazil for the finals. Only two automatic places are left and one play-off spot remaining.
Ecuador, on 23 points, will enhance their chances if they beat Uruguay in Quito, albeit with the proviso that Argentina lose in their last match and both Colombia and Venezuela drop points, then they qualify automatically.
NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA (CONCACAF)
Honduras v USA (Match to watch)
Sunday, Oct 11
Mexico v El Salvador
Sunday, Oct 11
The USA must win this one and they'll be packing for South Africa. Their final match against Costa Rica will be of no consequence then.
For Honduras, a win, coupled with a defeat for Costa Rica to unfancied Trinidad and Tobago, means qualification for them.
The USA and a resurgent Mexico already guaranteed themselves at least a play-off spot with two games left. If Mexico beat El Salvador then they qualify.
Three teams qualify directly from the final group of six, while a further one meets the fifth placed CONMEBOL team in a play-off. El Salvador will still have a chance for the play-off if they can beat Mexico.
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