not surprised at both results nz got to play mexico cos they played these guys in qualifying [YOUTUBE]ejTTJmJSHkk[/YOUTUBE] the asian qualifier in this case jordan was always going to play a high ranked team from south america where soccer is life or death
I think New Zealand should do what Australia has done and switch to the Asian Zone. They aren't a great team but you'd have to think they can compete with Uzbekistan and Jordan. Not that playing Uruguay would have been any better but they might have had a shot against Panama.
It's official: Lionel Messi is an icon in American sports http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/relegationzone/id/1452?cc=5901
They'd probably have a better shot at the automatic qualifier anyway, since they're only competing with Australia, Japan, South Korea and whoever else to finish in the top four. Really it should probably be the CONCACAF wild card spot against the South American wild card spot, and the Oceania winner against the Asian wild card. Mexico-Uruguay and New Zealand-Jordan would have been infinitely more competitive.
Fifa gives the South american wildcard team a penalty kick because Asia is so weak after its top teams, japan south korea , australia . Oceania is the problem child for fifa , who ever wins ( last world cup by nz was an exception) qualification is like lambs to the slaughter to a decent side ie mexico in last stage qualification to WC
More competitive but FIFA wants to make the most money. Replacing say Mexico with Jordan would have cost FIFA millions in TV revenue and advertising. Throw in ESPN knnows that airing Mexico games is a money maker which is why they've started to show Mexico games on regular ESPN so obviously they also want Mexico in the tournament. Think of how awful Tahiti was in the Confed Cup. NZ in 2010 was an acception and not that norm for Oceania. I do think NZ would be better served in Asia as I do think they could fight for auto qualifying. You also have to consider that FIFA probably expceted someone like Hondurus or Jamaica to be playing NZ and not some giant like Mexico.
Watch this video. Marcos Senna's world class golazo to give the Cosmos the Championship. It is a thing of beauty.
Euro WC Playoffs Greece smashed Romania 3-1 although Romania's goal doesn't make the aggregate as bad as it could be Shocker as Ukraine beats France 2-0 meaning in order for France to qualify they'll need to score 2 goals against Ukraine whom hasn't conceeded 2 goals in a game in over a year.
Greece looking like they are going to take a spot as does Croatia. Greeks are in stoppage time and Croats 83rd minute up by 2 goals. An Iceland goal gets them a draw in aggregate.
Portugal scores what could be a back breaking goal for Sweden as they now go down at home 1-0 after losing in Lisbon 1-0.
Well as expected the US got royally fucked with the seedings and pot for the WC. Pot 1 is the seeded teams Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Uruguay, Switzerland, Colombia and Belguim Pot 2 Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Chile, Ecaudor Pot 3 US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Iran, Hondurus, Japan, Australia, South Korea Pot 4 Holland, Italy, France, England, Italy, Bosnia, Portugal, Russia, Croatia and Greece Pot 4 has 9 teams and Pot 2 has 7. One "random" team will be drawn and moved form Pot 4 to Pot 2 before they do the draw on Friday. You can almost book it that the US will get into a "group of death" as they are clearly the best team in Pot 3. My guess is we're very likely to see the US in a group with Argentina, France and Ivory Coast or similar. It's not just the US that got fucked but all of CONCACAF and Asia. Looks like FIFA rigged it so very few of them will escape the group stages and that you'll get 90% of the Euro/S. American teams into the round of 16.
