DJHazey

Didn't know where else to post it but...unrelated and I know it was just a friendly, however 5-1 for us Americans vs. Uruguay. Wow.

Knowing how a lot of the matches go in this region, they will go extra time until the home team finds a winner... There was similar one for Qatar earlier in qualifying against Uzbekistan.

I would like Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland in separate semifinals but now that's gonna be harder to pull off.

Om my Scotland, hold a lead challenge!

Bosnia leads early in Vienna!

They were upset they just missed being in the playoffs* and are taking it out on poor Romania! *The fact that Nations League ties into this is a joke and needs to be addressed, San Marino having actually been a possibility and Sweden who went winless in their qualifying group being in the playoffs are mind-boggling.

To sum up today's final Round1 qualifying day, to make things easier and more straight forward to follow. Already Qualified (7/12) Germany France Portugal Netherlands Norway England Croatia Already in the Playoffs (10/16) Slovakia Northern Ireland Sweden Ukraine Republic of Ireland Poland Romania Italy Albania Czech Republic Will Qualify today (basically 99%< chance) (+3 Qualified) Switzerland (Kosovo would have to win by six goals) Spain (Turkey would have to win by eight goals) Belgium (they are hosting Liechtenstein) Qualification Up for Grabs (+2 Qualified) Denmark or Scotland in Glasgow (Game winner or Denmark if there is a draw) Austria or Bosnia-Herzegovina in Vienna (Game winner or Austria if there is a draw) Playoff Additions (+6 Advance) Kosovo (see above with Switzerland) Denmark or Scotland (Game Loser or Scotland if there is a draw) Turkey (see above with Spain) Austria or Bosnia-Herzegovina (Game Loser or Bosnia if there is a draw) North Macedonia (see above with Belgium) Wales (see above with Belgium)

Five of the six matches tonight have major impact on how this all shakes out (only Trinidad and Tobago vs. Bermuda doesn't) and they all play at 9PM EST tonight.

The Irish announcers call of Parrott's game winner is incredible by the way.

Curacao aren't the best example as I would say currently they are at or above a Honduras or Costa Rica and those countries have done things in World Cups. Keep in mind Curacao is mostly made up players who were born in Netherlands as it was formerly Netherlands Antilles and they play in Dutch leagues.

Team Norway arriving in Oslo after their first qualification in 27 years. StreamableWatch Norway national football team arrives in Oslo after...

If Slovakia pull off a major upset today, they will qualify for the World Cup and Germany will join Italy as powerhouses in the playoff round.

I think it's just because they already have such a significant number of direct qualifications and a large playoff round of their own. FIFA determined the number of spots for each continent but instead of Europe's split being a "potentially up to this number" they just made it the full number. In other words, back when they decided Europe gets 13 (in a previous year as an example), they decided 13 instead of 12.5, with the 0.5 being the intercontinental spot for other regions.

Possibly, but Norway have only ever been like third or fourth tier in Europe at best, now you can say they're among all the countries right under the two or three biggest favorites going into the World Cup. This is new territory for sure. I bet no one expected they'd just travel to Italy and dismantle them to confirm the 3-0 route they had back in Oslo. Yes, like many of the Northern Europe squads, the heat/humidity will be a factor too.

Quick thoughts about the matches so far: What a thrilling clutch goal late Tomáš Bobček making his Slovakian national tam debut. Sets them up advance to the playoffs. Kosovo is on fire, winning at Sweden and then at Slovenia. They'll be a handful in the playoffs. (They'd have to beat Switzerland by six goals tomorrow to qualify directly) Scotland almost pulled off that comeback, but is fortunate Denmark tripped up at home. Belarus scored two goals back-to-back in minutes to take a 2-1 lead late in the second half and the Danes had to rescue a point. We're still set up for the de-facto playoff bout in Glasgow tomorrow. Winner takes all, a draw sees Denmark through. Poor Iceland, but how can you not be happy for Ukraine? The goal on the last kick by Ireland was insane scenes in Budapest. What a week indeed for Irish football. Bosnia beating Romania, means they could win in Vienna tomorrow and qualify still. Wales vs. North Macedonia tomorrow in Cardiff is not a deciding match as they qualify via Nations League either way.

Any questions about Norway's strength as a squad now? Like I said before, I don't think there is a team in the world playing better than Norway right now, except maybe Spain and Argentina.

Great to see Congo DR advance and have a chance to return to the World Cup. Nigeria struggled early on in the group round, but their furious rally to make this playoff was to be respected. Mbemba with the winning goal for DRC as the longest tenured national team player for the country.

Group D - Iceland at Ukraine (played in Warsaw) decides a playoff berth. Ukraine advances only with a win, but Iceland can also advance in a draw. Group F - Let's face it, Portugal will win their home match against Armenia and qualify directly. So, it comes down to Hungary hosting Ireland. Ireland can only advance with a win; any other scenario sees Hungary through. Group I - As outlined before Italy would need a +9 victory, so this will be Norway qualifying and Italy going to playoffs and hoping to avoid North Macedonia.

Final Match Day Qualifying scenarios on 11/18: Panama qualifies if their result against El Salvador (home) is better than Suriname's result against Guatemala (away) Suriname qualifies if their result against Guatemala (away) is better than Panama's result against El Salvador (home) If both countries have equal match results, it will come down to goal differential which is currently +3 to Suriname. Curaçao qualifies with a win or draw against Jamaica (away) Jamaica qualifies with a win against Curaçao (home) Haiti qualifies with a win against Nicaragua (home) and Honduras loss/draw against Costa Rica (away) Costa Rica qualifies with a win against Honduras (home) and Haiti loss/draw against Nicaragua (home) Honduras qualifies with a win against Costa Rica (away), as long a Haiti doesn't win against Nicaragua (home) with a goal differential that is three goals better OR a draw against Costa Rica (away) and a Haiti loss/draw against Nicaragua (home) Based on these scenarios I would say the best chances are these three qualifying: Panama Jamaica Haiti Suriname and Curaçao advance to the intercontinental playoff. As much as I'd like to see Suriname and Curaçao qualify directly, their final matches are not going to be easy to get the three points they'll need.

Insane, the Nicaragua and Trinidad and Tobago, results creating more chaos. Also, Suriname and Curaçao getting much needed goal differential boosts.

I think this goes to Iraq now, since it will shift to Basra next week.

Apparently, the act from Ronaldo could mean a 2-3 game suspension according to FIFA rules, so potentially could mean he misses the first game or two of the World Cup itself. I doubt FIFA does that though. Everything I outlined about the Norway-Italy situation coming to fruition. It's a formality now. The goal differential is just too much. I wonder if there's a way Italy could face North Macedonia if both are in the playoffs. 😏 Happy for Albania.

Pulling for Congo DR in this one. Feel for Gabon to tie the game so late, only to be run over in extra time.

Who can qualify for the World Cup today? France, if they beat Ukraine (home) Portugal. if they beat Ireland (away) OR if Hungary loses/draws against Armenia (away) Norway, if they beat Estonia (home) and Italy loses/draws against Moldova (away) OR if they draw Estonia (home) and Italy loses to Moldova (away)

Who can qualify for the World Cup today? Jamaica, if they beat Trinidad and Tobago (away) and Curaçao loses to Bermuda (away) Honduras, if they beat Nicaragua (away) and Costa Rica and Haiti finish as a draw.