Euro 2012 Qualifiers

[Keystone Phil]

Northern Ireland thrashed Faroe Islands and continued to tip-toe their way towards the Euros. They still have a decent shot at a play-off.

Oh, damn. I forgot that there was a qualifier today. They certainly do have a shot at the playoffs. It should be a nail biter between Slovenia and Northern Ireland. I'm assuming that neither will take points from Italy since both have to play them away and we're on fire now. However, if one of them is able to do so, that should seal their place in the playoffs. I still think Slovenia has the edge but only by a single point.

It might help Northern Ireland, though, that Italy will likely have already qualified by the last game (they should qualify two games from now against Slovenia) and that would mean a far more relaxed style for Italy. We saw how they almost threw away their final qualifier for the 2010 World Cup against Cyprus while at home because they had qualified in the second to last game.

Serbia still has a chance but they finish with two tough matches. I'll say that they're going to finish in fourth.

[Keystone Phil]

I understand Spain losing means the Dutch will become the #1 FIFA ranked team in tomorrow's ranking update.

It's awesome to be the ones to knock them off their perch but...ugh...the Dutch.     It seems a little soon for rankings though. Wasn't there an update about two weeks ago?

[Keystone Phil]

Euro 2012 title within Italy's reach after win against Spain - http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3378/international-friendlies/2011/08/11/2614857/italys-cassano-inspired-win-over-worlds-best-spain-proves


"Make no mistake about it … Italy are becoming contenders again."

Meanwhile, Casillas is being a baby, claiming the game should have ended in a tie because our final goal was lucky and they dominated the second half. Iker must not have been paying attention when we dominated the first half and had many more opportunities, not to mention their very generous awarded penalty.

[Keystone Phil]

Northern Ireland thrashed Faroe Islands and continued to tip-toe their way towards the Euros. They still have a decent shot at a play-off.

Oh, damn. I forgot that there was a qualifier today. They certainly do have a shot at the playoffs. It should be a nail biter between Slovenia and Northern Ireland. I'm assuming that neither will take points from Italy since both have to play them away and we're on fire now. However, if one of them is able to do so, that should seal their place in the playoffs. I still think Slovenia has the edge but only by a single point.

It might help Northern Ireland, though, that Italy will likely have already qualified by the last game (they should qualify two games from now against Slovenia) and that would mean a far more relaxed style for Italy. We saw how they almost threw away their final qualifier for the 2010 World Cup against Cyprus while at home because they had qualified in the second to last game.

Serbia still has a chance but they finish with two tough matches. I'll say that they're going to finish in fourth.

Remember that Northern Ireland already has tied Italy once. The thing I think speaks in their favour is that they have two games against Estonia left and Estonia is a quite weak team. Serbia should have performed better and might surge at the end, but I think they'll still lose against Italy and that might make things too uphill for them.

It was earlier in the qualifiers (we start slower) and in Belfast so their previous draw shouldn't be reason to believe another draw is possible. However, see my other reasoning as to why a draw is possible.

As for Serbia, I actually think we'll tie since we should have qualified by then and we'll be playing in Belgrade which is very, very hostile territory especially for Italy since the previous fixture between the two was infamously called off and awarded as a 3-0 win for us.

[Keystone Phil]

Italy seems to be resurrecting after a very horrid World Cup. Looks like I will add them to my contenders list. Congrats Phil!

Good job, smart!

In somewhat European related news, Brazil has apparently cancelled their upcoming Friendlies with Spain and Italy, instead opting for Costa Rica, Egypt and a few others. Sounds like they're in trouble.

[Keystone Phil]

Unfortunately we all know that the Brazil will be good again by the time 2014 comes around and they'll win.

Yes, they will win like they did in 1998, 2006 and 2010 just as predicted.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, it finally happened - Spain drop out of first place in the FIFA rankings. It sucks that the Dutch are the new top team but at least Spain are out and it was thanks to their loss against Italy. 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/745/fifa/2011/08/24/2633924/netherlands-leapfrog-spain-at-top-of-fifa-rankings

[Keystone Phil]

Well, it finally happened - Spain drop out of first place in the FIFA rankings. It sucks that the Dutch are the new top team but at least Spain are out and it was thanks to their loss against Italy. 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/745/fifa/2011/08/24/2633924/netherlands-leapfrog-spain-at-top-of-fifa-rankings

No love for Germany?

I guess they get points for knocking Brazil down but I'm an Azzurri fan, my friend. I'm not going to have love for Germany. 

[Keystone Phil]

Just two days away from the return of qualifying action! 

Thank God Italy faces Faroe Islands though there's even some concern (or just downplaying expectations so we seem incredible after we win comfortably) that a minnow will keep us from getting three points thanks to the Serie A strike. I don't think anyone has suggested that we'd lose but if we don't get the full three points, it's an embarrassment. I think we'll win but I'm not as optimistic about next week's match against Slovenia. I think we'll get a draw despite playing at home.

[Keystone Phil]

A win there and the chances of getting best runner-up and qualify automatically would be very, very good.

Sorry to break the bad news but they aren't doing that anymore for the Euros. The group runners up now plays in a two legged playoff round like in World Cup qualifying.

[Keystone Phil]

A win there and the chances of getting best runner-up and qualify automatically would be very, very good.

Sorry to break the bad news but they aren't doing that anymore for the Euros. The group runners up now plays in a two legged playoff round like in World Cup qualifying.

Except for the best one. There's 9 groups and 14 places, what can they do?

Right 

[Keystone Phil]

For the first time ever maybe, the highest ranked and lowest ranked FIFA countries will be playing each other today, when the Dutch face poor little San Marino.

7-0 for the Dutch, I suppose.

I have a bad feeling that Italy is going to concede its first goal in 2012 qualifying since the 31st minute of the first game. Buffon has conceded a goal in Tórshavn before and we're a little rusty. I think we'll win 2-1.

[Keystone Phil]

Azerbaijan - Belgium 1-1 !

Wow. Turkey just got a huge gift.

Also, Malta managed to score its first goal of qualifying against Croatia.

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This will allow the Irish to put some much needed space between themselves and Slovakia in the standings when the two meet later on.

[Keystone Phil]

I found out last night that Comcast finally has RAI in Philly so I get to watch every Italian national team game on TV. No more Internet streams. 

[Keystone Phil]

It tells me in German and English that it is available in Austria only, for "legal reasons".

I'm just getting a white screen where the player ought to be along with this...


Liveübertragung aus Gelsenkirchen




EM-Qualifikation, Deutschland - Österreich


No warning that it's only available in Austria for me.

Now Kazakhstan has equalized against Turkey... hey, if that result stands I think it means Germany are officially through without any points against Austria, while Austria's campaign is suddenly alive again (if still on life support). Might make for a somewhat interesting game after all...

What the hell? Belgium would still be alive as well.

By the way, Germany already officially qualified. 

[Keystone Phil]

It tells me in German and English that it is available in Austria only, for "legal reasons".

I'm just getting a white screen where the player ought to be along with this...


Liveübertragung aus Gelsenkirchen




EM-Qualifikation, Deutschland - Österreich


No warning that it's only available in Austria for me.

So you can watch it in the US, but not in Germany ? Hilarious.

Well, not necessarily. It's just a blank screen.

[Keystone Phil]

Rooney was complaining that the field in Bulgaria was bad. It can't be that horrible since England went up 1-0 in the 13th minute.

Hungary just scored against Gustaf's boys. If that stands, life is going to get a little more difficult for Sweden despite having a game in hand since Hungary finishes up with easier games.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, try this instead:

http://www.firstrowsports.eu/webmaster/ATDHELIVESPORTS/81596/1/watch-germany-vs-austria.html

That works just fine. 

[Keystone Phil]

By the way, Germany already officially qualified. 

Not yet

I could have sworn that they officially qualified in their last game. Weird.

[Keystone Phil]

We almost scored twice within the first three minutes!

Make that three times after a beautiful corner that we somehow screwed up. 

[Keystone Phil]

Phil or Lewis, please also try copying this url

mms://apasfl.apa.at/orf1x

and open it with your windows media player.

Maybe this worxx.

No luck there.

[Keystone Phil]

The Dutch are already up 3-0 in the 18th minute. We could have been up by as much and we're only six minutes in!

[Keystone Phil]

Finally up! 1-0 Italia in the tenth minute though Cassano was probably offsides. 

[Keystone Phil]

Turkey re-ignites some of that excitement from Euro 2008 with that last minute goal. And ESPN says the goal came in the seventh minute of stoppage time. I smell some controversy with that one...

[Keystone Phil]

The Faroese almost had a beautiful goal earlier. We got lucky as it hit the post. Then again, we deserve a bit of luck after how unlucky we've been with some of these shots on goal.

It's funny playing in the Faroe Islands. The crowd goes wild if their guys simply touch the ball. Their near goal is probably the loudest they've ever cheered for this team.