World Cup Draw - Round 4

[LostDoggy]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Has anyone else applied for tickets for the WC via the FIFA website?

I heard on SEN this morning that in the first batch of online applications 1.6 million people from 205 countries have requested tickets. Not counting the host country Australia ranks 5th in ticket requests.

Yep. Taking my father. Hope we don't get mugged.

Last World Cup I applied for quite a few games but only got nominated for one, which I duly sold on ebay, using the proceeds to buy, on ebay, a ticket for a game I did want to go to. Bought all my tickets on ebay at the end of the day (all the Aussie games, a couple of other first rounders, a quarterfinal, and the semis between Italy and Germany).

Probably will have to rely on ebay again this time, except that I doubt that internet coverage is as good in SA as it was in Germany (was bidding for tickets on the day of games!), so that'll be a challenge...

[The Coon Dog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Australia can become first team to qualify for South Africa 2010 World Cup


After so many cruel last-gasp World Cup qualifying failures, Australia can become the first nation to qualify for the South Africa 2010 World Cup on Sunday (EST).

With the top two teams from Asia's group A set to advance, a draw against Qatar in Doha would be enough to guarantee the Socceroos of an automatic ticket to South Africa.

This joyous passage would come as a stark contrast for Australia football fans who watched the Socceroos struggle to a heart-stopping penalty shootout win over Uruguay to qualify for Germany 2006.

With qualifying still in its interim stages in the conferences of Africa, CONCACAF, Europe and South America, they could also become the first nation to officially secure a position in the 32-team tournament.

Whether the Socceroos qualify first or second will depend on the result of the Uzbekistan v Japan qualifier two hours earlier in Tashkent, where a win for Japan would see them seal the first South Africa spot.

While John Aloisi's famous penalty-spot winner is remembered as one of Australia's great modern sporting moments, the current qualification route has proved much easier on blood pressure levels around the nation.

FIFA's 2005 decision to allow the Australia to qualify directly through Asia has provided the Socceroos with consistent rigorous competition, as opposed to their previous route through the Oceania Football Confederation.

Previously, Australia would frequently finish at the top of the Oceania conference, only to be shipped off to play the fifth-best South American team.

The rapid step up in quality resulted in heart-breaking qualification failures against Argentina for the USA 1994 World Cup, Iran (France 1998), and Uruguay (Japan/Korea 2002).

The Asian qualifying tournament has rewarded the team for consistent group performances and allowed coach Pim Verbeek to experiment with different squad combinations.

If a point is secured against Qatar, final World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain on June 10, then Japan on June 17, will determine whether Australia qualify first or second in group A - they currently hold a slender one-point advantage over Japan.

But what's already assured, is that the Socceroos have been given their best preparation for a World Cup tilt since their first qualifying campaign in 1966.


* The game will be televised on Sunday morning by Fox Sports at 2am.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Results overnight:

QATAR 0
AUSTRALIA 0

UZBEKISTAN 0
JAPAN 1


What does that mean?

It means Australia & Japan have both qualified for the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa!


Table:

AUSTR 4-2-0--8/0--14
JAPAN 4-2-0--9/3--14
BAHRA 2-1-3--5/6--7
QATAR 1-2-4--4/13--5
UZBEK 1-1-2--5/9--4

[Scraggers]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Australia can become first team to qualify for South Africa 2010 World Cup


After so many cruel last-gasp World Cup qualifying failures, Australia can become the first nation to qualify for the South Africa 2010 World Cup on Sunday (EST).

Due to timetabling we actually became the second team to qualify ... with Japan winning their game guaranteeing their spot in the World Cup 2010

[angelopetraglia]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Great to be part of the biggest sporting show on earth again.

So different to last times qualification.

We have gone from being the last team to qualify in a dramatic penalty shoot out with half the country watching to a non-fuss 2nd team to qualify with hardly anyone watching.

All these tough qualifying games together over the last few years, will make us stronger. Can't wait for the final draw to see what group we get into it. Hopefully Cahill and Kewell can stay fit as they will be the key to our team in 2010.

South Africa 2010 ... bring it on!

[The Coon Dog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

I'll keep a list here of all the countries who qualify for the 2010 World Cup:

1 - South Africa
2 - Japan
3 - Australia
4 - South Korea
5 - Holland
6 - North Korea

[LostDoggy]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Who is going next wednesday for Australia vs Japan?
I'm not but I'm wondering how it should go considering its a dead rubber for both sides.
I think its time to blood some youth and squad players for the WC.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Who is going next wednesday for Australia vs Japan?
I'm not but I'm wondering how it should go considering its a dead rubber for both sides.
I think its time to blood some youth and squad players for the WC.

We play Bahrain on Wednesday.

[LostDoggy]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

We play Bahrain on Wednesday.

I know. A week later Japan in Melbourne. Bahrain might be a chance still for 3rd in a playoff?

[lemmon]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Hopefully we'll play some attacking football and blood some of the young fellas in the remaining rubbers, so far we have managed to squeak through but the football we have been playing wont win us any games in the main tournament.

[The Underdog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

A really great effort, not the excitement/pants wetting of last time but come next year it'll be awesome as all hell. Pim's had a lot of criticism of the way they play but he's got them there

[The Coon Dog]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Results overnight in our group:

Australia 2
Bahrain 0

Japan 1
Qatar 1

Updated Table:

AUSTR 5-2-0--10/0--17
JAPAN 4-3-0--10/4--15
BAHRA 2-1-4--5/8--7
QATAR 1-3-4--5/14--6
UZBEK 1-1-2--5/9--4

[comrade]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Brett Holman reminds me of Jarrod Harbrow - he’s quick and sneaky and takes the game on but lacks some polish, that will improve with more game time.

[Mantis]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

Brett Holman reminds me of Jarrod Harbrow - he’s quick and sneaky and takes the game on but lacks some polish, that will improve with more game time.

No thanks.

Holman has the touch of a rapist. How he gets a game amazes me.

[comrade]

Re: World Cup Draw - Round 4

No thanks.

Holman has the touch of a rapist. How he gets a game amazes me.

Hilarious, but harsh

He did butcher at times, but he got himself into some dangerous positions. Who does he play for at club level?