By DAN KARELL
World Cup places will be booked while others’ dreams are dashed as World Cup qualifying kicks into high gear on Friday.
One of the most interesting match ups in Europe is new power Belgium visiting Croatia, who are always one to watch in international tournaments and rarely lose at home. The winner of this match will surely win the group and with it, automatic qualification to Brazil next summer.
In South America, while Argentina are qualified and Colombia and Chile are likely to join, Ecuador and Uruguay battle in a game that could decide who earns automatic qualification and who has to play in the play-off game against Jordan in November. Estadio Azteca takes center stage tonight as Mexico face a must-win match against Panama, knowing that they could be out of the World Cup if results around them don’t go their way.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
11am – Armenia vs. Bulgaria – ESPN3
11:30am – Lithuania vs. Latvia – ESPN3
12pm – Moldova vs. San Marino – ESPN3
12pm – Croatia vs. Belgium – ESPN Deportes/ESPN3
12pm – Azerbaijan vs. Northern Ireland – ESPN3
1:30pm – Malta vs. Czech Republic – ESPN3
2pm – Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Liechtenstein – ESPN3
2:30pm – Albania vs. Switzerland – ESPN3
2:30pm – Luxembourg vs. Russia – ESPN3
2:30pm – Netherlands vs. Hungary – ESPN3
2:30pm – Estonia vs. Turkey – ESPN3
2:40pm – Andorra vs. Romania – ESPN3
2:45pm – Germany vs. Republic of Ireland – ESPN2/Galavision
2:45pm – Sweden vs. Austria – GolTV USA
2:45pm – Greece vs. Slovakia – ESPN3
2:45pm – Slovenia vs. Norway – ESPN3
2:45pm – Iceland vs. Cyprus – ESPN3
3pm – England vs. Montenegro – Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes
3pm – France vs. Australia (Friendly Match) – Univision Deportes/ESPN3
3:45pm – Portugal vs. Israel – ESPN3
4pm – Spain vs. Belarus – ESPN Deportes/ESPN3
4:30pm – Venezuela vs. Paraguay – beIN Sport Play
5pm – Ecuador vs. Uruguay – beIN Sport en Español
5pm – Colombia vs. Chile – beIN Sport Play
5pm – Honduras vs. Costa Rica – beIN Sport USA
6:30pm – USA vs. Jamaica – ESPN/UniMas
7pm – Virginia vs. Maryland (College Soccer) – ESPN3
7pm – Argentina vs. Peru – beIN Sport USA/beIN Sport en Español
9:30pm – Mexico vs. Panama – ESPN News/UniMas
If Mexico draws against the Ticos in Costa Rica they are in no matter what, but that is easier said than done, though. Panama will be a handful in Panama against the U.S. It will be interesting who Klinsmann starts in Panama. Most of the starters that played today probably get a rest.
Someone just channeled his inner Pele from Victory
That 2nd goal for Mexico, wow
Dude comes in and two minutes later he scores that goal. Damn!
Goal Panama!
OK, Mexico deserves to go to the World Cup for that goal alone. WOW.
What a huge penalty save! Panama is still alive, barely!
… that was horrendously taken by Chicharito. Really, really bad.
Mexico passed down the middle and scored. They always pass side to side then go wide and cross. When they go wide the defense gets organized. This is why Mexico has been sucking. Just saying attacking down the middle should be plan a and going wide as an option. Does not matter if the defense bunkers; create a chip pass and wrestle for it. Good things happen when the ball gets closer
to the net.
Same with goal two. Like they figured out this kid game and stopped complicating it.
LOL at Mexico’s lightning bolt/super hero jerseys. At least they’ll look good with their fans’ luchador masks when they’re playing friendlies against Guam next summer when everyone else is in Brazil.
Evans with a wreckless tackle
Ecuador with a 1-0 over Uruguay, surprising but i’ll take it
Bangston on a through ball from Espinoza. 1-0 Honduras.
Who’s pulling for Panama today?
My beloved Dutch looked great. Which always happens in qualifying. Then comes the WC….
England going to the World Cup
Germany, Switzerland are in the World Cup.
Let’s get some support for BOSNIA. Nation of just 4million and they are so close to the WC
I like the Davis Cup match between France and Australia, with the former winning the first set 6-love..
Nice finish by Boskovic.
Oh wait…
That was pretty clinical. No idea what he was thinking. England should be fine now.
Lukaku looks odds on to be a BEAST come the World Cup
dude will only be 21 next summer. If he has a good season with Everton and a decent WC you can expect Barcelona or Real Madrid come buy him next FALL
Belgium is stacked with talented young players – no doubt they will be even better in 2018
I doubt Chelsea will have any desire to sell, and it’s not like Abramovich needs the money
Mourinho will move him so he can bring in another attacking midfielder, he’s not sure he has enough yet,
I think the Dutch just broke Hungary
RVP is now the dutch’s top scorer of all time. Gotta give him credit. You wouldn’t have expected that 3 years ago? when he scored just once 1 in the world cup
Did he even score in the WC? I’ve completely forgotten. He was really out of form, and Sneijder distrusted him so much that he simply would not pass the ball to him. A halfway in-form Van Persie, and the Dutch have a chance in the final. An in-form RVP, and the Dutch might’ve won.
Denmark and Italy 1-1
Germany vs Ireland 1-0
England nil with Montenegro
Romania vs Andorra 1-0
France already up by 2. Reports saying Australia will fire their coach if they lose badly again (despite having qualified already).
and 3-0 now.
And they might as well fire him before the match is over. 4-0 in under 30 minutes.
Pim Verbeek was a great manager for them, why not try Gertjan Verbeek. German style doesn’t really fit them
France are certainly clicking, but it’s a really poor match so far from the Australians – If they play like this in Brazil they might be the worst team there.
Just lost my rent money. damn you Aussies. I believed in you
Jesus. 6-0
It will be interesting to see a desperate Ireland today.
Alas, not really. This side just lacks the quality.
Montenegro missing key players, so it looks like England should be fine today
Who is watching England? Who cares? 🙂
lol, I’m not watching…just thought it was worth mentioning since Group H is one of the tightest contests still.
One would think, but, this is England, so of course they don’t look fine
Kranjcar goal! Can Croatia comeback?
Nope
But that was not a bad match.
Trying to decide what other match(es) to watch before tonight – what is everyone here watching later?
Portugal vs Israel
Germany vs Ireland
England vs Montenegro
Romania vs Andorra
Denmark vs Italy
Gonna flip through all of these
Good picks. Will be interesting to see how England deal with Montenegro.
France also have a friendly with Australia today – they apparently haven’t played each other in over 10 years.
hm, scratch that last part about how long it’s been – I think they mentioned a few other matches between the two since then.
England have to be composed and FINISH something this english side simply cannot do. Australia has to play well against France. Especially after last months thrashing against brazil. Cahill has to lead this australian team. Osieck is in the hot seat and may lose this post as manager if they lose. Hoping for a 2-1 upset against France.
Yura Movsisyan just scored.
Good composure from Lukaku to put one in for Belgium
Two.
wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a hat trick
Make that two…hat trick anyone?
great minds… 🙂
And, yours, too.
Beast on the counter. Goes almost the whole length of the field. Belgium up 2 and on their way to Brazil.
He already has 2 lets hope for a hat trick!
Nice save by Courtois to keep it at two.
What channel is BEIN Sport Play? Online?
Yes, it’s online. Bein Sport play dot TV.
If Ireland can perform a miracle and beat Germany today and Sweden beats Austria, than Sweden will only be two points behind Germany with one game to go: Germany at Sweden next Tuesday. That game would be epic
If there were some extremely impractical results you could have the following teams all be in the playoffs: Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Switzerland. Could you imagine the uproar if England or Portugal got Germany or Spain in playoffs. A 1% chance of happening but I think the internet would explode
Apparantly most of the general public in England are so dissillusioned with their national team that they probably would just shrug their shoulders. Don’t worry, the internet is stable, for now.
The winner of Croatia vs. Belgium will not win the group. Belgium will win the group even if it loses to Croatia as long as it doesn’t also lose to Scotland on the 15th. Actually it will probably also win the group with a loss to Croatia and a draw against Scotland
Belgium play wales on the 15th. Croatia play Scotland.