After a marathon qualifying process that has seen over 800 matches played and 207 countries involved, qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil is nearing its conclusion. By 20th November all 32 teams that will take part in the world’s biggest sporting event will be known. 21 teams have qualified already with the remaining eleven sides to be known in the next week.

Those eleven slots will be decided in a series of playoffs involving 22 sides who still harbour hopes of booking their place at the finals in Brazil which begin next June. The playoffs involve five pairings from Africa, four from Europe, and two intercontinental groupings. 

The teams still in the hunt offer a little bit of everything. In one corner are the major names who will expect nothing less than to qualify, including the likes of France, Portugal, Uruguay, Mexico, Nigeria and Ghana. In the other corner are those minnows who dream of a first ever finals appearance such as Iceland, Jordan and Burkina Faso. In between are countries trying to repeat the feat and make it to another World Cup such as Greece, New Zealand, Sweden, Cameroon and a whole host of others.

 

Crossing The Globe

The African countries had their first legs last month, while the remaining teams will play twice in the matter of a few days in order to decide their World Cup destiny. The action begins on Wednesday as both intercontinental playoffs are set for their first legs. 

Uruguay will log plenty of air miles as they travel to Amman to take on Jordan. The hosts are huge underdogs, though Hossam Hassan’s men will do their best to make history and qualify for their first ever World Cup. 

Jordan defeated Uzbekistan in a playoff of Asia’s two-best third-placed teams on penalty kicks to reach this final playoff. They will take on a Uruguayan side that struggled mightily in CONMEBOL qualifying at the start of their campaign, but regained their form down the stretch to finish fifth and earn a spot in the intercontinental playoff. Semi-finalists at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Uruguay boast star-power with the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, while Jordan do not have that sort of individual quality and must find strength in the collective if they are to produce the big shock. 

The other intercontinental playoff pits Mexico against New Zealand. Mexico stumbled in the last round of CONCACAF qualifying, finishing fourth thanks to a late United States’ win over Panama. Miguel Herrera has been appointed as the new Mexican manager, the team’s fourth in the last two months. On the flip side, New Zealand are a steady ship under the guidance of Ricki Herbert and will be quietly confident of upsetting the odds to make their second straight World Cup. After waltzing through Oceania qualifying, New Zealand will now face a difficult test. If they manage to keep it close on Wednesday in Mexico City they will have real belief of finishing the job in next week’s return leg back home.
 

Tight Affairs Promised In Europe

In Europe, all the talk has been on the matches between Portugal and Sweden and their respective stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The World Cup will be poorer without one of those two names, but the reality is that there will be room for only one of them in Brazil. The first leg takes place in Portugal on Friday when all of the first leg European playoffs take place (Tuesday 19th November being the date for all the European second leg fixtures).

Portugal have made a habit of qualifying for tournaments in the this manner in recent times and will be the favourites thanks not only to Ronaldo, but also a side that are high in quality and are coming off a semi-finals spot at Euro 2012. Sweden meanwhile have been perennial World Cup participants and cannot be taken for granted as they are a side that are difficult to beat. Could it be decided depending on which mega-star is in the best form? This pairing has the makings of two mouth-watering ties. 

France are aiming to erase their embarrassing involvement at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by qualifying for Brazil when they face Ukraine in a two-legged playoff. Didier Deschamps’ team are the favorites to go through, but Ukraine will like their chances of springing a surprise. Ukraine are battle-tested after finishing second in a qualifying group that included England, Montenegro and Poland, and will try to wipe out recent heartbreaks including a loss to Greece in the playoffs four years ago that denied them a spot at the 2010 World Cup and a first round exit at Euro 2012 which they co-hosted. France have the quality and experience to advance, though they have pushed the self-destruct button before.

Greece and Romania meet in Athens on Friday in their first leg match in a playoff that promises to be extremely close. Greece conceded only four goals in their ten qualifiers proving they possess a strong defence that is difficult to breach. On the flip side though Fernando Santos’ side don’t score many goals (twelve in ten matches). Romania finished second to the Netherlands in their group and will try to get back to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. While these two teams won’t set the hearts of neutrals racing, for lovers of tight, close matches, this tie could be a real treat.

Finally, Iceland, one of the surprise sides of the entire qualification process are paired with Croatia. Upon first glance, this would appear to be easy pickings for the experienced and more established Croats. That said, Croatia have appeared to lack the mental strength necessary in important matches in recent years. Should they suffer from those issues again then Iceland could ride a strong first leg at home to an unlikely upset. Then again, if Croatia come to play on Friday in Reykjavik  the return leg next week could be a mere formality.

One Leg To Go For Africa

The five pairings in Africa are at the halfway stage. Most are close on aggregate score which promises high drama in the second leg. One that is just about done and dusted is between Ghana and Egypt after Ghana’s 6-1 hammering of the Pharaohs last month. Bob Bradley’s Egypt will basically be playing for pride as it is seemingly inconceivable that they will win by five goals.

Elsewhere, there is all to play for. Senegal must overcome a 3-1 deficit against the Ivory Coast on Saturday if they want to qualify for Brazil. The Senegalese have an away goal to pin their hopes on, however their home leg won’t be in Senegal, but rather in Morocco, thanks to a FIFA ban that states Senegal cannot host the Ivory Coast following riots by home fans when the two teams met in 2012.
 
Saturday’s other match sees Nigeria trying to finish off Ethiopia. The Super Eagles take a 2-1 lead back home and are the big favourites to advance. Ethiopia had the better of the play for the bulk of the first leg, but defensive lapses in Addis Ababa could condemn them to elimination.

On Sunday in Yaounde, Cameroon and Tunisia will settle the score after their goalless first leg in Tunis. The Indomitable Lions appear to have the edge thanks to the first leg draw, though it could get tricky if Tunisia are able to grab an away goal. Cameroon are shooting for their fourth World Cup in the last five tournaments, while Tunisia want to get back to a finals after missing out in 2010 after three straight appearances.

Finally, history could be made in Algeria if Burkina Faso can keep their 3-2 advantage from the first leg. The West African nation would qualify for their first World Cup if they can hold on to their slim advantage, though the North Africans will take two away goals back home. Burkina Faso, managed by Belgian Paul Put, are in great form, not only 90 minutes from the World Cup, but also having finished as runners-up at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year. Algeria acquitted themselves well in South Africa four years ago and will make their fourth World Cup appearance if they can overturn their narrow deficit next Tuesday in Blida.

Like to bet on football? Pay Inside Bet a visit!