August 26 to September 1 2019 Global Futbol MatchesA Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2019. August 26-September 1 2019
The
draw for the Asian Qualifiers for
the 2022 World Cup took place this
week. Knockout
home and away matches will take place on November 16th and 21st 2019. Group
matches will begin in 2020.
South
Korea and Pakistan find themselves in the same group, much like the Asian Cup
Qualifiers. Malaysia, Singapore and Kuwait could all be in the same group,
should the first two win their knockout matches. These three faced off in the
Asian Cup Qualifiers, with Malaysia finishing on top of the group and Kuwait
second. Australia and Sri Lanka have a chance of being in Group F, much like
the Qualifiers for January’s Asian Cup. Tajikistan and China were in Group C
for the Asian Cup Qualifiers, and could find together again if Tajikistan win
their knockout matchup. The
draw for the European aspect of 2022 World Cup Qualifying also took place this week. Monaco is not
partaking in World Cup Qualification. Knockout
home and away matches will also, like the Asian aspect, take place on November
16th and 21st 2019. Group matches will begin in 2020.
Group
J sees Portugal taking on the likes of Malta, Greece and Bosnia/Herzegovina,
where Portugal and Greece will recall the old FIFA days of a Euro Final. The
battle between Italy and Switzerland in Group L continues after the
Invitational Cup. Rivals Denmark and Sweden are in the same group. Lithuania
may have a chance of reaching Stage 3, with only Spain their true threat, as
they believe they can defeat Georgia and Armenia. Russia and Turkey will battle
it out in Group D, with Israel and a fight between Montenegro and Gibraltar
rounding out the group. Finland have a good chance of qualifying, if they can
overcome the likes of Northern Ireland and play well against the French. Group H
sees three 2018 World Cup sides battle it out, with Poland, North Macedonia and
Lithuania fighting for two spaces to qualifying for the Third Stage.
Liechtenstein will look to have a say in who progresses from such a tight
group. England, Cyprus and Croatia will ensure there is a tight Group I, with
Latvia or Kosovo to round out that foursome. Neighbours the Czech Republic,
Slovakia and Austria are three of the sides from Group M, and Iceland will be
the team trying to break ahead of them. In
the first matches of the Inter-Nations
League Group Stage, Japan hosted New Zealand. The home side dominated the
first 75 minutes, scoring three times, including a brace from Itakura. New
Zealand pegged a goal back via substitute Bell, but the Japanese finished well
to give themselves a great start to the new campaign. Fiji
shocked the Pakistanis on their turf with an early Tito Vodowaqa goal. From
there, Pakistan struggled to equalise, and Fiji came away with a vital away
win, something that will work in their favour as their campaign deepens. The
Oceanian sides continued to show their improvement in recent times, with
Vanuatu scoring in the 43rd minute through a Jeffrey Bob penalty against
Bahrain. However, the home side did manage an equaliser via substitute Mohamed Al
Romaihi, and 1-1 became the final scoreline. Later
in the week, South Korea hosted the Czech Republic. Three fundamental errors in
passing gave the Czech Republic three opportunities to score, but they muffed
each one. It was not until Jung Woo Jung gave away a penalty that the visitors
scored, with Jan Bořil coolly scoring the second time round after Kim Seung Gyu
made the initial save to his right. Lee Kang In did equalise for the Koreans as
they then sought the full three points, only for Ondrej Kolář to deny them
twice at the death. Buoyed
by their win against New Zealand, Japan faced the might of the Netherlands. Japan
punched a goal first through Kensuke Nagai’s low shot just outside of Jasper
Cillessen’s reach. The Dutch earned a goal back two minutes later, after
confusion at the back, and an initial clearance off the line went straight to
Memphis Depay, who back heeled the ball into the goal. Just after the hour
mark, Shoya Nakajima caught a parry and slotted beyond Cillessen. Then, he
scored again this time curling around the Dutch goalkeeper. Frenkie de Jong
pegged a goal back in the 89th minute, but it was not enough, and Japan walked
away winners. Pakistan
needed to bounce back after their shock loss to Fiji, but with an opponent in
England, it would be difficult. After a little ‘keepings off’, Pakistan quickly
abandoned that notion after England constantly pressed and kept winning the
ball. Attacking became the order of the match, but it took until the 57th
minute for the first shot on target for either side to take place, and it was
Harry Kane who scored. Only two more shots on target ensued, despite efforts
from Kane, Callum Hudson-Odoi and others. The last shot by Mason Mount gave
England a second goal and the ideal start to their campaign. Germany’s
defenders earned their stripes as they held hosts Bahrain to no shots at goal
until the 74th minute. Five minutes later, Joshua Kimmich hit Sayed Jaffer,
with the goalkeeper thinking he had saved the goal once again. However, the
shot was hard enough to still travel towards the goal and enter the net area.
Kimmich should have had another, and perhaps a third, but sprayed to the right
both times. Still, Germany walked away with the full three points, but Bahrain
certainly had some good lead up play, just without the finishing touch on
approach to goal. New
Zealand, after their loss to Japan, hosted Brazil, and for nearly 86 minutes
kept the South Americans at bay. However, Fabinho had other ideas, and slotted
home the winner, much to the dismay of the Kiwis, who thought they had done
enough to earn a point, particularly through Player of the Match Michael Woud’s
seven saves. Fiji’s
Roy Krishna thought his side had done enough to gain four points from their
first two games after equalizing against Colombia. However, Juan Cuadrado came
off the bench and gave the full points to the away team. Earlier, Wilmar
Barrios’ header helped give Colombia the early lead. Vanuatu
attacked relentlessly in the first half, only for constant Ecuadorian blocks to
stop the ball. The hard and fast playing in the first period meant the Vanuatu
side were exhausted as the game progressed, and Ecuador scored two late goals
via Leonel Quiñónez and Enner Valencia to claim the full three points. In
Men’s Friendlies, French Guiana
played host to Saint Martin in a scoreless draw. An Elbert Anatol equaliser
helped Guadeloupe, after it seemed goal scorer Lacey Pauletta and his Bonaire
teammates would run out winners. Substitute Yannick Dinane ensured a victory
for Sint Maarten over Martinique.
© 2020 Steve Clark |
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Added on February 17, 2020 Last Updated on February 17, 2020 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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