World Cup Qualifying: key games from the October break
World Cup Qualifying action in the October international break begins tomorrow with two games in the CAF’s second round. The break will last until Thursday, October 14th. Every single day in that stretch will see multiple World Cup Qualifiers taking place around the world.
With over 100 games set to be played in this international window, there are plenty of crucial points available. The different federations are all in varying stages of their respective qualification processes. As a result, some teams are already feeling the pressure, while others have the luxury of a bit more wiggle room.
With that in mind, here are three of the October matchups with the highest stakes. There may be more star power elsewhere, but it is tough to beat these contests in terms of what three points would mean to each team.
Scotland vs Israel, Sat, Oct 9
With Denmark having established themselves as the clear frontrunners in UEFA’s Group F, it seems as though second place and the play-offs spot that comes with it will go to either Scotland or Israel.
Both teams currently have double-digit point totals to their name through six matches. Scotland has three wins, two draws and a loss, good for 11 points. Israel has one less point, with a record of three wins, a draw and two losses.
Scotland and Israel have plenty of recent history, with three contests between them having taken place over the past year. The three matches resulted in a Scotland win on penalties, an Israeli victory and a draw. This time around, the two teams will meet at Hampden Park in Glasgow. This one is a real six pointer, as a victory for either side would see them gain ground on their immediate rivals.
Additionally, since neither Scotland or Israel won their Nations League group, they lack the safety net that teams like Wales or the Czech Republic would enjoy if they finished third in their World Cup Qualifying group. It is unlikely that either team will catch Denmark, who has won all six of their World Cup Qualifying games without conceding a single goal. However, three points for either team in this game on Friday would be a great step towards making the second place spot their own.
Senegal vs Namibia, Sat, Oct 9 & Namibia vs Senegal, Tue, Oct 12
Simply put, the Confederation of African Football’s World Cup Qualifying process is a brutal affair. With only the group winners advancing from the second round to the third, there is hardly any room for error.
In CAF’s Group H, Senegal is currently the top dog with two wins in two matches. Senegal is the only African team in the top 20 of FIFA’s World Rankings. They possess a strong roster featuring established international stars such as Sadio Mané, Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye. Second in group H is Namibia, the 106th ranked team in the world. Namibia made it through the first round by beating Eritrea 4-1 on aggregate. They have started the second round with a win and a draw in two games.
The race for the top spot in the group is going to come to a head with back-to-back matches between the two teams. If Senegal takes care of business with two wins, they could mathematically lock up the group depending on what happens between Togo and the Congo. Namibia have punched above their weight so far in World Cup Qualifying. They will need to do so again if they want to get a result or two against the heavily favored Senegal.
However, if Namibia manage to pull an upset in even one of the games, they would have everything to play for in the November window. The fact that these teams play twice in the span of four days only makes the storyline more compelling.
Colombia vs Ecuador, Thu, Oct 14
With only ten member nations, CONMEBOL has the most straightforward World Cup Qualifying process. However, that does not mean that there is any shortage of drama. The teams play each other twice every cycle, and familiarity breeds contempt.
The top four CONMEBOL teams qualify for the World Cup, while the fifth place team advances to an inter-confederation play-off. As a result, the teams in the middle of the table are often involved in some of the most important matches. Coming into the October window, Ecuador sit in fourth place with 13 points. Colombia, also with 13 points, are right behind them in fifth.
Prior to the meeting between Colombia and Ecuador on the 14th, the teams have two very different sets of matches. Colombia must take on Uruguay and Brazil, two of the top three teams in the group. On the other hand, Ecuador are playing Bolivia and Venezuela, who have been the two worst teams through nine matches.
As a result, this window is a huge chance for Ecuador to pull away from Colombia and solidify their automatic qualification spot. If Colombia struggles against Uruguay and Brazil, they will have no choice but to show up against Ecuador to stay in contention.
This is a big match given where the teams are in the table and their matching point totals. It could become even more important depending on what happens in the two matches ahead of it.
Final Thoughts on World Cup Qualifying
These three matchups have a lot at stake for both teams, but there is no shortage of other interesting storylines throughout the October window.
UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF and AFC are all in action over the next week plus. Every point counts for countries with dreams of participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Let’s hope that these matchups live up to their expectations and produce some memorable moments.
Featured image courtesy of @caf_online_FR.
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