AUSTRALIA: 29-MAN SQUAD NAMED FOR PLAYOFFS

Posted on by index

Australia head coach Graham Arnold has released a 29-man squad for the World Cup 2022 qualifying playoff clash with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Peru potentially. The target is for Australia to pick one of the final three slots available for the World Cup 2022 tournament on Qatari soil thus making it five World Cup appearances in a row. The Australians qualified for the last four World Cup tournaments and they can make it five successive World Cup tournaments if they see off the UAE and Peru to book their place at the World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar.


Arnold, his coaching staffs and the invited players would arrive in Doha, Qatar over the next few days as they step up preparation for the playoff clash with UAE from the Asian section. Australia qualified for the playoff after finishing third in Group B as far as the final round of qualifiers in the Asian region is concerned. On their part, the UAE finished third in Group A thereby making it to the playoff. (more…)

                   JUVENTUS DEFENDER HOPES TO MAKE RETURN FOR WC QUALIFIER

Posted on by index

Giorgio Chiellini is hopeful he will be fully fit by the end of this month and play some part in Italy’s World Cup qualifying playoffs. The defender has been out with an injury and Juventus could not call on him in several matches. That will all change soon as he looks to be making progress in his return to full fitness. The defender helped Italy to win Euro 2020, and he remains a key member of Roberto Mancini’s squad.


Despite being 37 already, he is still important for both his club and country and they need him to be back to full fitness soon. Speaking about his prospective return, he said via Football Italia that he is feeling very much better, stating that although he has been out for a month, he has continued to work very hard on the pitch to make a return to doing what he loves to do best; playing football. He added that the last week was very good and that he hopes to make a return to training with the rest of the group in the next few days. (more…)

PERU EYEING THIRD STRAIGHT WIN

Posted on by index

Peru have a third straight win in their sights when they travel to the EstadioMetropolitanoRoberto Melendez in Barranquilla to take on hosts Colombia in a World Cup 2022 qualifier from the South American section. The Peruvians have won their last two World Cup 2022 qualifiers ahead of the meeting with Colombia next month and that run of back-to-back wins has propelled them to fifth spot on the standings. Fifth spot would be good enough for an inter-confederation playoffs.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmnzdaYXUAEQBGo.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmnzdaYXUAEQBGo.jpg

The Peruvians have won all their two World Cup 2022 qualifiers since Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez scored in the first half to give Argentina a 1-0 home win over Peru. Since the narrow defeat to the two-time world champions, the Peruvians have beaten Bolivia and Venezuela.
(more…)

UEFA: DEPAY TIES MITROVIC ON SCORING CHART

Posted on by index

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EEDdPW3X4AIvHhM.jpg

Barcelona attacker Memphis Depay has moved level with Aleksandar Mitrovic at the top of the goalscoring chart after his treble in the thumping win over Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena in their last World Cup 2022 qualifier. Depay scored three times to lead the Netherlands to a 6-1 win over their hosts in Group G as far as the UEFA region is concerned ahead of the World Cup 2022 tournament on Qatari soil.

The win over Turkey moved the Netherlands to the top of Group G with 13 points from six games. They occupy the Group G summit due to their superior goal difference in comparison with Norway who have the same number of points. Turkey started the Netherlands game at the top but the defeat ensured that they fall to third place after being leapfrogged by both their latest opponents and Norway. (more…)

ROMERO AIMING TO MAKE ARGENTINA’S WORLD CUP SQUAD NEXT YEAR

Posted on by index

Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero will finally be allowed to leave the club this summer upon the confirmation of the running down of his current contract.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CkmwWZuXAAAepKS.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CkmwWZuXAAAepKS.jpg

The Argentine goalie was signed from Italian Serie A club Sampdoria some years ago and went on to prove why he was the number one shot-stopper for the Argentina national team. He put in strong performances in a United shirt and proved himself to be one of the best goalkeepers in the league judging by the clean-sheets-per-game ratio. However, he eventually had a fall-out with United manager Olé Gunnar Solksjær upon the arrival of the Norwegian manager and things have gone downhill for him since then.
(more…)

QATAR 2022 (UEFA) REVIEW

Posted on by index

The race to qualify for the World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar has already started in the UEFA section with three of the ten matchdays already played during the March international break. Armenia have been the surprise team of the qualifiers after they made a perfect start to the qualifiers in Group J. Armenia are on course to qualify for the World Cup 2022 tournament after three wins from their first three games.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ex2PcnpUUAUMuEq.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ex2PcnpUUAUMuEq.jpg

The Armenians are Group J leaders ahead of four-time world champions Germany who are outside the top two spots that would be good for World Cup 2022 qualification. The top team in each of the ten groups in the UEFA section will qualify for the tournament, while the second-placed teams will have to secure a World Cup 2022 spot via the playoffs. The Germans are third on the group standings behind North Macedonia and Armenia. Germany will have to qualify for the playoffs as one of the two teams from the UEFA Nations League if things stay the way they are in Group J.
(more…)