FIFA 2022 World Cup Qatar Qualifiers / Play-Offs

[hafeezrocks]

From Asia, 46 teams will fight for 4 Slots alloted for the Asian confederation in the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Draw was held for the Asian teams ranked 35-46th to determine the teams who will play each other in first round on an home and away basis.



The first round will be held from 6-11 June, 2019.

The Six winners of the first round will join the Top 34 teams and the 40 teams ( 34 + 6) will be divided into 8 Groups of 5 Teams each.

Pakistan will face Cambodia on 6th June ( Away) and 11th June ( Home) respectively.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Pakistan hasn't won a single wc qualifier match ever. Hopefully they can now. I'm not even going to lie but half of these countries I've not even heard about. Pakistan ranks 200 out of 210 countries pretty sad to see.

 

[hafeezrocks]

Pakistan hasn't won a single wc qualifier match ever. Hopefully they can now. I'm not even going to lie but half of these countries I've not even heard about. Pakistan ranks 200 out of 210 countries pretty sad to see.

If Pakistan has a better aggregate after two matches against Cambodia then they will qualify for the Second Round.

Pakistan's low ranking has largely been due to not playing any matches for around 2 years when the Pakistan Football Board was banned by FIFA. If a team doesn't play any official matches for a prolonged period it will lose points which is what happened with Pakistan team.

 

[Ronaldo7]

If Pakistan has a better aggregate after two matches against Cambodia then they will qualify for the Second Round.

Pakistan's low ranking has largely been due to not playing any matches for around 2 years when the Pakistan Football Board was banned by FIFA. If a team doesn't play any official matches for a prolonged period it will lose points which is what happened with Pakistan team.

They have a decent chance. Hopefully they win.

 

[nextover666666]

Cambodia won't be an easy team but Pakistan can make something happen if they manage a good squad foreign players will have to have an impact and defensively Pakistan will have to be better

 

[Realromeo]

You'd think a 3rd world country like India and Pakistan with huge population would invest in Football and have majority of the kids play Football which is lot cheaper than cricket.

 

[ARK Rafay]

Pakistan can do better. I know it, I've seen kids play here and believe me they have talent and fire as well. They need Board to work on football in Pakistan.

 

[hafeezrocks]

Cambodia won't be an easy team but Pakistan can make something happen if they manage a good squad foreign players will have to have an impact and defensively Pakistan will have to be better

Think Pakistan can win against Cambodia on aggregate points. Pakistans low ranking is largely due to not playing an International match for a few years in the middle period hence few points. Cambodia is among the weakest teams in Asia.

India played the first round during the Last WC qualifiers but this time they have directly qualified to the second round which can be considered a sign of progress. Hope Pakistan wins the leg the against Cambodia and qualifies for the second round.

 

[nextover666666]

Think Pakistan can win against Cambodia on aggregate points. Pakistans low ranking is largely due to not playing an International match for a few years in the middle period hence few points. Cambodia is among the weakest teams in Asia.

India played the first round during the Last WC qualifiers but this time they have directly qualified to the second round which can be considered a sign of progress. Hope Pakistan wins the leg the against Cambodia and qualifies for the second round.

I am aware of Pakistan rankings and I didn't even mention anything about that I am an avid fan and follower of pak football so I am well aware of theek condition

In regards to Cambodia their not a team to underestimate either their weak true but they have improved and they have a great manager in keisuke Honda


Plus with all the politics that is going on with the PFF their is a possibility got forbid Pakistan doesn't even participate In the two games Agaisnt Cambodia

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Saleh Hayat holding us down.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

PFA announces support to Faisal

LAHORE-Punjab Football Association (PFA) congress members announced to support president of FIFA-recognized Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Faisal Saleh Hayat with overwhelming majority.

The decision was taken by PFA congress members during a reception held here on Friday in honour of Hayat after his election as vice president of Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Twenty one out of 37 PFA congress members were present on the occasion and they assured Hayat of their all-out support and cooperation for the betterment and development of football in Pakistan.

Vice presidents of Punjab FA Shaikh Khalid, Rana Shaukat and Iqbal Sheikh congratulated Hayat on being elected as first ever vice president of AFC from Pakistan. “Faisal Saleh Hayat has made history and no one from Pakistan has ever done it. Definitely, it has opened a new window of opportunity for Pakistan football.”

Hayat thanked the PFA congress members for giving him the honour and said that his election as AFC vice president must be of some benefit to the Pakistan’s football. “My election as AFC vice president is an honor for Pakistan, but if Pakistan’s football is not fully benefitted, it is of no use.

“It is very sad that the flow of development of football has again been interrupted, with a lot of serious efforts, we brought the game back on track when it remained halted for more than three years,” Faisal said.

“No country can progress in isolation without the backing of international football community,” he added. He also showed his keen interest in supporting Punjab’s football through the future opportunities created at AFC level.

In this meeting, detailed open discussions were carried out on the current worst ever situation of football in Pakistan. The possible ways forward for the restoration of football in Pakistan under the umbrella of FIFA and AFC without any third party interference were also deliberated upon.

A unanimous resolution was also passed at this occasion by the PFA congress members. According to the resolution, PFA congress members unanimously reiterate their all-out support to Faisal Saleh Hayat for Pakistan’s must retaining the membership in FIFA and AFC.

“PFA just honors and respects the statutes of FIFA, AFC and PFF while formation of parallel bodies is a blatant violation of PFF/AFC/FIFA Statutes and must be dealt with strictly in accordance with the statutes and rules and regulations of PFF/AFC/FIFA.

“Ashfaq Hussain-led PFF has announced the camp for forming the national team of Pakistan, which will take part in FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This activity is a blatant deception to players and football fans while they are rejected by FIFA and AFC on several occasion. This camp is an effort to play with the emotions and futures of young football talent of Pakistan,” the resolution says.

“In the review petition of FIFA-recognized PFF, Supreme Court has given the right to the FIFA-recognized PFF to go to the appropriate forum. The PFA members has welcomed this decision and hoped that this matter can be resolved at the forum of FIFA.”

https://nation.com.pk/04-May-2019/pfa-announces-support-to-faisal

 

[SensiblePakFan]

None of these idiots care about Pakistan Football. At this rate we wont even play the qualifiers.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Sardar Navid removed from PFA presidency, banned for five years

LAHORE: The Punjab Football Association (PFA) Extra-ordinary Congress has removed its president Sardar Navid Haider and banned him from football activities for five years.

“Navid Haider is suspended for five years, by virtue of which he stands removed; PFA Congress ratifies the decision of PFA Executive Committee made on 28 Nov 2018 and takes a step ahead. Extra-Ordinary Congress is convened on the request of more than one third members of PFA,” a press release by the body stated on Saturday.

“According to the details, already suspended President of Punjab Football Association, Navid Haider Khan the tenure of his suspension has been extended to five years under the article 25 (m) of the PFF Statutes by the Punjab Association’s Congress in its meeting held here at Lahore today on 4 April 2019. He (Navid) is no more the president of PFA; 23 out of 37 members of PFA has voted in favour of suspension of Navid Haider for five years,” it added.

The statement said the provincial football body will now be lead by its vice presidents Sheikh Iqbal, Khalid Iqbal and Rana Shaukat Ali until a new president is elected.

PFA said it has removed Naveed after ‘serious allegations’ were framed against him by the association’s Executive Body.

The allegations included “changing of the names of PFA representatives without the approval of PFA Executive Committee for the PFF Elections 2018, not holding the PFA Congress, not appointing the PFA General Secretary, joining the group of illegal people who has played a key role to destroy the football in Pakistan.”

Sardar, in response has termed PFA’s step illegal and has claimed the Executive Body’s tenure has ended on March 30 and that new elections are yet to be held. He said, until then, he is the PFA president.

Sardar said the PFA meeting was unconstitutional as no requisition was tabled to convene the meeting, which was necessary 15 days before its holding. He said it was all the drama staged by Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat (head of Sardar’s opposite group) to show to the FIFA delegation, which is set to tour Pakistan on May 28 and 29, that Punjab was with him.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1480268/sardar-navid-removed-from-pfa-presidency-banned-for-five-years

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Pakistan to play home leg of football World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Doha


KARACHI: Qatar will get the first action of the FIFA World Cup it hosts in about three-and-half years’ time on June 11 after it was announced that Pakistan will play the home leg of its first-round qualifier for the 2022 showpiece against Cambodia in Doha.

The announcement came in the early hours of Thursday by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) faction that is recognised by global football body FIFA.

“We can confirm the venue for the match has been approved by FIFA,” a FIFA spokesperson told Dawn on Thursday, referring to the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium — the 12,000-seat venue that is home to Qatari clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Sailiya. The venue is not among the eight venues for the 2022 World Cup, which FIFA said on Wednesday will remain a 32-team event.

The announcement to play the home leg in Doha confirmed long-running rumours that the PFF led by Faisal Saleh Hayat, who is accepted by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation as Pakistan’s football chief, was looking to move the home leg away from the country.

Pakistan play Cambodia in Phnom Penh in the first leg on June 6.

The Asian qualifiers for the World Cup also act as preliminaries for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and progressing to the second round is crucial as it ensures four years of competitive fixtures for the national team.

Pakistan missed out on that opportunity last time around, losing to Yemen in the first round. Then, Pakistan were due to play Yemen at home in the second leg in Lahore but the game was shifted to Bahrain following unrest after twin bombings in churches in the Punjab capital.

This time, though, the reasons are political. The faction led by Hayat isn’t recognised in the country after the Supreme Court held elections of the PFF in December last year that saw Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah elected president.

Those elections came at the end of a nearly three-year-long legal battle over the reins of the PFF but FIFA hasn’t accepted the result of those polls and it due to send a joint fact-finding mission with the AFC next week to talk to both parties and come to a final conclusion.

In the meantime, both factions of the PFF have organised separate training camps with national team players split evenly between the two. While the Ashfaq-led PFF has organised the camp in Islamabad, the Hayat faction is holding camp in Bahrain.

FIFA did not comment on the reasoning for approving Pakistan to hold the second leg away from home at a time when the situation in the country is ripe for international sport. Instead it referred Dawn for “further information and reasoning on the matter”.

“Home teams nominate their venues for matches,” an AFC spokesperson told Dawn when asked for the change of venue which originally was Lahore.

The move of the Hayat faction to organise the match in Qatar also raises questions over the costs of the whole operation. After Ashfaq seized control of the PFF, both FIFA and the AFC had announced that they were suspending funding to the Pakistan’s football governing body.

“The costs and choice of venue are questions for PFF,” the AFC spokesperson said when asked if the Asian body was providing funds to the Hayat faction to hold the game. FIFA did not answer whether it had resumed funding to the PFF.

In a press conference in Lahore a few weeks ago, the Ashfaq-led body had slammed the AFC for its role in Pakistan’s football woes by providing funding to the Hayat faction, including paying the fees of their lawyers.

The spokesperson of the Hayat faction did not comment on holding the home leg in Doha. The move will once again see Pakistan’s football fans missing out on seeing their team in action.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1484167

 

[SensiblePakFan]

The power tussle is still ongoing.

 

[hafeezrocks]

Pakistan play Cambodia tomorrow - Away Leg
[MENTION=99630]nextover666666[/MENTION] [MENTION=146198]SensiblePakFan[/MENTION]

 

[SensiblePakFan]

All we can do is pray

 

[nextover666666]

Pakistan send a pretty good squad and I feel they can do well game will start at 7:30 am Canada eastern standard time

One thing is Pakistan will be more physical than Cambodia how ever the Cambodian team is pacy as well should be a good game hopefully Pakistan can come with a win or a draw

 

[hafeezrocks]

Cambodia Pakistan match Kicks Off.

 

[hafeezrocks]

Cambodia 2 - 0 Pakistan

Now it will be very tough for Pakistan to make a comeback in the home leg.

 

[nextover666666]

Last ten mins were poor from Pakistan two mistakes cost Pakistan the Match and not converting their chances as I mentioned beating Cambodia was not going to be easy lets hope the boys can do better at the home leg

 

[nextover666666]

Pakistan next match will be on the 11th of June will have to maybe change their formations up and finish the changes they make , they really got no other choice

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Pakistan missed an absolute sitter in the 2nd half, then poo4 defending in the last 10.

 

[finalfantasy7]

Pakistan lost the 2nd leg at home 2-1, thats 4-1 agg

 

[srh]

Pakistan team need to have as many players from Lyari as possible; then they may have a chance

 

[Ronaldo7]

They were leading 1-0 against Cambodia and then lost.
Cambodia?? Seriously. The last time I heard about Cambodia was when I was taking my GCSE History lessons when I was being taught about Vietnam.
Our football team is so bad.

 

[gazza619]

Scores today

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nextover666666]

They were leading 1-0 against Cambodia and then lost.
Cambodia?? Seriously. The last time I heard about Cambodia was when I was taking my GCSE History lessons when I was being taught about Vietnam.
Our football team is so bad.

Cambodia isn't a bad team not amazing but it is above Pakistan their a pacy team and have a great manager in keisuke Honda being suspended from Fifa really killed Pakistan football, to suspect Pakistan to advance was asking a lot it could have been done and with the chances they had especially with the first game it should have been done, but I would take these 2 losses rather than pak not even getting a chance to play

 

[AdamM97]

Football's only well and alive in Balochistan, Lyari and to some extent FATA.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Cambodia isn't a bad team not amazing but it is above Pakistan their a pacy team and have a great manager in keisuke Honda being suspended from Fifa really killed Pakistan football, to suspect Pakistan to advance was asking a lot it could have been done and with the chances they had especially with the first game it should have been done, but I would take these 2 losses rather than pak not even getting a chance to play

Obviously they're better than us which is the problem. An unknown country is better than us. Literally no funding is going towards football. Syria, a country struck with war, nearly qualified for the 2018 fifa WC.

 

[nextover666666]

Obviously they're better than us which is the problem. An unknown country is better than us. Literally no funding is going towards football. Syria, a country struck with war, nearly qualified for the 2018 fifa WC.

It will take time but Pakistan has a long way too go. Syria might have not got funding but they have footballing talent and they have footballing culture as well since it's the most popular game their

 

[Pakpak]

It will take time but Pakistan has a long way too go. Syria might have not got funding but they have footballing talent and they have footballing culture as well since it's the most popular game their

Yup its about talent. African nations are dirt poor but produce some of the best footballers in the world.

 

[MenInG]

Former Uefa president Michel Platini is being questioned by French anti-corruption investigators over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

Platini, 63, was head of European football's governing body until being banned in 2015 for ethics breaches.

The former France midfielder and three-time Ballon d'Or winner has always denied any wrongdoing.

Qatar beat bids from USA, Australia, South Korea and Japan in 2010.

Platini is in custody and being questioned in Nanterre, a suburb in western Paris.

Officials have been investigating alleged corruption connected to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups for the past two years and were reported to have interviewed Sepp Blatter, the former president of world governing body Fifa, in 2017.

Platini was banned over a 2m Swiss francs (£1.3m) "disloyal payment" from Blatter, who was also banned from football for his part in the matter. Blatter has also always denied any wrongdoing.

Platini's eight-year ban was later reduced to four on appeal and will expire in October 2019.

Qatar's bid team has been previously accused of corruption, but was cleared following a two-year Fifa inquiry.

Analysis
BBC sports editor Dan Roan

This is the result of two years of work by French investigators from the country's serious financial crime unit, who - just like their counterparts in the US and Switzerland - have been looking into allegations of corruption connected to Fifa's shock decision to award Qatar the World Cup in 2022.

Given that Blatter has been interviewed as part of the same case, it is no surprise that Platini is also now facing questions.

It is understood these will focus on a lunch Platini attended in Paris just days before that hugely controversial vote in 2010, with the then French president Nicolas Sarkozy at his official residence and the Qatari head of state.

It has long been suspected that the prospect of important bilateral trade deals between the two nations, and the subsequent Qatari takeover of Paris St-Germain may have been used as leverage to get Sarkozy's support.

Platini has always denied that was why he changed his mind to vote for Qatar (rather than the US).

Given how much time has now passed since the 2010 vote, and how much has changed at Fifa, there seems no real prospect that this latest development could affect Qatar's status as hosts, even if Platini is charged.

Fifa's own 2014 internal investigation effectively cleared Qatar of corruption, and stripping it of the event at this stage could leave it open to legal action.

But yet again it does serve as a reminder of the scandal and suspicion that surrounds the saga of how Qatar won the right to stage the event.

Back in 2015, when still one of the sport's most powerful figures, Platini told me he had "no regrets" about voting for Qatar, despite the allegations of corruption and human rights abuses directed against the country, and the havoc a winter tournament would play with the European game he represented at the time.

He may feel differently now.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48673461

 

[AdamM97]

Yup its about talent. African nations are dirt poor but produce some of the best footballers in the world.

Most of the best African players are actually raised in Europe in countries like France, UK and Netherlands.

 

[Pakpak]

Most of the best African players are actually raised in Europe in countries like France, UK and Netherlands.

Uh no they're not? A lot of them stay in Africa and then are bought by European clubs when they're 18-19. From Eboue to Adebayor a lot of examples.

 

[hafeezrocks]

AFC Second Round of Qualifiers start tomorrow. Unfortunately , Pakistan couldn't qualify for the second round.

 

[hafeezrocks]

India is placed in a relatively easy group with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Oman.

 

[Tiger96]

So even the likes of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangaldesh, Nepal and Afghanistan are participating but Pakistan isnt

 

[sweep_shot]

So even the likes of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangaldesh, Nepal and Afghanistan are participating but Pakistan isnt

Pakistan got knocked out. They were in the first stage.

 

[sweep_shot]

India is placed in a relatively easy group with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Oman.

All groups are easy. It should be easy for all top Asian teams.

 

[Ronaldo7]

So even the likes of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangaldesh, Nepal and Afghanistan are participating but Pakistan isnt

Well, Pak football was banned for a couple of years I think I was.
They were playing in the first round before they got knocked out

 

[ARK Rafay]

Pakistan got knocked out. Fifa Ranking isn't a hoax. So much work is need in Football

 

[jusarrived]

India hold Qatar for a goalless draw .
Arguably the best day for Indian football in few decades . Qatar was obviously a superior side , but we are showing improvement every game .

The last match against Oman , leading till 82nd minute and two lose 2-1 is going to hurt us .

 

[Saj]

Tonight's European results

 

[KingKhanWC]

Fantastic win for Turkey! It will be amazing to see Turkish fans in Qatar, hope they qualify!

Poor from France but they can be slow starters.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

Norway players wore T-shirts bearing the message 'Human rights on and off the pitch' before their 2022 World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar to show support for Qatar migrant workers.

Captain Martin Odegaard had said before the game that the players were planning to do something to show their feelings.

The players also wore T-shirts saying 'Respect on and off the pitch' as they warmed up in Marbella.

The World Cup is scheduled to get under way in Qatar on 21 November next year.

Norway went on to win their Group G opener 3-0.

Football's world governing body, Fifa, said Norway will not face "disciplinary proceedings" for the protest.

"Fifa believes in the freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good," a statement said.

It was the latest and most high-profile show of dissatisfaction in Norway towards Qatar hosting the World Cup.

Earlier in March, top-flight side Tromso called for the Norwegian FA to consider boycotting the World Cup if they qualified. A number of other Eliteserien clubs then made similar requests.

The clubs were prompted to act by a report in the Guardian last month which said 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since the World Cup was awarded in 2010.

In response to that report, the Qatar organising committee said: "We deeply regret all of these tragedies and investigated each incident to ensure lessons were learned. We have always maintained transparency around this issue and dispute inaccurate claims around the number of workers who have died on our projects."

The Qatari government said the "mortality rate among these communities is within the expected range for the size and demographics of the population".

The country controversially beat rival bids from the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan to host the tournament, with hundreds of thousands of construction workers arriving from overseas.

Qatar has been building seven new stadiums to stage the tournament, which has been moved to winter to avoid the country's extreme summer heat.

Earlier this week, Amnesty International called on Fifa to press Qatar to honour promised labour reforms before the tournament.

In a four-page letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, the human rights organisation said "urgent and concrete action" was needed.

Netherlands head coach Frank de Boer said taking part in Qatar if they qualify for the World Cup "can better promote the cause", but added that talks about boycotting the event are justified.

"A lot of attention is now focused on whether we should go there if we qualify," he said before their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign started with a surprise 4-2 defeat by Turkey on Wednesday.

"It is right to ask that question. Everyone knows that what is happening there is not good."

 

[MenInG]

 

[KingKhanWC]

Disgracful scenes by Norway and Germany teams. They are complaining about 6500 people dying , which there is no proof of.

I doubt they will do the same when they are due to play in the US, responsible for more war crimes than anyone else.

 

[Rafa]

Disgracful scenes by Norway and Germany teams. They are complaining about 6500 people dying , which there is no proof of.

I doubt they will do the same when they are due to play in the US, responsible for more war crimes than anyone else.

What did German and Norway teams do ?

 

[KingKhanWC]

What did German and Norway teams do ?

Pathetic to say the least.

 

[Suleiman]

Everybody knows Qatar bribed the hell out of FIFA to be able to host this, no way does it deserve this.

Feel for the immigrant workers from South and Far East Asia who got their visas and passports confiscated, worked with little to no pay and under intense heat and limited safety standards.

Wish the woke world would spare a thought for these guys- but apparently not worth it to them, they would rather protest and whine about petty things instead.

Anyone who has lived there for a while knows how Qatar treats these workers especially the ones in construction. Very very sad.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Everybody knows Qatar bribed the hell out of FIFA to be able to host this, no way does it deserve this.

Feel for the immigrant workers from South and Far East Asia who got their visas and passports confiscated, worked with little to no pay and under intense heat and limited safety standards.

Wish the woke world would spare a thought for these guys- but apparently not worth it to them, they would rather protest and whine about petty things instead.

Anyone who has lived there for a while knows how Qatar treats these workers especially the ones in construction. Very very sad.

Such workers are not treated well in a lot of places where the World Cup has been held since it's beginning.

Gary Neville visited Qatar, asking such questions. A fair report from Gary, he has no need to defend Qatar at all. Great watch.

 

[Saj]

Tonight's European qualifiers for World Cup 2022.

 

[Suleiman]

Such workers are not treated well in a lot of places where the World Cup has been held since it's beginning.

Gary Neville visited Qatar, asking such questions. A fair report from Gary, he has no need to defend Qatar at all. Great watch.

Who’s to say they didn’t just pay him to put in a good word for them, they have put in a lot of money into football as it is. Have seen Barcelona come on to the university campus back there and play with the university team, way back in 2010 when Qatar was a bit more under the radar as a country, they have enough money to pull whatever strings they’d want.

Look I know it may sound conspiracy theory like or whatever but as someone who has lived there and seen how the higher up Qataris treat any non Qatari, let alone a non Qatari who is a blue collar worker, it does not surprise me one bit that Qatar is being questioned for human rights violations.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Who’s to say they didn’t just pay him to put in a good word for them, they have put in a lot of money into football as it is. Have seen Barcelona come on to the university campus back there and play with the university team, way back in 2010 when Qatar was a bit more under the radar as a country, they have enough money to pull whatever strings they’d want.

Look I know it may sound conspiracy theory like or whatever but as someone who has lived there and seen how the higher up Qataris treat any non Qatari, let alone a non Qatari who is a blue collar worker, it does not surprise me one bit that Qatar is being questioned for human rights violations.

You live in the US I assume. Gary Neville is a well respected pundit, he is an ex Man Utd player but is never baised towards them. Gary earns millions as a pundit, he doesnt need money, he wouldnt risk his career.

Its not perfect conditions but Qatar isnt treating them as slaves.

The western nations stop at no limits with their propagnda towards Qatar, the same was said about Russia , which turned out to be the best world cup of all time.

They should put their money where their mouth, refuse to go to Qatar for the World cup but not a single player will.

 

[Suleiman]

You live in the US I assume. Gary Neville is a well respected pundit, he is an ex Man Utd player but is never baised towards them. Gary earns millions as a pundit, he doesnt need money, he wouldnt risk his career.

Its not perfect conditions but Qatar isnt treating them as slaves.

The western nations stop at no limits with their propagnda towards Qatar, the same was said about Russia , which turned out to be the best world cup of all time.

They should put their money where their mouth, refuse to go to Qatar for the World cup but not a single player will.

Qatar and US are the best of friends, same with UK and Qatar. I live in the US currently, but have lived in Qatar just as long before coming here. Still, I do partly agree that some issues in this part of the world are overblown in the first world, however, I strongly believe this is not one of them.

I’m not informed on Russia’s treatment of workers, not informed enough on that scenario so can’t comment.

But having lived in Qatar and seen mistreatment of workers in front of my own eyes as well as hearing of similar stories from other expats who have lived there, I can definitely understand the concerns, and they are very much legitimate. These expats weren’t just of Pakistani descent like you and me, but Kiwis, Brits, Nepalis, etc etc list goes on. Only one who will not admit to this would be Qataris.

You don’t have to believe me if you don’t want to as this is my personal experiences that I’m citing, but I’m sure there’s enough neutral sources out there outside of the typical CNN or BBC.

Have nothing against Qatar, spent my childhood there, a peaceful yet advanced country, but the way they treat non Qataris especially those at the bottom of the social class is incredibly concerning. It takes just a few months of living there to see what I’m talking about let alone a couple of years.

I agree though with that if these countries had the balls, they would boycott. But there’s a reason China is still allowed to go around beating on Uyghers.

 

[MenInG]

Germany players wore T-shirts to show support for Qatar migrant workers before their 2022 World Cup qualifying win over Iceland on Thursday.

The starting side each wore a black shirt with one letter in white on it that spelled out 'Human rights'.

It follows Norway players wearing T-shirts bearing the message 'Human rights on and off the pitch' before facing Gibraltar on Wednesday.

The World Cup is scheduled to get under way in Qatar on 21 November next year.

"We have the World Cup coming up and there will be discussions about it," said Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka, who scored his side's opening goal in a 3-0 win in Duisburg.

"We wanted to show we are not ignoring that.

"We have a large reach and we can use it to set an example for the values we want to stand for."

After Wednesday's protest, football's world governing body, Fifa, said Norway will not face "disciplinary proceedings", adding that it "believes in the freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good".

A report in the Guardian last month said 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since the World Cup was awarded in 2010.

In response to that report, the Qatar organising committee said: "We deeply regret all of these tragedies and investigated each incident to ensure lessons were learned. We have always maintained transparency around this issue and dispute inaccurate claims around the number of workers who have died on our projects."

The Qatari government said the "mortality rate among these communities is within the expected range for the size and demographics of the population".

The country controversially beat rival bids from the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan to host the tournament, with hundreds of thousands of construction workers arriving from overseas.

Qatar has been building seven new stadiums to stage the tournament, which has been moved to winter to avoid the country's extreme summer heat.

Earlier this week, Amnesty International called on Fifa to press Qatar to honour promised labour reforms before the tournament.

In a four-page letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, the human rights organisation said "urgent and concrete action" was needed.

In response, the Qatar government said it "is committed to working closely with its international partners, including Amnesty International, to protect all workers and ensure the new laws are effectively implemented and enforced".

BBC

 

[MenInG]

25 Mar 2021

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifying kicked off for numerous nations across the UEFA and Concacaf zones as action continued on Thursday.

There were few upsets in Europe as the likes of England, Italy and Germany impressed at home. Eyebrows were raised, however, as Greece collected a 1-1 draw in Spain against the 2010 World Cup champions.

The day started with a lone match in Asia as Tajikistan made light work of Mongolia with three unanswered goals. Concacaf action then provided the conclusion, with Guus Hiddink resuming his lengthy World Cup odyssey by guiding Curacao to a healthy win, while Canada were equally untroubled in their opening encounter.


UEFA (All matches)

Results

Bulgaria 1-3 Switzerland

Switzerland opened Group C play with a fairly comfortable win over opponents Bulgaria in Sofia. Breel Embolo, Haris Seferovic and Steven Zuber put the Swiss three goals in front before the match was 15 minutes old, the fastest three-goal lead in the national team’s history. Bulgaria responded with a goal of their own when Kiril Despodov struck at the beginning of the second half. However, Vladimir Petkovic’s charges did enough to grab the three points. Switzerland have now lost just once in their last 31 World Cup qualifiers, with the sole defeat in that sequence a 2-0 loss against Portugal on 10 October 2017.

Israel 0-2 Denmark

Denmark laid down an early marker in Group F with an accomplished performance and deserved victory in Tel Aviv. The game's first goal came from Martin Braithwaite, and it was one to savour. The Barcelona striker spun and outpaced his marker, racing in on goal before coolly scooping the ball over the advancing Ofir Marciano. Jonas Wind grabbed a second midway through the second half, punishing hesitant defending from Hatem Abd Elhamed, and the Danes held Israel at bay to record their 11th clean sheet in their last 15 internationals.

Sweden 1-0 Georgia

Zlatan Ibrahimovic made a successful return to the international stage, intuitively setting up the only goal as Sweden beat Georgia. The Scandanavians struggled until the 39-year-old controlled a Mikael Lustig cross on his chest and flicked it on for Viktor Claesson, who took a touch and buried the ball past goalkeeper Giorgi Loria. Georgia gave their hosts several scares, especially in the second half, but were denied an equaliser by wasteful finishing and one fine save from Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Germany 3-0 Iceland

Germany played some gorgeous football in a 3-0 win over a spirited, Gylfi Sigurdsson-less Iceland. The four-time world champions were 2-0 up inside seven minutes. First, Joshua Kimmich spotted the run of Serge Gnabry and dinked the ball over the defence to him. Gnabry cannily laid it back into the path of Leon Goretzka, who fizzed it into the bottom corner for his 13th goal in 30 internationals. Then Kimmich parted the defence with a sublime through-ball for Sane, who cut it back to Kai Havertz. The Chelsea man took a touch and fired it across goal into the bottom corner. After the break, the in-form Ilkay Gundogan shimmied his way inside a challenge and buried the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

Moldova 1-1 Faroe Islands

Honours even in this one. Ion Nicolaescu pounced on a mistake by Sonni Nattestad, who dwelled on the ball at the back to long, and evaded Odmar Faero before slotting in a shot past Gunnaer Nielsen to give Moldova an early lead. But just when Moldova thought they would be putting all three points on the board, substitute Meinhard Olsen scored his first international goal for the visitors with a slightly-deflected shot just seven minutes from time.

Spain 1-1 Greece

Anastasios Bakasetas smashed home a penalty to grab Greece an admirable point away to Spain. Alvaro Morata had controlled Koke’s pass over the top on his chest and brilliantly volleyed it home to give Spain a 33rd-minute lead. Greece equalised after Giorgos Masouras was hauled down by Inigo Martinez shortly into the second half. Bryan Gil, 20, dazzled after coming on as substitute for Spain, but Greece held on for a draw.

Scotland 2-2 Austria

Scotland twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Austria at Hampden Park. Two-goal Sasa Kalajdic looked set to become the visitors’ match-winning hero, having opened the scoring with an opportunistic finish and followed that up with a superb soaring header. But the Scots fought back on each occasion, first when Grant Hanley powered home Stephen O’Donnell’s free-kick and then when John McGinn sealed a point with a spectacular overhead kick.

Romania 3-2 North Macedonia

Ianis Hagi grabbed his first international goal as Romania got their Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign off to a perfect start with a dramatic victory over EURO-bound North Macedonia. Mirel Radoi’s side were the more potent and dynamic for much of the match and took the lead when Vlad Chiriches threaded through for Florin Tanase to coolly side-foot into the bottom corner. Substitute Valentin Mihaila looked to have sealed the wun, capping his international debut with an unstoppable 25-yard strike. But after North Macedonia struck twice in the space of a minute late on, through Arijan Ademi and Aleksandar Trajkovski, it needed a late winner from Hagi to secure the points.

Andorra 0-1 Albania

Ermir Lenjani’s stunning half-volley just before the break secured Albania three points in Andorra. The Albanians monopolised possession, but goalkeeper Josep Gomes denied them on several occasions.

Hungary 3-3 Poland

Budapest played host to the day's most thrilling encounter. Hungary scored with their first attack of the game when Attila Fiola played a superb, long-range through-pass for the in-form Freiburg winger Roland Sallai, who guided the ball past a helpless Wojciech Szczesny. Veteran striker Adam Szalai stabbed home Hungary’s second of the evening early in the second half, but Paulo Sousa’s Poland came roaring back thanks to two of the coach's substitutes. Krzysztof Piatek scored with his first touch, getting on the end of a Kamil Jozwiak cross. Jozwiak grabbed a goal of his own just seconds later. Willi Orban scored his fifth international goal for Hungary with his knee to restore the hosts' advantage. However, The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020 would have the final word. Robert Lewandowski scored with his first meaningful chance of the evening, thundering in a powerful strike with his left foot, which ultimately saw the sides share the spoils.

Liechtenstein 0-1 Armenia

Persistence paid off for Armenia as they struck late to earn a thoroughly deserved win away to Liechtenstein. The visitors dominated possession throughout and peppered their hosts’ goal, and were only denied a more handsome victory by a combination of wasteful finishing and fine goalkeeping. Ultimately, it took an own-goal for them to triumph.

Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland

Italy’s remarkable unbeaten streak extended to 23 matches with victory over Northern Ireland in Parma. Domenico Berardi opened the scoring for Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri, scoring from an acute angle past Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Ciro Immobile doubled Italy’s lead with his first sight of goal, finishing at the near post with a powerful left-footed shot after a blisteringly-quick counter-attack.

England 5-0 San Marino

England kicked off their Group I camaign with a predictably comfortable win over San Marino. Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged a double after James Ward-Prowse had opened the scoring with his first international goal – a fine, first-time, left-foot finish. Raheem Sterling and debutant Ollie Watkins were also on target as the Three Lions extended to 22 matches their unbeaten run in qualifying matches.

AFC (All matches)

Results

Tajikistan 3-0 Mongolia

Tajikistan moved to within two points of Japan at the top of Group F, albeit having played twice more than the leaders, with an impressive and thoroughly merited 3-0 win over Mongolia. Manuchehr Dzhalilov delighted the noisy home support with an excellent headed opener inside the first few minutes and, after several more spurned chances, Alisher Dzhalilov – Manuchehr’s cousin - slid in to fire home the second shortly after the restart. Mongolia’s misery was completed in the dying minutes when their dominant hosts added a deserved third, with Samiev Shahrom rounding off an impressive Takijikistan performance.

Concacaf (All matches)

Results

Haiti 2-0 Belize

Although the first half was action-packed, the breakthrough in Port Au Prince didn’t arrive until early in the second half. Both of Haiti’s goals were scored by defenders and came from corner kicks. Ricardo Ade grabbed the opener within five minutes of the restart when he found space in the penalty area and headed in from just over six yards. The second came with ten minutes left and was far scrappier. Belize failed to deal with the delivery and Steven Seance scrambled the ball over the line to ensure the Haitians began Group E with three points.

Curaçao 5-0 St Vincent/Grenadines

Guus Hiddink began the latest chapter in his World Cup journey with a confident win as his Curaçao side crushed St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Juninho Bacuna bagged a double as the home side scored four times during the first half, before substitute Elson Hooi added a fifth late on. Curaçao now face a tricky challenge against Cuba in neutral Guatemala City on Sunday.

Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 Guyana

Trinidad & Tobago kicked-off their Qatar 2022 campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win over Guyana. The Germany 2006 participants netted three first-half goals to ensure the contest in neutral San Cristobal was virtually over by the midway point.

Panama 1-0 Barbados

2018 FIFA World Cup debutants Panama needed a late winner from substitute Jair Catuy to see off a gritty challenge from Barbados in neutral Santo Domingo. Their next match in the Dominican Republic will be against Dominica on Sunday.

Canada 5-1 Bermuda

Cyle Larin bagged a hat-trick as Canada opened their 2022 World Cup charge with a hefty 5-1 win over Bermuda in Orlando. The Canucks fielded a strong line-up including young gun Alphonso Davies and held a 2-0 lead at the break, with Richie Laryea and Theo Corbeanu netting during the second half.

El Salvador 2-0 Grenada

Goals in each half proved enough for El Salvador to pick up a home win over a resilient Grenada. Maximum points could prove crucial for the two-time World Cup finalists against one of their main competitors in Group A.

FIFA

 

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HALF TIME:

Montenegro 2-1 Gibraltar
Russia 2-1 Slovenia

 

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[anakwalajinn]

A solid start for Turkey! 4-2 win over The Netherlands and then 3-0 against the Norwegians!

 

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[Saj]

A night to forget if you are from Southern Ireland.

 

[OldWarHorse]

Portugal might feel robbed with that late goal disallowed but Serbia deserved it.

Meanwhile what happened there with ROI??? Thats shocking

 

[Rafa]

 

[MenInG]

Guys keep discussions about Middle East etc for another thread

 

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[Saj]

Tonight's European results

 

[Giannis]

Kazakhstan would easily qualify to the world cup from Asia, I don't know why they choose to be condemned to the bottom of European football. I guess the novelty of competing in UEFA is more valuable.

 

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[OMB]

Robert Lewandowski: Poland striker out of World Cup qualifier against England

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Wednesday's 2022 World Cup qualifier against England at Wembley with a knee injury.

The 32-year-old Bayern Munich player limped off during Sunday's 3-0 win over Andorra after scoring two goals.

The Polish FA say he faces up to 10 days out with ligament damage.

Lewandowski now has a race to be fit for Bayern's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris St-Germain in nine days time.

He has returned to Germany for further treatment on the injury.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56561851

 

[Saj]

Tonight's European results.

 

[MenInG]

AFC Results

Mongolia 0-14 Japan

Japan stretched their lead at the top of Group F with a ruthless demolition of Mongolia. This meeting of the section’s top and bottom sides always looked likely to prove a mismatch, and the floodgates duly opened when Takumi Minamino fired the Samurai Blue into a 13th-minute lead. The Mongolian goal was breached four more times in the first half alone, with Yuya Osako, Daichi Kamada and Hidemasa Morita on target before Kash-Erdene Tuya put through his own net. Japan proved even more relentless after the break, with double figures reached in style as Osako completed his hat-trick, Kyogo Furuhashi, Junya Ito and Sho Inagaki all bagged braces and Takuma Asano added further sheen to the scoreline. Their final haul of 14 unanswered goals saw Japan match the biggest win recorded in the Qatar 2022 preliminaries: an identical 14-0 triumph for Iran over Cambodia in October 2019.
Saudi Arabia 5-0 Palestine

Saleh Alshehri dazzled as Saudi Arabia thrashed Palestine 5-0 to surge above Uzbekistan to the top of Group D. After Yasser Alshahrani’s header finally rewarded the hosts’ dominance in the 37th minute, Alshehri’s brilliant back-heel helped set up Fahad Almuwallad to double the lead. The 27-year-old forward then scored twice after the interval, the second masterfully created by a delightful, nutmeg-decorated dribble by Sultan Al Ghanam. Salem Aldawsari completed the rout from the spot late on.


Concacaf (All matches) Results
Guyana 4-0 Bahamas

Guyana won their first World Cup qualifier since November 2011 and did so decisively. Terence Vancooten opened the scoring after eight minutes, but the goal spree came in the second half when Kadell Daniel, substitute Omari Glasgow and Emery Welshman made it a rout in Santo Domingo.

Belize 5-0 Turks and Caicos Islands

Belize got their Qatar 2022 qualification campaign up and running with an assured victory over Turks and Caicos Islands. Carlos Bernarndez scored right before half-time in San Cristobal. Jesse August doubled their lead on the other side of the whistle before Bernardez made it a brace. Deshawon Nembhard, making just his second appearance for his country, and veteran goalscorer Deon McCaulay both got on the scoresheet before the final whistle to rub further salt in Turks and Caicos’ wounds.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0 British Virgin Islands

St. Vincent and the Grenadines ended an eight-match losing streak in FIFA World Cup qualifying with a 3-0 triumph over British Virgin Islands in Willemstad, Curacao. Oalex Anderson netted in the 10th minute and Zidane Sam doubled the advantage ten minutes later as Vincy Heat collected their first win since September 2015. Azinho Solomon added insurance in the dying minutes. After the pair had both lost their respective opening matches, the result allowed St. Vincent and the Grenadines to move off the bottom of Group C.

Grenada 1-0 US Virgin Islands

Grenada relied on a lone Saydrel Lewis strike just past the half-hour mark to overcome a gritty challenge from US Virgin Islands in St Georges. The win – a far cry from their 10-0 victory in the pair’s previous 2008 World Cup meeting – pushed Grenada to third in what is shaping as a competitive Group A.

Barbados 1-0 Anguilla

Barbados were made to work overtime to end a strong challenge from an Anguilla side who had avoided defeat in just one of 11 previous World Cup qualifiers. The only goal of the contest arrived nine minutes from fulltime when Emile Saimovici struck to earn Barbados their first points of the campaign.

Bermuda 5-0 Aruba

A double from Kane Crichlow helped Bermuda on their way to a comprehensive 5-0 win over Aruba in Bradenton, Florida. It was a strong win for the Bermudians who suffered a 5-1 loss against Canada on Thursday and who were defeated by Aruba during 2020 Concacaf Nations League qualifying.

 

[Saj]

Look away if you are a fan of Germany

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57339023

Everton forward Richarlison scored as Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 to stay top of the South American qualifying group for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Paris St-Germain's Neymar got the second with a retaken penalty following a foul on Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus.

The result means Brazil have won all five of their World Cup qualifiers.

They top the 10-team South America group with 15 points from five games, four ahead of second-placed Argentina.

Ecuador are third with nine points after winning three of their previous four qualifiers, and Brazil struggled to break them down, despite being the better side for much of the match.

Richarlison got the breakthrough 20 minutes into the second half when goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez could not stop his angled near-post shot.

And with only minutes remaining, Neymar added a penalty after his first attempt was saved. He was allowed to retake the kick after the referee spotted players encroaching into the penalty area.

The spot-kick had been awarded after referee Alexis Herrera initially gave a free-kick against Jesus following contact between him and Angelo Preciado in the Ecuador area.

But after a four-minute VAR review, the official changed his mind and awarded a penalty.

Brazil's next game is against Paraguay in Asuncion on 8 June, while Ecuador host Peru the same day.

 

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Final scores of tonight's World Cup Qualifiers (European) fixtures:

 

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Chile, Mexico and Paraguay have asked FIFA to apply sanctions on Premier League clubs over their refusal to release players for this month's international matches.