The Qatar 2022 World Cup will know in this next ‘window’ the name of fourteen new teams that will compete this winter in the Asian country and will be complete in the absence of three places, which will define the intercontinental playoffs in June and the last in Europe that will not It can now be resolved due to the war in Ukraine, whose match against Scotland has been postponed.
Qatar, as hosts, Iran, South Korea (Asia), Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands (Europe), Brazil and Argentina (Conmebol), are the fifteen teams that They have already secured their place in the World Cup.
This coming week, the last competitive week before the draw on April 1, the five from the African Confederation will be defined in as many qualifiers, two from Asia, two from Conmebol, two from Europe and three from Concacaf.
Therefore, three places would remain to be resolved, that of the two intercontinental playoffs (Asia-Conmebol and Concacaf-Oceania) and that of the last one in Europe that cannot be resolved these days due to the postponement of the Ukraine meeting in Glasgow due to the impossibility of play it for the invasion of Russia.
Africa
The moment of truth has arrived on the African continent. After two tough phases, the AFC will define its five places in as many round-trip qualifiers this week.
Egypt-Senegal stands out. The duel between Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. In February, in the final of the CAN 2002, the latter celebrated after the penalty shootout. In this tie they have the home field advantage in the second leg.
Cameroon-Algeria, Ghana-Nigeria, DR Congo-Morocco and Mali-Tunisia are the other clashes.
Asia
The Asian zone will close this week the third qualifying round, which consists of two groups with six teams. The first two of each get a direct place and the third will play a single match tie at a neutral venue that gives access to the intercontinental playoff against the fifth of Conmebol.
Iran and South Korea have certified their place in the World Cup in group A and in group B the table is led by Saudi Arabia (19 points) and Japan (18). Australia is third (15) and at the moment they would face the United Arab Emirates in that extra round, which has to visit Iraq and receive the South Koreans; while the ‘Socceroos’ have a key duel in Sydney against the ‘Samurais Blues’ before closing this phase in Jeddah.
Conmebol
Brazil and Argentina secured their presence in the World Cup days ago. The fight for the other two direct access places and the play-off remains open in the last two days. Ecuador ranks third with 25, three more than Uruguay. Peru is fifth with 21, for Chile’s 19 and Colombia’s 17.
The Ecuadorian team will visit Paraguay and receive Argentina; Uruguay will face Peru in Montevideo and Chile in Santiago; Peru will close at home against Paraguay; the Red will visit Brazil in Rio on the penultimate date; and Colombia, which has it the worst, because it does not depend on itself, has the visit to Bolivia and the trip to Venezuela.
The fifth classified will face in June in one of the intercontinental playoffs the fifth in the Asian zone who is the winner of a last elimination round.
Europe
Once the group stage has been resolved, the Old Continent faces the play-offs that will give the last three tickets, and it does so notably affected by the war in Ukraine. Russia has been suspended and loses all options.
Therefore, the Russian team is eliminated and Robert Lewandowski’s Poland advance to the Path B final against the winner of the duel Sweden-Czech Republic. He will also play at home.
On route A Wales and Austria will meet in Cardiff. The winner will meet the winner of Scotland-Ukraine, a match postponed due to the situation that is being experienced in the Ukrainian country, so this place will not be resolved until June.
Route C brings a tremendous final for a ticket between two world powers such as Portugal and Italy, who will receive Turkey and North Macedonia in their respective semifinals. These, however, announce battle. Cristiano Ronaldo is pursuing what could be his last universal appointment and the ‘azzurra’ cannot afford another ko after staying out of Russia 2018.
Concacaf
After eleven days of the final octagonal, the teams from Canada (25), the United States (21) and Mexico (21) have the direct ticket to the World Cup on track. Panama, fourth (17), and Costa Rica, fifth (16) today are the ones fighting for the playoff spot that will face the winner of the Oceania zone.
In this ‘window’ the remaining three days will be held in which the league will be resolved. Mexico will receive the United States and El Salvador and will visit Honduras; Canada will travel to Costa Rica and Panama and will host Jamaica; In addition to playing against the ‘tri’, the USA will host Panama and visit Costa Rica.
Oceania
The OFC has ‘half a quota’. The winner of the qualifying phase, which is taking place these days in Doha, will face the fourth in the Concacaf zone.
Vanuatu has communicated its decision to withdraw after it was detected that almost all the members of the team had tested positive for covid-19 before the match against Tahiti in Doha.
The first two of each group qualify for the semifinals, which will be played on the 27th. The final will take place on the 30th. New Zealand is the favourite. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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