World Cup Qualifying Open Thread

Asia is in the books because it's already tomorrow over there. So if you're in Asia, please don't spoil the outcomes of the European matches for us.

Anyway, UEFA gets underway in mere minutes with Russia v. Finland. Apparently there is something of a national obsession in Finland with the Tango. This isn't really relevant to soccer but it's interesting nonetheless.

If you've got access to this technology known as 'television', there's a decent match up on FSC at noon between the Dutch and Norway. And we wouldn't be good Americans if we didn't mention England.

Fifty-ninth ranked Belarus are sitting at 4th position in Group 6 on three points, but they have only played two matches and, with an upset of England could instantly make this group far more interesting as well as destroy the confidence built up by Fabio Capello. It would also give Engerland fodder for its national pastime of second guessing.

Anyway, fun as that might be to think about, the English are shoe-ins to win at Belarus. Why do I know this? First, because as I type this sentence my iTunes just shuffled up "Rock 'n' Roll Party in the Streets" by Axe. Nothing could be a greater harbinger of victory for all English speaking people (yeah, I just want to let as many people know that scattered throughout my hipster indie rock library is some truly shitty metal). Second, and more importantly, the English players aren't screwing their WAG's.

That's why they failed so miserably in Germany, at least according to El Capitan Rio:

People were worrying more about what people were wearing and where they were going out, rather than the England football team. That then transposed itself into the team. That's said in hindsight. At the time, we were caught up in the bubble ourselves. Being somewhere like Baden-Baden, walking around the town, there were paparazzi everywhere, our families were there. When you step back and look back at that, it was like a circus.

Yeah, blame the chicks and the press.

Tempting to call him a stupid twit, but maybe there is something to it.

In Zimbabwe the head of the FA is fucking the players, and they failed to make it to the Third Round of CAF qualifying, having finished with just 1 win in their 4 team group (and if you only click on one hyperlink this month, make it this one).

Anyway, feel free to play along in the comments because once the party gets started we're all here to stay.

Selected European fixtures: (kickoffs in ET)
Belarus v England, 2.30
Belgium v Spain, 2:45
Croatia v Andorra, 2:15
Germany v Wales, 2:45
Italy v Montenegro, 2:50
Latvia v Israel, 12:00
Northern Ireland v San Marino, 2:45
Norway v Holland, 1:00
Portugal v Albania, 3:45
Rep of Ireland v Cyprus, 2:45
Russia v Finland, 11:00am