Road To Africa: The Path To World Cup 2010 Qualification

Want to know which countries can reach South Africa in this week's round of World Cup matches? Look no further...

7 Sep 2009 18:38:56

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Goal.com Road To Africa
This page will be fully updated after the midweek matches, too!

The World Cup of 2010 is already taking shape, with seven of the 32 teams on offer having already staked a claim towards a tournament berth.

The teams who have already qualified:

 South Africa (CAF - as hosts)
Don't Miss
 Japan (AFC)
 Australia (AFC)
 South Korea (AFC)
 Netherlands (UEFA)
 North Korea (AFC)
Brazil (CONMEBOL)
Ghana (CAF)

So, that leaves space for 24 more countries.

Prior to the midweek matches, a further few can qualify right away if certain conditions are met - and many more seal the way for doing so as we enter the final round in October.

Here we highlight these, and we also provide links to the World Cup qualifying tables, results and fixtures so that you can see the state of play.

CAF (Africa)
With Goal.com Africa's Peter Pedroncelli

Africa provides the basis for their teams to qualify for next year’s World Cup via five groups of four teams, with a home and away round robin format determining the points, and the top team from each group progressing to the World Cup along with hosts, South Africa. These qualifiers are also being used to determine the teams that will take part in the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola, with the top three teams in each group qualifying for the continental showpiece.

Group A

Cameroon-Gabon was originally to take place in June but was cancelled due to Gabon's national mourning of Omar Bongo. Whoever wins this match will go top, while Gabon need only a draw to remain in the lead of the group after Morocco drew at Togo at the weekend. Gabon are on 6, Togo on 5, Cameroon on 4, and Morocco on 3, the two Wednesday teams having a game in hand over the other pair. It's still too close to call in this group, unless Gabon can pull clear with a win.

Watch out for...

Cameroon
The Indomitable Lions have taken too long to click into gear. They need to win or they can all but kiss 2010 goodbye.

Group B

No games until October, but as things stand Tunisia are top dogs after drawing with Nigeria, who in turn are now way off the pace. In fact, Tunisia need only pick up four points to qualify, or they can do so on the next matchday if they beat Kenya and Nigeria fail to beat Mozambique.

Group C

It's over 'til October, but Algeria's 1-0 win over Zambia guarantees them a top three place - and thus Africa Cup of Nations entry - while putting them three ahead of Egypt in the race for top spot. The two sides meet in Cairo on the final matchday: prior to that Egypt travel to Zambia and Algeria welcome Rwanda: the group's whipping boys, but ones that held the northern side to a 0-0 draw in the first match in Kigali.

Group D

No matches until October. But it's all over here: Ghana's 2-0 win over Sudan puts them through to the World Cup. Mali and Benin could only draw with each other, meaning that they are out of contention.

Group E

It's the Ivory Coast's to lose now. After thrashing Burkina Faso 5-0, the Ivorians need only draw with basement boys Malawi to qualify. Burkina Faso need a miracle in October.

AFC (Asia)
With Goal.com Asia editor John Duerden

Asia send 4.5 teams to the World Cup, with the primary four having already made their way to the tournament. These are the aforementioned Koreas, as well as Australia and Japan. No surprises with ROK or the latter two, but the North's return to the World Cup after over 40 years away is a memorable event.

Saudi Arabia are generally present at the World Cup, too, but the Falcons have stuttered so badly that they must first play-off against Bahrain in a two-legged tie, beginning in Riffa on September 5th. The islanders have never made it to the World Cup: for the Saudis, failure to do so is not an option.

The winners of this two-legged tie meet OFC leaders New Zealand in a further two-legged intercontinental play-off in November.

Watch out for...

Bahrain

and

Saudi Arabia

Well, it's a no-brainer: these two are the only sides left. The Saudis are odds-on favourites, but they've been underperforming. Their 0-0 draw with Bahrain in th first leg was largely down to the heroics of goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah of Al-Shabab. A move abroad could beckon for this exemplary talent, who's still only 23.

UEFA (Europe)
With Goal.com International's Ewan Macdonald

Only one team's already qualified out of Europe, but it's set to be more by next week...

Group 1

Denmark were held to a draw at the weekend by Portugal in a result that did neither side much good at all.

However, the Danes need only defeat Albania in Tirana and hope for Hungary to drop three points and Sweden two to guarantee their place in South Africa. A win and one of these outcomes will guarantee them second place.

If Hungary and Sweden drop points against Portugal and Malta respectively they surrender any claim to top spot, while Portugal are all but out of contention for anything but second place.

Albania and Malta are out.

Watch out for...

Denmark
Can the Scandinavians return to the major tournaments? It's looking increasingly likely.

Group 2

Switzerland can guarantee 2nd place if they beat Latvia and Greece drop points to Moldova, and that will almost certainly see them on sufficient points for a play-off spot, too. Saturday saw Latvia edge Israel and Greece lose out to the Swiss, meaning that the race for second is wide open between four sides ranging from the top down. At the moment Greece look like narrow favourites to get it as Latvia face a tough tie with Switzerland while Greece travel to minnows Moldova.

Watch out for...

Greece
That loss to the Swiss was a hammer blow - but not a killer one. The Greeks can still regain top spot, although second looks more realistic now.

Group 3

Slovakia can reach their first major tournament with a win over Northern Ireland, providing that the rest of the chasing pack - Poland and Slovenia - can only draw with each other. Either way, a win over 'Norn Iron' will see them in an almost unassailable position atop the group. Northern Ireland themselves could reach the playoffs after drawing in Poland, with Slovenia and the Poles having some catching up to do. The Czechs are almost out entirely and realistically can only finish second via a miracle.

Watch out for...

Slovakia
Their Czech neighbours have had the limelight since the Slovaks and Czechs dissolved their union. Now it looks like Slovakia's turn!

Group 4

Germany took a break on Saturday as Russia crushed Liechtenstein and Finland edged Azerbaijan, meaning it's broadly 'as you were' in this group. Wales can only finish 2nd and are way off the pace, while Finland need to hope for a collapse from one of Russia and Germany. These two look to have sealed the top two spots: they don't meet until the second-last game, in Moscow on October 10th, so the next matchday is must-win for each of the two sides before we can draw conclusions.
Watch out for...

Germany
The Mannschaft have work to do before they can claim second place, let alone top spot, but the Azerbaijan clash gives them breathing room.

Group 5

Spain's seven consecutive wins, amazingly enough, haven't yet seen them qualify directly. They are guaranteed second, to be sure, but with six points between them and second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina, there's a bit more work to do. If they beat Estonia and BiH drop points to Turkey, it's all over. But Bosnia are the real surprise package here, leaving Belgium and Turkey in their wake. The midweek meeting with the Turks, of whom they are four points clear, is simply massive.

Watch out for...

Bosnia-Herzegovina
The midweek match againt Turkey is the biggest game in this team's short tournament. Victory, and a spot in the playoffs, would indicate massive progress. Second place is theirs if they win - and first isn't even impossible...

Group 6

Croatia's narrow win over Belarus keeps this group active as a contest, but the gorilla at the table - England - is ready to return. If the Three Lions beat the Croats at Wembley, first stage is assured. But if the visitors win, there's only a point in it, albeit with England having a game in hand. Realistically, it's now a race for second, with Ukraine still holding out hope of making up that three point gap on the Vatreni.

Watch out for...

England
Fabio Capello's men had a tough friendly against Slovenia at the weekend, but they're on a 100% run in the qualifiers. Keep that up and they're in South Africa.

Group 7

Belgrade will erupt on Wednesday night if Serbia beat France at home, as that spells immediate qualification for the World Cup. The French, having dropped two points in a draw against Romania, now realistically need to win in Serbia to go through in first. Otherwise they will wait until their final day meeting with Austria to decide second place. Lithuania and Romania are all but out and could be mathematically out of contention by Thursday morning if all goes against them - as could Austria, at that.

Watch out for...

France
A draw against Romania was disastrous but not unexpected. They could still make a late break for first place against Serbia - and that's what we'll find out on Wednesday. Serbia need watched, too: a win and they're through.

Group 8

Italy needed two own goals to beat basement boys Georgia in a group that only has three contenders: Italy on 17, Ireland on 16 (having played a game more than the other two) and Bulgaria on 11. The Azzurri can eliminate Bulgaria from the race for first with a win in Turin, while Ireland have the night off to wait and see what happens. The Republic side welcome Italy to Dublin in October for what could be a decider...

Watch out for...

Italy
Beat Bulgaria and they can't finish lower than second - and realistically they will finish first.

Group 9

Finally - a group that's already settled! The Netherlands have qualified for South Africa 2010.

All that's left now is the race for 2nd place - and it's one that's 'all change' after the weekend in which Scotland beat Macedonia and doomed Iceland held Norway. Scotland need a draw against the Dutch to secure second, but such is the paucity of their record that they need to win - and see results in other groups go their way - to ensure the play-offs.

Macedonia and Norway play each other and respectively need a win as well as a Scotland loss to go second, although that will most likely be insufficient for a play-off place.

Watch out for...

Scotland
That last game against the Dutch could make all the difference. The Scots are always a force at Hampden, and with the Oranje already through, there could be a shock on the cards...

North, Central America, and Caribbean (CONCACAF)
With Goal.com USA's Andrea Canales

In the fourth round there's just one group, which we will take team-by-team. Of the six, three qualify automatically, the fourth heads into the playoff with COMNEBOL.

The top four sides can each guarantee a place in the play-off midweek, but none can yet guarantee topping the group.

Costa Rica
A win against El Salvador guarantees Costa Rica a top four spot, as does a draw and Honduras' failing to beat Mexico. Costa Rica are on 13 points.

Honduras
A win against Mexico guarantees Costa Rica a top four spot, as does a draw and Costa Rica's failing to beat El Salvador. Honduras are on 13 points.

USA
The USA need to beat Trinidad & Tobago to earn a top four spot, or to draw and see El Salvador fail to beat Costa Rica. The USA are on 12 points.

Mexico
Mexico can guarantee a top four spot with a win, or with complicated permutations involving El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago dropping points. Either way, a play-off spot at the very least is all but assured. Mexico are on 12 points.

El Salvador
All but eliminated after losing to the USA at the weekend. Another loss spells the end.

Trinidad & Tobago
All but eliminated after losing to Honduras at the weekend. Another loss spells the end.

Watch out for...

Mexico
Javier Aguirre's side needed to hit hard at hosts Costa Rica, and did so. Now comes a home match with Honduras. Win that, and they can start looking at the finals.

Oceania (OFC)
With Goal.com International's Ewan Macdonald

With Australia having left for greener pastures, it's incumbent on New Zealand to make Oceania proud. The All-Whites automatically qualified for the second stage of the OFC qualification race and proceeded to walk it, dropping just three points out of 18 (a loss to Fiji long after qualification had been settled.)

The 2009 Confederations Cup whipping boys must now wait to see whom they will face, Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, in a two-legged OFC/AFC play-off in November.

Watch out for...

New Zealand
The Kiwis qualified once before, back in the days of Wynton Rufer in 1982. The odds are against their doing so again this time.

South America (CONMEBOL)
With Goal.com South America's Martin Decaux

As there's just the one mega-CONMEBOL group, it's perhaps best that we look at this on a team-by-team basis. So, here goes, in order of the squads as tabulated just before the weekend games:

 Brazil
Brazil have qualified 'early' for the tournament after their 3-1 win at Argentina and seeing results elsewhere go their way. Now they face Chile.

 Chile
La Roja are close to reaching their first World Cup since 1998. A win over Brazil will suffice. Failing that, they need Colombia and Ecuador to drop points.

 Paraguay
Paraguay are in a very similar situation to Chile, sitting on 27 points. They need a win against Argentina to guarantee their place in what is by far the biggest game of the matchday. Failing that, they need Colombia and Ecuador to drop points.

 Argentina
Argentina are in such dire straits that they can't even guarantee a play-off place yet. They travel across the border to Paraguay urgently needing points. Right now they're on 22, in the final automatic qualification spot and just two ahead of Colombia and Ecuador.

 Colombia
Colombia needed to win at home to Ecuador and did so. Now an away game with Uruguay brings the pressure. Matches with Chile and Paraguay will follow in what is one of the toughest run-ins.

 Ecuador
Having lost to Colombia away on the weekend, they cannot yet pull clear of the chasing pack. They face Bolivia away in what is realistically a must-win game.

Uruguay
Realistically they need to win all their matches after a loss at Peru. Colombia visit next for a vital game, but it already feels like too little, too late for the Celeste.

 Venezuela
A draw away to Chile is not an awful result for Venezuela but it still leaves them with much to do. Realistically they need to win all their matches.

 Bolivia
A 1-0 loss to Paraguay is the second-last nail in the Bolivian coffin. Anything short of a win against Ecuador sees them mathematically eliminated - and even that might not be enough. Basically, they can write off 2012, as can Peru.

Watch out for...

 Argentina
Even Diego Maradona admits that qualification is nowhere near certain after that loss to Brazil. The pressure on the Albiceleste ahead of their journey to Asuncion is unspeakable. Argentina have not missed a major tournament since 1970...

--Goal.com team
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