The Czech footballers won the final participation in the March playoffs to advance to the World Cup next year. After today’s qualifying win over France over Kazakhstan 8-0, the charges of coach Jaroslav Šilhavý are sure that they will pass the barrage the worst as one of the two winners of the League of Nations groups.
Only the first teams from the qualifying groups advance directly to the championship in Qatar, the teams in the second places are waiting for the playoffs. The two best winners of the League of Nations groups, who will not succeed in qualifying, will get into it.
After today’s victory of Wales over Belarus 5: 1, the Czechs dropped to third place in Group E before Tuesday’s final match with Estonia, but they will not lose the playoffs. Thanks to last year’s championship in group B2 of the League of Nations, they would get between the two advancing to the playoffs.
The squint’s charges can still take second place in qualifying, but they need not only to beat Estonia on Tuesday, but also to hope that Wales will lose to a certain Belgian group winner. In the case of a tie in the world qualifiers, the score decides, not the match balance, as is common in UEFA competitions. After today’s high win, the Welsh currently have a two-way better difference in score than the Czech team.
Šilhavý’s selection was in the ranking of the League of Nations winners in seventh place behind France, Belgium, Italy and Spain as the best in League A and Wales and Austria in League B. After France’s victory, it is clear that at least five of these six teams will finish worst on second place. The Welsh people would be second in the case of the third place of the Czech team in group E.
The second position may be more advantageous for the playoffs. The six best teams will be deployed and will play the semifinals of the playoffs at home. In the case of the final placement on the second place, the Czech could gain a maximum of 14 points, which, according to current developments, would rather not be enough for the deployment.
The playoffs will take place on November 26. The twelve teams will be divided into three “spiders” for the four teams that will compete in the semifinals and finals. In total, the remaining three European participants in the world championship will emerge. Only one match will be played at a time, and while in the semi-finals the teams will have the advantage of the home environment, the organizers of the final will determine the lot. The playoffs will take place at the end of March.
Belgium and France secured the World Cup
The Belgians defeated Estonia 3: 1 today, won the “Czech” Group E and secured participation in the championship in Qatar. The French also won the promotion today. Defenders of gold also crushed Kazakhstan 8-0 thanks to four goals by Kylian Mbappý and dominated group D before the final round.
Today, six out of 32 participants know the World Cup. Germany, Denmark and Brazil have already succeeded in qualifying, adding to the host Qatar. The final tournament will take place next year from November 21 to December 18.
Benteke was represented in the Belgian attack by the wounded Lukaku, who opened the score in the 11th minute and prepared the second goal for Carrasca in the 53rd minute. However, the Estonians still dramatized the match in Brussels and in the 70th minute, when the Karviná midfielder Sinjavsky was already on the field, another substitute Sorga reduced.
Shortly afterwards, however, Thorgan Hazard returned a two-goal lead to the home favorite. The Belgian national team has won six of the seven duels in qualifying and will perform at the World Championships for the fourteenth time.
26 minutes of the first half was enough for Mbappé to premiere a hat-trick in the national team. After a change of side in Paris, Benzema added two goals, one Rabiot and another Griezmann from the penalty kick.
Kazakhstan’s Debacle finished Mbappé in the 87th minute. Twenty-two-year-old striker Paris St. Germain became the first French author to score four goals in a competitive match since 1958, when Just Fontaine made it to the World Cup in a duel for third place against West Germany (6: 3). The French will play for the 16th time at the World Cup, winning gold in 1998 and 2018.
Wales defeated Belarus 5: 1 and before the final round, the Czechia took second place in group E. The Welsh confirmed the role of the favorite in Cardiff in the opening 20 minutes, when the Belarusian goalkeeper Černik was overtaken by Ramsey and Neco Williams. After the change of sides, Ramsey from the penalty and Ben Davies won again. Connor Roberts finally responded to Koncevoj’s reduction.
On the contrary, the Dutch today missed the possibility of a direct advance, because in Montenegro they lost the two-goal lead provided by Depay and drew 2: 2. The home team Vukotič and Vujnovič scored in Podgorica in the 82nd and 86th minutes. “Oranje” lead the group G table by two points ahead of Turkey.
2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
Group D:
Zenica: Bosnia and Herzegovina – Finland 1: 3 (0: 1)
Goals: 69. Menalo – 29. Forss, 51. Lod, 73. O’Shaughnessy. Red Cross: 37. Raitala (Finland).
Paris: France – Kazakhstan 8: 0 (3: 0)
Goals: 6th, 12th, 32nd and 87th Mbappé, 55th and 59th Benzema, 75th Rabiot, 84th Griezmann from pen.
Table:
| 1. | France | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 16:3 | 15 |
| 2. | Finland | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10:8 | 11 |
| 3. | Ukraine | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 9:8 | 9 |
| 4. | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9:10 | 7 |
| 5. | Kazakhstan | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5:20 | 3 |
Group E:
Cardiff: Wales – Belarus 5: 1 (2: 0)
Goals: 3rd and 50th from the pen. Ramsey, 20. N. Williams, 77. B. Davies, 89. C. Roberts – 87. Koncevoj.
Sets:
Wales: Ward (90.+1 Hennessey) – C. Roberts, B. Davies, Rodon, N. Williams – Ampadu, Ramsey (71. Morrell), Allen, James (76. Roberts) – Bale (46. Johnson), Wilson. Trenér: Page.
Belarus: Chernik-Zolotov (71st Yuzepchuk), Shvyakov, Naumov, Judenko (82nd Koncevoj) – Pechenin, Seljava, Jablonsky, Klimovich (70th Ebong) – Sedko (60th Antilevsky), Lisakovich (82nd Bachar). Coach: Kondratiev.
Brussels: Belgium – Estonia 3: 1 (1: 0)
Branky: 11. Benteke, 53. Carrasco, 74. T. Hazard – 70. Heaven.
Sets:
Belgium: Courtois – Castagne, Denayer, Vertonghen – Meunier (62. Saelemaekers), Witsel, Vanaken, Carrasco (71. Mertens) – De Bruyne (83. De Ketelaere), Benteke (83. Origi), E. Hazard (62. T. Hazard). Trener: Martinez.
Estonian: Igonen – Paskotši, Tamm, Mets – Teniste (79. Puri), Poom, Kreida, Vassiljev (79. Soomets), Ojamaa (59. Sinjavskij) – Zenjov (67. Sorga), Henri Anier (59. Sappinen). Trainer: Häberli.
Table:
| 1. | Belgium | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 24:5 | 19 |
| 2. | Wales | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13:8 | 14 |
| 3. | CR | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12:9 | 11 |
| 4. | Estonia | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 9:19 | 4 |
| 5. | Belarus | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7:24 | 3 |
Group G:
Istanbul: Turkey – Gibraltar 6: 0 (3: 0)
Branky: 38. a 41. Dervisoglu, 11. Aktürkoglu, 65. Demiral, 81. Dursun, 84. Müldur. ČF: 22. Olivero (Gibraltar).
Oslo: Norway – Latvia 0: 0
Podgorica: Montenegro – Netherlands 2: 2 (0: 1)
Goals: 82. Vukotič, 86. Vujnovič – 25. from pen. and 54. Depay.
Table:
| 1. | The Netherlands | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 31:8 | 20 |
| 2. | Turkey | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 25:15 | 18 |
| 3. | Norway | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 15:6 | 18 |
| 4. | Montenegro | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13:13 | 12 |
| 5. | Latvia | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8:13 | 6 |
| 6. | Gibraltar | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3:40 | 0 |
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