All the major European leagues finally got going last weekend but World Cup qualifying this weekend and in midweek takes centre stage. The European qualifying competition is the last of the federations to get going but to honest there is little for a neutral fan to get excited about this this weekend.

The most interesting games are in CONMEBOL and CONCACAF.


Argentina vs. Paraguay

Paraguay currently leads South American qualifying with a third of the fixtures complete. They have 13 points, two more than second place Argentina. Paraguay’s one loss to date came away to Bolivia 4-2 in the last round of matches.

On the other hand Argentina racked up full points in their first three games before stumbling in the last three. Over that period Argentina have lost 2-1 to Colombia, drawn 1-1 against Ecuador and finished scoreless away to Brazil. In 2006 WCQ Paraguay drew this game 0-0 and beat Argentina 1-0 in the return.

 A lot has been made of Argentina’s second straight Olympic gold including a number of articles on how it sets Argentina up for the 2010 World Cup. The fact is that there is no modern day correlation between Olympic and World Cup success – two very different beasts. You have to go back to the first two World Cups (19030 and 1934) to find Uruguay and then Italy hold both titles at the same time.


Chile vs. Brazil

If there is any remotely close to a pick-me-up for Brazil it is a match against Chile. In the countries last five meetings Brazil have won four and drawn one while scoring 19 goals and conceding a single. You have to go back to August 2000 to find the last time Chile beat Brazil – 3-0 that day. However, the countries meet this time with 4th placed Chile a point and a place above Brazil.

Despite two losses in their opening six games (away to Argentina 2-0, and a surprising 3-0 loss in Santiago to Paraguay) there is a feeling that Coach Marcelo Bielsa may have a squad that can push for a top four spot.

On the other side Brazil Coach Carlos Dunga is in a hole and he has not stopped digging. An emphatic loss to Argentina at the Olympics and only two wins in six WCQ matches and there is a strange 2002 WCQ déjà-vu feeling about this campaign. 


Colombia vs. Uruguay

If you are looking for goals this game may be the one to watch out for. In the last five games between these two there have been 21 goals. Uruguay are unbeaten in the last four (3 wins and a draw) since losing 5-0 to Colombia in WCQ in June 2004.

So far in CONMEBOL qualifying Uruguay are top scorers with 15 goals in six games, although Colombia boasts the best defensive stats with only 2 goals against. This game is a six-pointer with Colombia currently sitting third with 10 points and Uruguay fourth with 8 points.


Cuba vs. USA

The long-standing political stand-off between these two countries will bring a bit more media attention to this game. The USA’s last trip to Havana came over 60 years ago when they lost 5-2. The US started off WCQ with a great result (winning 1-0 away to Guatemala) and by next week at this time they could have a iron grip on Group 1. They follow this game with a home match against Trinidad and Tobago on September 10. Cuba lost their opener to ####mp;T 3-1 and are badly in need of three points.


Canada vs. Honduras

After a disappointing result in their opener against Jamaica (1-1 home draw) Canada faces Honduras. With Mexico the hot favourite to progress from group 2 there is probably a mini group of Honduras, Canada and Jamaica being played out with any points taken from Mexico a bonus.

Another draw would not bring an end to Canada’s hopes for a trip to South Africa in two year’s time but it would certainly place them firmly behind the eight ball. In order to move on Canada would have to get points off of Mexico and in all likelihood have to win on the road in Honduras and Jamaica.

Canada has a decent record against Honduras in international play 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in last 10 meetings. In WCQ since 1981 Canada has won 3, drawn 3 and lost only 1. Interestingly enough the three draws have all come from very late Honduras equalizers and two have been from the penalty spot.

After this weekend’s play Canada have Mexico to look forward to at the Azteca next Wednesday while Honduras will play their first home game with Jamaica providing the opposition.

Because of Hurricane Gustav this weekend’s match between Jamaica and Mexico has been moved to Mexico City. This means that Mexico will play their first three games at home while Jamaica will be in the opposite position.

Henk Ten Cate will bring attacking verve and a notoriously short temper to Stamford Bridge, writes Daan Schippers. Cate or should it Ten Cate played 21 games for the Edmonton Drillers in the NASL in 1980.

Former Manchester United winger and now Dallas resident, Gordon Hill, chimes in with his thoughts on the dearth of young English talent. What a sight Hill and Steve Coppell were on the wings in Tommy Docherty's Manchester United side of the mid-seventies.

The G14’s response to Michel Platini’s proposals to reshape football in Europe.

Ask fans to name the first Dutch team to win the European Cup and many will blurt out Ajax. However, Feyenoord beat them to it. Here is an abbreviated article on their coach Ernst Happel who also took the Netherlands to the 1978 World Cup Final.

Glenn Moore on the Premiership striker’s best friend – Paul Robinson.

Touch blue (no pun intended) paper and retreat. SFA Chief Gordon Smith chimes in on Old Firm bias.

The surgeries and treatment rooms of Europe are full of football players – so we must have another break for European Championship qualifying. But this time over the next five days there is also the start of the marathon that is South American qualifying. And so this week we start in South America.

The last two World Cups have seen Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay qualify both times with Uruguay moving on through a play off in 2002 after finishing 5th in the ten country group. Uruguay repeated as 5th place finishers two years ago but failed to negotiate a way passed Australia.

Whichever country finishes one behind the four automatic spots two years from now will play the 4th place CONCACAF team rather than New Zealand (sorry that should have read the winner from Oceania).

Winning at home is critically important in any competition but  South American World Cup qualifying reinforces just how important it actually is. Tracking back though the 2002 and 2006 qualifying results show that the top four have only lost three games out of their 72 home games and have drawn only 14.

In 2006 the “final” four only lost once at home (Paraguay to Colombia), drew 8 and generated 89 points from a possible total of 108 - 82%; in 2002 two games were lost at home (Ecuador to Argentina, Paraguay to Colombia), six were drawn producing 90 points out of possible 108 – 83%.

Go back a further four years and although World Cup holders Brazil did not have to qualify, the overall outcome was very similar. Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia and Chile all qualified with Argentina unbeaten at home. The others lost four games but three of them were to table topping Argentina. Even so the top four still generated 88 out of a possible 108 points at home (81%).

Argentina are at home to Chile who have former Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa in charge of a competitive game for the first time. Chile made the headlines for all the wrong reasons at the Copa America this past summer and Bielsa has his work cut out if he is to make it to South Africa 2010. He has some very promising youngsters on the threshold of solid international careers but qualification for a World Cup may have to wait another four years.

Brazil start with an away match against Colombia and Ecuador hosts the ever improving Venezuela. Bolivia are preparing very differently for an opening game at sea level against Uruguay and then a home match against Colombia at altitude in midweek. Domestic players are continuing to train at altitude while foreign based players (including DC United’s Jaime Moreno) are working out at lower levels. Peru versus Paraguay is the other game.

European Championship qualifying for next summer’s finals in Switzerland and Austria may give us a first qualifier this weekend to join the co-host nations. However, if it does happen it won’t be from Group A.

The top four countries all face potential banana skin matches. Group leaders Poland have never made it to the Euro finals and are two points clear at the top with three games left. On Saturday they are at home to Kazakhstan, a country they beat 1-0 earlier in qualifying. 

Serbia are away to Armenia (in their final four games Serbia plays the bottom three and host Poland in the last round); Finland travels to Belgium – a tricky fixture for Roy Hodgson’s side; Portugal with four draws in their last 5 matches travels to Azerbaijan.

Scotland may lead Group B and may “only” require two wins and a draw to qualify but I have this horrible feeling that this is the weekend (or Wednesday) when it all goes pear shaped. And before I receive any e mails questioning my “Scotchness” let me tell you something. Any Scottish fan over the age of 25 has to be worried or they are brain dead.

Far too many Scottish football revival articles being printed for my liking. For every piece I’ve read I can come up with a heart breaking disappointment. In reverse chronological order – losing 6-0 to Holland Euro 2004 qualifying; knocked out of the 2000 Euro play off by a poor England side; losing to Morocco 3-0 World Cup 1998; Costa Rica, a 1-0 loss WC 1990; 1986 WC scoreless draw against 10-man Uruguay for 89 and a half minutes; Hansen and Miller in a Keystone Cops routine WC 82 in a must win game versus Russia; Iran 1978 1-1 ; losing 2-1 to Spain at Hampden 1974 European qualifying; Zaire World Cup 1974, at least that was a 2-0 win; England 1968 at Hampden; losing two late goals to Poland 1965 at Hampden; World Cup play off against the eventual runners up Czechoslovakia in Brussels in 1962. And there are more. If Scotland goes through I will be as happy as anyone. But until that moment arrives my skepticism will be unabated. Oh yeah, they play Ukraine at Hampden on Saturday.

Germany are the most likely nation to be the first to book one of the remaining 14 spots. Unbeaten in eight games with seven wins and a draw, the Germans need only a share of the points when they play the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. A loss for the Irish would put the Czech Republic within a sliver of joining the Germans.

England should be able to qualify with a win over Estonia and then draws against Russia and Croatia. But rather like my feeling about Scotland, I am tending towards a counter intuitive view of England. Impressive wins over Israel and Russia a month ago can only mean an unimpressive display is on the cards versus a poor Estonia side. No matter they will get three points which will nicely set up Wednesday’s massively gigantic showdown clash (a bit of tabloid stuff there) in Moscow.

Israel faces a mammoth task in beating Croatia in Zagreb if they are to maintain a realistic chance of advancing. The last time these two countries met Arsenal’s Eduardo da Silva notched a hat trick as Croatia inflicted a 4-3 home loss in Israel. A win on Saturday would put Croatia impressively through with two games to spare.

Denmark and Spain renew a bitter rivalry (bitter for the Dames anyway) with Denmark desperate for a win that will keep them in contention for a top two spot in Group F. Since 1984 Spain has beaten Denmark in the 1984 European championship in France; thrashed Denmark 5-1 at the 1986 World Cup; won 3-2 at the group stage of Euro 88; defeated Denmark at the qualifying stages of the 1990 and 1994 World Cup and lost the corresponding fixture of this competition 2-1 back in March.

Denmark have six shut outs in eight games but none of their four wins have come against any of the top three teams. Even so Denmark currently trail Spain and Sweden by 5 points and Northern Ireland by two a win here could put the Danes in a decent position. Spain, Sweden and Northern Ireland all have to play each other while Denmark has to face the Irish (a) and Latvia and Iceland at home.