France, Belgium, England, Germany, Denmark, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, Brazil, Switzerland and Qatar (host country) are the national teams already qualified for the 2022 World Cup.
In Europe, 13 teams qualify: the 10 group winners (only the question remains to be resolved in Group D, between the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey) plus 3 teams that will pass from the play-offs in March 2022, where the 10 best runners-up and the 2 best fished out according to the Nations League ranking.
Among the 12 teams that will play for access to the World Cup through the playoffs is theItaly, finished second in her group. Here are all the national teams that will be engaged in March, in a double round consisting of semi-final and final. The pairings will be drawn on November 26, the Azzurri are in the seed box.
The twelve teams will be divided into three groups of four, consisting of two seeded teams and two second-tier teams. Each second-tier team will play a first match (the semi-final) at the home of the seeded team. The winners of the first round will give life to three finals (drawn field). The winner of each challenge will go to the World Cup. At the moment, Portugal, Scotland, Italy and Russia are already sure they are seeded and therefore will not face each other in the semifinals. The other two would be Sweden and Poland, but they can still be overtaken by Wales and the second in group G (Holland, Norway, Turkey). At the moment, Italy’s six opponents would be North Macedonia and Austria (certain), the Czech Republic, Finland, Turkey and Poland (probable).
Group A: there is Ronaldo’s Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal was unable to win the missing point after the draw against Ireland (0-0). In the 90th minute he lost the direct match with Serbia, who could only win being penalized by the goal difference.
Final standings: Serbia 20, Portugal 17, Ireland and Luxembourg 9, Azerbaijan 1.
Group B: Sweden and the nightmare of 2018
Spain would have needed a draw in Sevilla against Sweden but the Red Furies, despite suffering, did even better by winning the direct match with a goal from Morata. Swedes in the play-offs, and the specter of elimination of 2018 reappears.
Final standings: Spain 19, Sweden 15, Greece 10, Georgia 7, Kosovo 5.
Group C: Italy in the play-offs after the draw in Northern Ireland
Switzerland wins Group C, which ended with a 4-0 home victory over Bulgaria. To decide the duel with Italy it was not even necessary to resort to goal difference, because in Northern Ireland the Italian national team stopped at 0-0.
Final standings: Switzerland 18, Italy 16, Northern Ireland 9, Bulgaria 8, Lithuania 3.
Group D: One between Finland and Ukraine
France qualified thanks to an 8-0 victory over Kazakhstan. Play for second place: Tuesday, November 16, Bosnia-Ukraine and Finland-France. Ukraine (9 goals scored, 8 conceded) must win and hope that Finland (10 goals scored, 8 conceded) won’t win. In the event of a tie in goal difference, Ukraine has the head-to-head advantage.
Standings: France 15, Finland 11, Ukraine 9, Bosnia 7, Kazakhstan 3.
Northern Ireland-Italy 0-0: Azzurri still forced to play-offs to go to the World Cup
by our correspondent Enrico Currò
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Group E: Wales and Czech Republic in the play-offs
By beating Estonia, Belgium qualified. Wales v Belgium and Czech Republic v Estonia will be played on Tuesday 16 November. Wales and the Czech Republic are already certain of the play-offs: whoever finishes third, in fact, will be rescued as the second best team in the Nations League. The second place, however, serves to try to enter the six seeded (the six best runners-up). Equal is enough for Wales. If he is beaten and reached in the standings by the Czech Republic, the goal difference will decide, then the number of goals scored (Wales have 13 goals scored and 8 conceded, the Czech Republic 12 scored and 9 conceded). If that weren’t enough, Wales have the lead in the head to head.
Standings: Belgium 19, Wales 14, Czech Republic 11, Estonia 4, Belarus 3.
Group F: Scotland second, Austria in the play-offs
All decided in this group: Denmark first, Scotland second and seeded in the play-offs where Austria also enters, as recovered from the Nations League (it will go to the second pot in the draw)
Final standings: Denmark 27, Scotland 23, Austria and Israel 16, Faroe 4, Moldova 1.
Group G: Netherlands, Norway or Turkey
The Netherlands had already qualified, before being reassembled in the last minutes by Montenegro (2-2). Now everything is postponed to November 16: Netherlands-Norway and Montenegro-Turkey. The Netherlands will just be equal: they will keep Norway behind and have a 14-goal advantage over Turkey, an unbridgeable difference. But in case of defeat, the Oranje even risk finishing third and out of everything for the second World Cup in a row. Turkey must win and hope that Norway will beat Holland, but without scoring more goals than the Turks. At the moment between Turkey and Norway there is a goal difference in goal difference: in the event of a tie, Turkey would be ahead, having already scored 25 against Norway’s 15.
Ranking: Netherlands 20, Norway and Turkey 18, Montenegro 12, Latvia 6, Gibraltar 0.
Italy, Mancini: “We’ll go to the World Cup. And maybe we’ll win it too”
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Group H: Russia in the play-offs
The play-off in Split promotes Croatia to the World Cup, Russia defeated 1-0 and to the play-offs.
Final standings: Croatia 23, Russia 22, Slovakia and Slovenia 14, Malta and Cyprus 5.
Group I: Poland and the Lewandowski danger
The English goleada in San Marino (0-10), gained from the first minutes, extinguishes Poland’s feeble hopes of flying directly to Qatar. Robert Lewandowski’s team closes the group with a home defeat by Hungary (1-2).
Standings: England 26, Poland 20, Albania 18, Hungary 17, Andorra 6, San Marino 0.
Group J: North Macedonia, another chance
With Germany Already qualified who did not discount Armenia winning 4-1 in Yerevan, North Macedonia won the play-offs by winning 3-1 against Iceland. Nothing served Romania’s food in Liechtenstein.
Ranking: Germany 27, North Macedonia 18, Romania 17, Armenia 12, Iceland 9, Liechtenstein 1.
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