With the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying down to its last round, most of the tickets for Brazil will be booked while others will need a lot of help in order to gain automatic qualification and avoid a playoff.
2014 World Cup Update: Remaining Qualifiers
14 nations have already qualified, including hosts Brazil, four-time champions Italy, three-time champions Germany, two-time champions Argentina and the United States.
The fates of other countries such as England, France, Mexico and defending World and European champions Spain will come down to the final day of qualifying.
UEFA (Europe)
Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and surprise package Belgium have already qualified from UEFA by winning their respective groups. All five countries are undefeated through their first nine games of qualifying. Croatia, Portugal and Sweden will enter the playoffs as runners-up. The playoffs will be contested by the eight best runners up from the nine groups.
After comfortably winning a potentially tricky away game at Montenegro, England is well in control of its own fate. A victory in its final game at home against Poland, where they are -750 to win, will seal qualification. A draw or loss will could still see the English through, but only if Ukraine fails to win away to minnows San Marino.
The defending champions Spain lead France by three points heading into the final round. Only a Spain defeat against Georgia can see France overtake the Spaniards, but the French must still beat Finland to stand any chance of winning the group.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be missing for his country’s final game against Luxembourg. The Real Madrid forward will be suspended after picked up a yellow card in their last game against Israel, which sealed Portugal’s fate as runners up.
By far the tightest group involves Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The two are locked at 22 points, but Bosnia-Herzegovina holds an insurmountable advantage in goal difference over the Greeks. The lone scenario that will see Greece qualify is if they defeat Liechtenstein and Bosnia-Herzegovina falters with a draw (+375) or defeat (+960) at Lithuania.
COMNEBOL (South America)
Argentina and Colombia can prepare for their short trip to Brazil in 2014, but two automatic places are still up for grabs.
Ecuador and Chile currently occupy the 3rd and 4th places with 25 points, but both will face each other in Santiago. A draw (-127) would be enough for both countries to qualify. However, a defeat to either (Ecuador +700, Chile +135) could potentially give talented Uruguay an opportunity to sneak in.
The 5th placed South American team will face Jordan in a two-legged playoff in November.
CONCACAF (North and Central America)
The United States and Costa Rica both top “The Hexagonal” and are assured of their places in the final. One automatic place is still for the taking. Honduras holds a three point lead over the struggling Mexico.
A win versus already qualified Costa Rica (-125) combined with a Honduras defeat at Jamaica (+210) should see El Tri through. If Mexico holds on to its fourth place, then they go into a playoff with New Zealand in November.
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