09/10/13 - Match Topic - Football - Basketball

Paraguay vs Argentina September 10, 2013

Paraguay can keep their hopes of making a late run into a World Cup qualifying playoff alive on Tuesday if they pull off a big upset win, but not many expect them to be a match for Argentina. The Albiceleste are on top of the CONMEBOL qualifying table and can punch their ticket to the World Cup Tuesday if results go their way.

Argentina could end Paraguay's hopes of qualifying for World Cup 2014 when the two sides meet on Tuesday.

The qualification campaign has been poor from start to finish for los Guaranies, who have not recovered from losing six of their first eight matches.

Coach Victor Genes saw his side move off the bottom of the South American group with a convincing 4-0 win over Bolivia on Friday, but the result comes far too late with Paraguay mustering just 11 points from their 13 games to date.

Argentina, on the other hand, have lost just one qualifier in 13 and seven of those games have resulted in wins for the Albiceleste.

Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is suspended for this encounter, as is Javier Mascherano, Federico Fernandez and Ezequiel Garay.

But coach Alejandro Sabella has no shortage of replacements, with Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, in-form Inter striker Rodrigo Palacio and PSG's Ezequiel Lavezzi in the squad.

Argentina have not played a competitive match in almost three months, though, with 4-0 and 2-1 friendly wins over Guatemala and Italy filling their schedules in the meantime.

While the hosts have a full squad available and are coming off a 4-0 win over Bolivia, Argentina are a bit hobbled. Ezequiel Garay, Gonzalo Higuain, Federico Fernandez and Javier Mascherano are all out. That leaves Argentina a bit thin defensively and without their best pure center forward, but they certainly have the depth to manage without those four players.

It's possible for Argentina to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday even if they are upset by Paraguay. All Argentina have to do is match the result of Uruguay, who play earlier in the day against Colombia. If Colombia win that match, both Argentina and Los Cafeteros will have clinched their bids before any other games take place.

Match date/time: Tuesday, 9:40 p.m. ET
Venue: Defensores del Chaco, Asuncion, Paraguay

Honduras vs Panama September 10, 2013

Honduras and Panama will contest an important World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Both teams still have a chance to clinch a top three spot in the tournament; the top three teams automatically clinch a spot in the 32-team tournament next summer, while the fourth place side will have to play New Zealand in a two-legged playoff.

Honduras sits in third place in the standings with 10 points in seven games. The team will be unable to clinch on Tuesday, but will put itself one win away from qualifying if it wins and Mexico loses against the United States. However, a loss to Panama combined with a Mexican win over the United Stated could potentially put Honduras back into fourth place with only two games remaining.

Panama is in desperate need of points as well. They sit in fifth place in the CONCACAF table.

The team has seven points in seven games and is one point behind Mexico for the playoff spot. If Panama manages a win against Honduras and Mexico loses against the United States, then the Panamanians would climb to third place; a win would guarantee them at least a -1 goal differential instead of the -2 they currently have. Meanwhile, Honduras would drop from even to -1; Panama won the first encounter between the two teams and would win the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win on Tuesday.

Start Time: 9 p.m. EST

Honduras vs Panama September 10, 2013

Brazil vs Portugal September 10, 2013

Brazil and Portugal meet in New England for a friendly that had some of the marketing shine dulled with Cristiano Ronaldo picking up an injury last week.

Portugal struggled early but came back to defeat Northern Ireland on Friday to further improve their World Cup qualification hopes. Tuesday however is not about qualifying and instead is a trip to the United States for a friendly against Brazil.

Brazil and Portugal will wage what should be an entertaining friendly on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

This will give Americans a golden opportunity to witness some scintillating, upper-echelon soccer. Unfortunately, this will not be a chance to witness that soccer from Cristiano Ronaldo.

After a few years of subpar play (for Brazil, anyway), this team is bearing the fruit of developing young players in that period.

Neymar led the charge in the Confederations Cup as he came up huge time and again. That run culminated with the domination of Spain in the championship, and it alerted the world that Brazil are a force to be reckoned with once again.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be with Portugal -- no doubt a disappointment to those who overpaid for tickets to the match -- as he deals with tendonitis. Neymar will be available for Brazil though which should help with the star power, though Luiz Felipe Scolari will be missing defender Dani Alves and striker Hulk for the match due to injuries.

This is the first meeting between the two countries since 2007 when late goals from Simao and Ricardo Carvalho led Portugal to a 2-0 win.

Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Jamaica vs Costa Rica September 10, 2013

Costa Rica will look to clinch a spot in the World Cup next summer when it takes on Jamaica in qualifiers on Tuesday.
Costa Rica currently sits atop the CONCACAF table with 14 points after defeating the United States 3-1 on Friday. The top three teams in the confederation automatically book passage to the finals next summer in Brazil while the fourth place team takes on New Zealand in a two-game playoff.

There are a number of scenarios that would help Costa Rica clinch. The first would be for the team to win against Jamaica. A victory gives the Ticos 17 points; fourth place Mexico can get a maximum of 17 points. A draw would only get them through if the United States defeated Mexico on Tuesday as Costa Rica would have 15 points and Mexico would only be able to get a maximum of 14.

Costa Rica can take another step towards the World Cup finals when they face a Jamaica side on the brink of elimination on Tuesday.

Jorge Luis Pinto’s team moved into first place in the final stage of Concacaf qualifying group for Brazil 2014 thanks to a 3-1 win over the United States on Friday.

Goals from Jhonny Acosta, Celso Borges and Joel Campbell in San Jose put Costa Rica one point clear of Jurgen Klinsmann’s side at the top.

Costa Rica have now scored 10 goals in the final round of qualifying, and they should be confident of adding to that tally against Jamaica, who have yet to taste victory in any of their seven games so far.

Winfried Schafer’s men did manage to hold on for a goalless draw with Panama at the weekend, despite the dismissal of Rodolph Austin, but history in this clash is very much against them.

They have not beaten Costa Rica since 1997, and slipped to a 2-0 defeat in San Jose back in March, Michael Umana and Diego Calvo getting the goals on that occasion.

This match represents a must-win situation for Jamaica. With only three points, the team can only garner a maximum of 12 points if it wins its final three games. A loss here would leave them in a dire situation as they would need Panama and Mexico to lose their final three games to have any hopes of finishing fourth. A Honduran victory would also eliminate Jamaica from a top three finish. A Jamaican loss combined with a Mexican win would also eliminate Jamaica from qualification altogether.

Prediction: Costa Rica should dominate this game despite being on the road; they beat Jamaica 2-0 last time they met in San Jose and will replicate the effort on Tuesday.
Start Time: 7 p.m. EST

USA vs Mexico September 10, 2013

The two titans of Concacaf meet with World Cup qualification on the line. The USA hosts Mexico at the Columbus Crew stadium. A special scarf has been unveiled for the occasion. The US finds itself in pole position to qualify, while Mexico has struggled to score goals and win games and fired their coach after an embarrassing loss to Honduras at home. Parity does not describe the rivalry, but rather the concept of "pendulum." Momentum swings back and forth, and has for almost a century.

'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre is gone, and not a moment too soon. Mexico come into Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against the United States in serious need of a big result. A loss wouldn't eliminate Mexico from contention to finish top three in the Hex, but it would put them in an extremely precarious situation.

Meanwhile, the United States are in the unfamiliar position of not exactly needing a home win against Mexico, but they can potentially clinch a World Cup berth if they pull it off.

United States (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard; DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco-Fiscal, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Parkhurst; Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones; Fabian Johnson, Clint Dempsey, Graham Zusi; Landon Donovan

Mexico (4-2-3-1): Jose de Jesus Corona; Carlos Salcido, Hector Moreno, Diego Reyes, Severo Meza; Hector Herrera, Fernando Arce; Angel Reyna, Christian Gimenez, Giovani dos Santos; Javier Hernandez

With the United States missing key players and Mexico making a managerial change just four days ago, don't be surprised by anything. It seems unlikely that El Tri will completely wake up from their slumber in less than a week, however, and the U.S. have beaten Mexico at home with worse squads.

The storylines and rivalry started in the 1930s, when the two teams squared off in a playoff to qualify for the 1934 World Cup. Both teams traveled by boat over a month to a neutral venue in Italy, and took vastly difference approaches to preparation. The American team exercised on the deck of the boat, while the Mexican team relaxed and confided in its superior technical ability. They were wrong. The US won 4-2 and qualified, but the pendulum swung in Mexico's favor soon thereafter. A year later, Mexico beat the US three times for a combined goal differential of 19-6.

Thus, the following pattern emerged: US upsets Mexico, then motivated Mexico goes on a run of dominance. Only in later decades would a semblance of parity emerge. Here are a few key games in that journey:

Venezuela vs Peru September 10, 2013

Venezuela and Peru will contest a World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday that has huge implications for both nations' chances of making it to the tournament next summer.

Both teams are currently out of the top five and could potentially be eliminated from contention without a favorable result on Tuesday. The top four sides automatically qualify for the tournament, while the fifth place team has another playoff to go before having a chance to book a spot in Brazil next summer.

Venezuela was once one of the top four teams, but currently sits three points behind fifth place Uruguay with only two games remaining; Uruguay has three. Venezuela is coming off a disappointing 3-0 loss against Chile that has put them in a "must-win" situation. With a victory, the team would still be able to max out at 22 points. With a loss, Venezuela would be eliminated with a draw between Uruguay and Colombia.

The situation is equally dire for Peru. They only have 14 points and no longer have control over their own destiny. With three games left, Peru can only get a maximum of 23 points; a loss or draw coupled with a Uruguayan win would essentially eliminate the team from a World Cup berth.

Prediction: This match means a lot to both sides and should feature a game full of tension and tons of action. Look for Venezuela to come out on top at home with a score of 1-0.
Start Time: 7:55 p.m. EST

Uruguay vs Colombia September 10, 2013

Uruguay sit fifth in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, in reach of an automatic qualifying spot, but they're up against a difficult test on Tuesday.

They'll be underdogs at home against Colombia, thanks to the injuries and suspensions that have ravaged their back line. All of Diego Godin, Diego Lugano, Sebastian Coates and Martin Caceres are unavailable for Uruguay. While Caceres has played more fullback than central defense in recent years, those are arguably the team's top four center backs. Likely starting in their place is 37-year-old Andres Scotti, who is likely to be paired with an uncapped youngster.

Uruguay currently sit in 5th position in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, and are within touching distance of moving into one of the automatic qualifying spots.

However, they have a big challenge today against Colombia. Even though they have home advantage many analysts have put Colombia as the favorites to win this one. Many have highlighted the injuries and suspensions that have ravaged their back line, and believe they will be too much for Uruguay to recover from and overcome.

But undoubtedly there is still a huge amount of skill in the Uruguay line-up and if their top players can take starring roles today they have potential match-winners in the side.

Without a doubt they will miss Diego Godin, Diego Lugano, Sebastian Coates and Martin Caceres though, who are all unavailable for Uruguay, and they will have their work cut out keeping things tight at the back.

While Caceres has played more fullback than central defense in recent years, those are arguably the team's top four center backs and they are all out.

It is believed that 37-year-old Andres Scotti will be paired with an uncapped rookie player, and Uruguay could opt to move one of their defensive midfielders, Diego Perez or Sebastián Eguren, back into defense.

Meanwhile, Colombia are without Macnelly Torres and Pablo Armero. Jose Peckerman could move Juan Cuadrado back to left back, though he hasn't played much in a back four, and that could be exposed by Uruguay.

Uruguay could also opt to move one of their defensive midfielders, Diego Perez or Sebastián Eguren, back into defense. Colombia are a bit shorthanded as well, though not as badly as Uruguay. They'll be without Macnelly Torres and Pablo Armero. Depending on how attacking of a lineup Jose Peckerman wants to go with, he could move Juan Cuadrado back to left back, though he hasn't played much in a back four. Match date/time: Tuesday, 5 p.m. ET Venue: Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay

Hungary vs Estonia September 10, 2013

Hungary will look to jump back into second place in Group D when it takes on Estonia on Tuesday.
The Hungarians held second place until they imploded on Friday against Romania in a 3-0 defeat in Bucharest. The Hungarians led Romanian by one point heading into the tilt but now find themselves two points out of second place and in serious danger of missing out on the World Cup's second round playoffs.

Fortunately the team has a big chance to take back second place with a win on Tuesday. Romania will be facing off against a desperate Turkish side that is sure to give them problems; that match could potentially end in a draw or loss for Romania and that would only be good news for Hungary.

Meanwhile, the Hungarians will face a weak Estonia side that would be completely eliminated from contention with a loss or draw in this game. Throw in the fact that Hungary is playing in Budapest and this match has all the makings of a victory for Hungary.

The one fair warning for the club will be the form of Estonia. The visitors nearly pulled off a shocking victory over the Netherlands on Friday; if not for 94th minute heroics from Robin Van Persie, Estonia would have nine points and would be just two points behind Hungary for third place in the group.

Hungary won 1-0 in the first encounter between these teams on October 12, 2012.
Prediction: Hungary wins this one 2-1.

Macedonia vs Scotland September 10, 2013

Scotland will look to end their two-match losing streak on Tuesday when they will travel to Philip II Arena for a European 2014 World Cup qualifying match with Macedonia.

The Scots currently sit at the bottom of their Group A table, but just four points separate the lowest four teams in the group. Macedonia, winners against Wales and Bulgaria their last two times out, are currently fourth in the table but just two points ahead of Scotland.

In what should be a crucial match for both finishing power in Group A and bragging rights between the two European nations, Scotland and Macedonia will return to the pitch less than a week after their last World Cup qualifier. Scotland were 2-0 losers to Belgium, while Macedonia defeated Wales 2-1.

Macedonia and Scotland will face off in the World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday.
Both teams are officially eliminated from World Cup contention in Group A. Macedonia enters that game with seven points in seven games. The team has accumulated two wins, one draw, and four losses; the Macedonians have scored five goals and conceded eight in that span. The tournament got started for them with a 1-0 loss against Croatia.

In their second match Macedonia managed a 1-1 draw in Scotland before losing 2-1 against Croatia in their third game. The team then picked up a huge 1-0 win over Serbia but followed it with a 2-0 defeat against Belgium. Another 1-0 loss against Belgium put them out of contention, but a recent 2-1 win over Wales earned the team some respectability. Agim Ibraimi has led the team in scoring with two goals in qualifiers.

Scotland is looking to get out of last place in the group; the team only has five points in eight games and has only scored four goals while conceding 11. Scotland opened up with a 0-0 draw against Serbia and a 1-1 tie against Macedonia. The team then lost 2-1 against Wales in the third game of qualifying. In the fourth match Scotland struggled against Belgium and lost 2-0. Another 2-1 loss against Wales ensued and was followed by a 2-0 loss against Serbia last March. At that point, Scotland's World Cup aspirations were all but finished until the team shocked the world with a 1-0 win over Croatia in Zagreb. However, another 2-0 loss against Belgium officially took them out of contention.

Prediction: Macedonia pulls off a 1-0 win at home.

Start Time 2:30 p.m. EST

Spain vs Chile September 10, 2013

Spain face Chile in an international friendly on Wednesday night.

Spain are missing key midfielders for Wednesday’s friendly. Real Madrid midfield Isco and Manchester City attacking midfielder David Silva are both missing due to injury. Victor Valdes is expected to replace first choice goalkeeper Iker Casillas after failing to dislodge him for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Finland.

Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal, new Barcelona signing Denis Suarez, Koke, Santi Cazorla and Jesus Navas could all start for the world and European champions.

Despite Casillas playing in Friday’s game, Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque admits that Casillas not starting for Real Madrid isn’t an issue. Del Bosque said "At this stage of the season, Iker Casillas not playing isn't a problem. He's coming off the back of a pre-season in which he did play, he's a good trainer and he's been in top form in our sessions. We'll see what happens in the future."

Chile will be hoping for their first ever win over Spain, Their most recent encounter also came in a friendly in Switzerland in September 2011, when Spain came from two goals down to win 3-2 in St Gallen thanks to an injury-time strike from Cesc Fabregas.

Jorge Sampaoli’s men sit third in their qualifying group and go in to this match high on confidence after winning their last five out of six matches.

Venue: Stade De Geneve – Carouge Geneva

Expected line ups

Chile: Bravo; Gonzalez, Isla, Mena, Valdivia; Vina, Diaz, Medel, Aranguiz, Sanchez, Vargas

Spain: Valdes; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Monreal; Suarez, Cazorla, Xavi, Navas, Llorente, Negredo

Wales vs Serbia September 10, 2013

According to Welsh national coach, Chris Coleman, Gareth Bale did not feature for Wales against Macedonia last Friday due to a groin strain and he underwent a scan to rule out serious injury.

Coleman said "We had a conversation with Gareth before the game, he had a tight groin from the day before and we could not take that chance. As we speak he has gone to have another scan on it to clear his mind so he knows everything is alright."

Gareth Bale will not start Wales' World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Tuesday amid fitness concerns, manager Chris Coleman has said.

Bale, who recently became the world's most expensive player when he moved from Tottenham to Real Madrid for £85.3m, was an unused substitute in Friday's 2-1 defeat in Macedonia.

Captain Ashley Williams is suspended for the game at Cardiff City Stadium.
And injured midfielder Jonathan Williams, 19, also misses out.
Bale's lack of match fitness after a summer of limited training was exacerbated by a groin strain he suffered ahead of Friday's defeat.

He underwent a scan on Monday and later took a full part in training.
Coleman had earlier said Bale's presence on the bench was intended to play on Macedonia's minds.
"We had a conversation with Gareth before the [Macedonia] game," said Coleman.
"He had a tight groin from the day before and we could not take that chance.

The coach revealed the winger suffered the new injury during last Thursday’s training session, before the Macedonia game.

"He was never going to be available to start either of these games but at best he would have come on for maybe half an hour. There is a small chance of that happening against Serbia. We will see when we get the scan results back and how he feels," said the coach.

Ukraine vs England September 10, 2013

Roy Hodgson's men are currently in pole position to progress automatically to next summer's tournament in Brazil but it has been hard work from the start and there is still everything to play for.

The Three Lions are level on points with Montenegro at the top of the group but have a game in hand and it is Ukraine, a point further back, who have emerged as the most dangerous challengers following a fine run of form under Mykhaylo Fomenko.

Tricky home games against Montenegro and Poland lie ahead for England next month but they must first negotiate a formidable test in Kiev which Hodgson admits is 'like a cup final'.

Defeat would leave England needing Ukraine to slip up but a victory or even a draw would keep them in control of their own destiny and Hodgson is taking inspiration from a goalless night in Italy in 1997 which saw the team through to the World Cup.

He said: "There are parallels. But we stuck together, dug ourselves in to get a good result and if we can do something similar I'll be as happy as I was leaving the Olympic Stadium in Rome that evening."

England required a late penalty from Frank Lampard to salvage a 1-1 draw against Ukraine at Wembley and the Chelsea midfielder will make his 100th international appearance in the return fixture.

Hodgson can also take encouragement from a 1-0 victory over Ukraine in the group phase of Euro 2012, before they bowed out of the competition at Kiev's Olympic Stadium following a defeat by Italy on penalties.

After England's comfortable 4-0 thrashing of Moldova on Friday night, Roy Hodgson's team sit unbeaten at the top of Group H. However, they're level on points with Montenegro and a single point ahead of Ukraine, who they meet in a crunch match in Kiev on Tuesday. With a win, Ukraine would leapfrog England and go top, making England's World Cup qualification a whole lot less assured.

Though England hasn't lost since they were felled by The Almighty Zlatan Sweden in a friendly last November, Ukraine has looked even better shape of late. They too haven't lost in almost a year, only conceding twice. As national team coach Mykhaylo Fomenko is still unbeaten, having witnessed his side mercilessly put nine past San Marino on Friday, Ukraine will prove to be England's toughest qualification test yet.

Ukraine vs England

England did manage to scrape a 1-0 win when these sides met at Wembley in the reverse fixture, though this time around Roy Hodgson will be unable to select Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge through injury, and, after picking up a yellow card against Moldova, suspended striker Danny Welbeck. Ukraine is more fortunate, with all of its star players available.

Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 9:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET

Preparations for the latest trip to Kiev have not been helped by injuries to players such as Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge, while Danny Welbeck is also suspended after picking up a yellow card in Friday's 4-0 victory over Moldova.

Kyle Walker, meanwhile, has had to apologise after photographs emerged over the weekend of him taking the 'legal high' nitrous oxide, although Hodgson has confirmed the Tottenham Hotspur right-back will keep his place.

Netherlands vs Andorra September 10, 2013

World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands on Tuesday evening -- is also used for every one of their first and second division domestic league games. Scattered high between the verdant Pyrenean peaks, the Principality has only ever witnessed its football team win three matches since its first official fixture almost two decades ago.

In that time they've met the Netherlands on five occasions, losing them all and conceding a combined total 19 goals. Though the failure of Louis van Gaal's team to beat Estonia on Friday caused slight embarrassment, failing to win this game would be on a completely different scale. However, the Oranje should have no problems in picking up the three points which would all but assure them World Cup qualification, currently sitting six points clear of Romania at the top of their group. Having scored no goals and with no points, Andorra are bottom.

They had Robin van Persie to thank for the point in Tallinn after the striker was adjudged to have been fouled inside the penalty area in stoppage time and he calmly converted the spot-kick.

Despite that last-minute salvation, the Dutch coach was far from pleased with his side's performance and made it clear that he expects more against Andorra.

"We lost two points," he said. "When you draw 2-2 at Estonia you cannot be satisfied.

"All I will say [is] that we have to keep fighting."

The Dutch have a perfect record against Andorra so will be confident of securing a victory on Tuesday - and with it, a place in the finals in Brazil.

They top the group with 19 points from seven matches, and also have a superior goal difference to their rivals.

Some of his side's defending against Estonia could be a cause for concern, but Van Gaal is likely to have a less stressful encounter against the side ranked 205th in the world.

Andorra fell to a 5-0 defeat away to Turkey on Friday, meaning that they have now conceded 22 goals without reply in their seven matches.

They have never scored against the Netherlands and have conceded at least three goals in every meeting between the two sides.

The Netherlands are without Georginio Wijnaldum and Rafael van der Vaart through injuries, with said duo replaced by Wesley Sneijder and Adam Maher in van Gaal's squad. However, their most notable absentee is Arjen Robben, who is suspended after a booking against Estonia.

Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. local, 2:30 p.m. ET

Malta vs Bulgaria September 10, 2013

Bulgaria and Malta will face off in a crucial World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.
Bulgaria is in a fight for second place in Group B, but could face a sticky situation in facing Malta. The nine runner-ups are ranked with the ninth team on the table being eliminated from the second round of qualifiers.

Because Group I only has five contestants, the other eight group runner-ups lose points earned against the last place team in their respective group.

In the case of Bulgaria, Malta is almost secured the last place berth in the group; while a win on Tuesday will help the team keep hold of second place (they will not be able to catch Italy for first if the Italians pull off a win against the Czech Republic on Tuesday), they will potentially drop out of the top eight if Norway manages to win on Tuesday against Switzerland. Bulgaria has 10 points in the group, but three of them were earned against Malta; on the second round standings, they only have seven while Norway has five points on the table (11 in the group stage but six against last place Cyprus).

This is all interesting in theory, but Bulgaria must win in order to maintain that second place spot. The Czech Republic, Armenia, and Denmark are all sitting in a tie for third with nine points; a win from any one of those nations coupled with a Bulgarian loss or draw would result in a new second place team in Group B.

For Malta, the match is the team's last place at potentially landing second place. With only three points, a loss or draw would officially eliminate them from achieving second place.
Prediction: Bulgaria will draw 1-1 against Malta.

Start Time 2 p.m. EST

Kazakhstan vs Sweden September 10, 2013

Sweden will look to solidify its position in the World Cup qualifiers when it takes on Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

The Swedes control their own destiny in the group and could finish second place and earn the valuable playoff spot if they manage two wins and a draw in their final three games; the team would also clinch if Austria and Ireland managed to lose points their final three games, including the match on Tuesday.

If Ireland and Austria draw, then they would only be able to secure a maximum of 18 points; Sweden would only need two wins in their final three games to clinch the top spot. The Swedes will be facing Austria and Germany in their final two games but both will take place at home in Solna. If Sweden managed to defeat Kazakhstan and draw with Austria, then they could potentially clinch prior to their final game with Germany.

Of course other factors must be considered. The Swedes currently sit in seventh place on the nine team playoff standings. The top eight second place sides move on to the second round playoffs while the ninth place team gets knocked out of contention. Sweden holds the seventh spot but only has a one point lead on eighth place Bulgaria and three points on last place Norway. On the positive end, a win for Sweden could potentially push them all the way to fourth place in the playoff standings.
Kazakhstan has already been eliminated and lost 2-0 in their trip to Sweden in Sept. 2012.

Prediction: Sweden pulls off a 4-0 win.

Canada vs Mauritania September 10, 2013

Spain – After a week of training in relative isolation, the Benito Floro era is about to begin for the Canada.

The team had been going with two-a-day training sessions most of the week, but on the eve of its first game under the new coach, a solitary morning session was in order. But it wasn’t without incident as a spirited series of scrimmages with players being rotated in and out saw a number of crunching tackles going in.

“It’s been good having some of the younger guys out here and then getting used to the older, more experienced players,” said midfielder Atiba Hutchinson, who’s back in the squad after missing this summer’s Gold Cup. “It’s a good mix with a lot of young, talented players. It’s positive and I think it’s only a good thing for us.”

Floro is working on improving his English but needed a translator for some parts of the session. At the end of training, he told his players (in English) that he was happy with how all of them performed.

It’s a tall order taking over a team that crashed out of World Cup qualifying last year and has endured a difficult year in 2013. But with two years to go before World Cup qualifying resumes for 2018, rebuilding the psyche of the team is job one.

“The most important thing at this moment is to increase the confidence of the team,” Floro said after the session. He got his questions in advance so that he could practice how to answer in English.

Floro admitted he didn’t know much about Mauritania, the team Canada will be playing on Sunday and Tuesday, but from what he did see it's a fast team and has been improving over the past month.

The coaching staff was spending the afternoon on Saturday watching footage of Canada's opponent and also had a few moments to see Mauritania train as both teams are staying at the same resort and trained on adjoining fields Saturday morning.

Norway vs Switzerland September 10, 2013

Switzerland will look to take a stranglehold of Group E when it takes on Norway in the World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday.
The Swiss currently lead Group E with 15 points but their lead could be an elusive one if a loss takes place on Tuesday against Norway. The Norwegians are four points behind and would be just one point behind first place with a victory. Furthermore, Albania and Iceland trail first place by only five points and even Slovenia is just six points away from first heading into the final three matches of the tournament.

Switzerland is coming off a terrible performance against Iceland. The Swiss led the game 4-1 heading into the final 22 minutes of the game but managed to squander the lead and settle for a 4-4 draw; the team would have had a commanding 17 points if it had pulled off the win on Friday.

With a victory Switzerland would be just one win away from clinching if they managed to defeat Norway on Tuesday; Switzerland faces Albania and Slovenia in its final two games.

Meanwhile Norway is in dire need of points. The team sits in second place but would not be in a playoff position if the campaign ended today. The second place playoff standings only allow the top eight teams to book passage to the second round playoffs; Norway sits in ninth thanks to gaining six of its 11 points against last place Cyprus.

Prediction: Switzerland and Norway draw 1-1.
Start Time: 12 p.m. EST

Georgia vs Finland September 10, 2013

Georgia and Finland will look to salvage their World Cup hopes when they meet on Tuesday in their penultimate qualifying match.
The Finnish currently sit in third place with six points in as many games. Finland can acquire a maximum of 12 points but would be eliminated if France defeats Belarus. Finland opened its tournament with a 1-0 loss against France.

The team then drew 1-1 with Georgia before shocking Spain in a 1-1 draw. The team the picked up its first win in a 1-0 display against Belarus; in the rematch, the two sides drew 1-1. In their most recent game, the Finnish were utterly dominated by Spain in a 2-0 victory for the Iberians.

Georgia only has five points and can gain a maximum of 11; they would be eliminated from contention if they lose or France wins or draws against Belarus on Tuesday. Georgia started their tournament off with a 1-0 win over Belarus before pushing Spain to the limit in a 1-0 loss. The team then drew 1-1 with Finland before being trounced 3-1 in France. In their most recent game, the Georgians shocked the French by holding them to a scoreless draw.

Teemu Pukki leads the Finnish with two of their three goals in qualifying; meanwhile three Georgians have provided goals for their nation in this tournament. Finland has conceded six times in the tournament while Georgia has allowed seven goals.

Prediction: Finland wins 2-0.
Start Time: 1 p.m. EST

Armenia vs Denmark September 10, 2013

Denmark and Armenia will face off in a pivotal World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.
Both teams are currently tied with Czech Republic for third place with nine groups; more importantly, both teams are one point behind Bulgaria for second place and the potential for a second round playoff. A victory from either team coupled with a loss from Bulgaria and the Czechs would push the victor not only into second place, but into a playoff spot.

Despite securing 12 points, either Denmark or the Czech Republic would have nine points on the playoff table by virtue of securing three points against last place Malta. On the playoff table, nations with six group members would lose points they earned against the last place team. Right now, the cutoff is Bulgaria's seven points earned; however, Denmark or Armenia would have nine points and would be seventh in the playoff standings barring differing results in other groups.

Of course both teams need a huge result and must secure second place with a victory. A draw would potentially put them in a precarious situation to begin with. If Bulgaria defeats Malta (a likely scenario), and Armenia and Denmark draw, then the Bulgarians would have a three-point lead on its rivals with two games left to play.

Moreover, if the Czechs defeat Italy, then both clubs would have to play catch-up with another team.
Prediction: Armenia embarrassed the Danes 4-0 in June and recently took down the Czechs 2-1 on Friday. It is hard to bet against a confident team at home; 2-0 Armenia.

Start Time 12 p.m. EST

Russia vs Israel September 10, 2013

Russia and Israel enter their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg with each facing a must-win situation.

While Portugal remain on top of Group F in UEFA qualifying, Russia only trails by two points, and with an extra match still to play. A win could put Russia on top of the group for good position to win the automatic trip to Brazil.

Russia will look to take back first place in Group F of the World Cup qualifiers when it takes on Israel on Tuesday.
The Russians currently sit in second place in the group and are looking to avoid missing their third straight World Cup; the team is already assured a spot in 2018 by virtue of being hosts, but this tournament is seen as a major stepping stone toward potentially being Champions in less than five years time.

Meanwhile, Israel can tie Russia for the second-place spot with a win. Whichever team finishes second will have a playoff for a spot in the 2014 World Cup.

Russia is making up the game in hand it has on Portugal and could be back on top of the group with a win against Israel. However, a loss or draw here will likely put Russia into the quest for a playoff spot. Four years ago, the Russians were drawn into a playoff with Slovenia; they lost on away goals and were eliminated from the tournament. Back in 2005, the Russians wound up in third place in a group that also featured Portugal.

Russia is coming off a huge 4-1 win over Luxembourg after losing 1-0 against Northern Ireland in August.

This contest could separate the best from the rest in the group or it could make the situation even more jumbled. That certainly makes this a match to watch, so take a look at this preview to make sure you do not miss a second of the action.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. ET; 4 p.m. BST

Where: Petrovsky Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia

Egypt vs Guinea September 10, 2013

Egypt will look to continue its impressive World Cup qualifying campaign when it takes on Guinea on Tuesday.

Egypt has already clinched a spot in the third round of African qualifiers. The team will await to be drawn into a two-legged competition with another group winner with the victor set to play in Brazil next summer. The other group winners include Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Algeria.

Egypt host Guinea on Tuesday in the last round of the group's stage in the World Cup African qualifiers.
Under the leadership of American manager Bob Bradley, the Pharaohs are bidding for their first qualification ticket to the most prestigious football event since 1990.

They guaranteed their play-off spot topping Group G of the qualifiers with 15 points aiming to get the full mark by a victory against Guinea to improve their FIFA ranking.

The match, held behind closed doors in the Red Sea resort of Gouna Stadium for security concerns, starts at 16:00 Cairo time (GMT +2).

The Egyptians are the only team with a perfect record of five wins in five games heading into Tuesday's game. Their impressive display already has the nation buzzing with hopes of a return to the World Cup Finals.

"When I got there, all that anyone talked about was the World Cup because they had failed to qualify for so long. ... I don't know much Arabic, but I learned early that Kas el a'alam means World Cup. Because that's what people would talk about," said Egypt's coach Bob Bradley in an interview with ESPN.

Egypt is flying high but may feel a bit relaxed in this game. The home atmosphere will likely propel them to a 1-0 win.

Start Time: 1 p.m. EST

Hong Kong vs Singapore September 10, 2013

Fresh off a 6-1 hammering by China last Friday, Singapore will look to redeem themselves when they travel to take on Hong Kong on Tuesday night at the Mong Kok Stadium.

Bernd Stange's South East Asian champions were utterly outclassed by their hosts in Tianjin and the losing margin could have been wider if the Chinese were more clinical.

The Lions simply could not cope with the slick movement and quick passing interchanges of the China players, which Stange said surprised him a little after the game, but they will not expect to face such high quality play from Hong Kong.

The Fifa-ranked 144th home side come into this off the back of a 0-0 draw against Myanmar and Kim Pan-Gon will hope his charges can pull off a repeat of their 1-0 win over the same opponents back in June last year.

Guangdong Sunray Cave striker Chan Siu Ki will spearhead the hunt for goals as the 28-year-old seeks to add to his impressive tally of 34 strikes in 48 caps. Naturalised Ghanaian Godfred Karikari and Englishman Jaimes McKee will add to the firepower.

There are two other naturalised foreigners in the team, namely England-born Jack Sealy and Ghanaian-born Wisdom Fofo Agbo, who both made their debuts against Myanmar. They should get the nod in the Hong Kong defense again, with regular custodian Yapp Hung Fai the man to beat in between the sticks.

His opposite number in goal could very well be Hougang United goalkeeper Fadhil Salim, who will make his international debut if called upon. Warriors FC left-back Zulfadli Zainal Abidin could deputise for Shakir Hamzah after collecting his first cap as a late substitute against China.

Isa Halim and Fazrul Nawaz could make the starting line-up after missing out against China, while the lively Shahfiq Ghani scored their sole goal and will expect to be retained.

Stange opted to tinker with his formation and tactics against China, with the German looking to chart a new path for Singapore as he tries to turn them into a side capable of holding their own against Asia's best.

South Korea vs Croatia September 10, 2013

South Korea will go in search of revenge when they take on Croatia in a friendly on Tuesday.

Igor Stimac's side thumped the Taegeuk Warriors the last time that the two sides clashed back in Februrary, powering to a 4-0 win at Craven Cottage thanks to goals from Mario Mandzukic, Darijo Srna, Nikica Jelavic and Mladen Petric.

However, South Korea have since qualified for World Cup 2014, with the 2002 semi-finalists progressing to the tournament in Brazil despite a 1-0 defeat to Iran in their final game in June.

The South Korean men's national football team is gearing up for another friendly match, this time against Croatia, in Jeonju on Tuesday night.
And, we have Steven Choi in the sports center to give us a preview of the match.

Hey guys, last week's FOUR - ONE victory versus Haiti was just the warm-up, while this friendly with Croatia, currently ranked ninth in the world, will be the true test for the ROK and its revamped offense.

If Manager Hong Myung-bo is going for the win, he's sure to insert the trio of Koo Ja-cheol , Son Heung-min , and Lee Chung-yong into the attack.

Like in the match versus Haiti, Koo may shift to attacking midfielder, while Son and Lee play the left and right wings.

Hong Myung-Bo's side will also have home advantage on their side for the game at the Jeonju World Cup stadium and face a Croatia team that has struggled for consistency in recent times.

Stimac's charges are five points adrift of Belgium in their qualification group and appear set to face a play-off for a place in the finals after their 1-1 draw with Serbia on Friday.

Japan vs Ghana September 10, 2013

Ghana travel to Japan for an international friendly on Tuesday following their crucial World Cup qualifying victory over Zambia.

Kwesi Appiah's side went into the crucial match in Kumasi one point ahead of their visitors knowing that anything other than a defeat would take them through to the third stage of the CAF qualifying section for Brazil 2014.

Ghana take on Japan in the second fixture of the 2013 Kirin Challenge Cup three days after securing a passage to the final qualification round of Brazil 2014.

Japan have already booked their ticket to next year's World Cup and would regard this series of games as an opportunity to ensure their preparedness ahead of the Mundial.

Ghana, whose only defeat in Group D came in the reverse fixture against the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations champions, secured a narrow 2-1 win as Abdul Waris and Kwadwo Asamoah gave them a two-goal lead before Emmanuel Mbola pulled one back for the visitors.

But, while Ghana have another stage of qualifying to go through to seal their place in next year's showpiece, Japan were the first side to reach Brazil after their 1-1 draw with Australia on June 4.

Japan's latest fixture came in a friendly against Guatemala at Nagai Stadium on Friday, goals from Keisuke Honda, Masato Kudo and Yasuhito Endo sweeping aside Sergio Pardo's side, with coach Alberto Zaccheroni afterwards calling on the team to keep up their level of intensity in their next matches.

Alberto Zaccheroni's side has already reaped much from a recent 3-0 win against Guatemala in the ongoing three-nation tournament and would seek more of the same against their African opponents on September 10.

For the Black Stars, Tuesday’s encounter against the Samurai Blue could be an ideal way to ready themselves for the final 2014 World Cup qualification stage in October and November, a play-off against a yet unknown team.

Doubtlessly, either national side would find this game as important as any they have participated in, in recent months.

Injury-wise, Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki has left the Japan squad due to a left knee issue and would not be replaced for the Ghana match. He is the second player to leave the Asian side following Toshihiro Aoyama, who is hospitalised on suspicion of appendicitis.

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