Who didn't make it?

Now there were 204 nations, who started their quest to reach the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa, but it's pretty pointless for me to list all of those who missed out, but I'll name a few more notables, who we won't be seeing next summer.

It's always tight in Europe and I've also mentioned the ones, who got close, but here's a more detailed look.

Sweden, with Barcelona star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, came to the qualifying with high hopes. It was always going to be tough with Denmark and Portugal also aiming for qualifications, but no doubt the Scandinavians, who qualified for the last two World Cups is Germany and South Korea, hoped to continue the good run. In the end a defeat in Copenhagen cost them dear, as their Southern neighbours took the first place of the group.

Czech Republic, who made their debut in the World Cup in Germany 2006, wanted to make it two in a row, but Slovenia surprised with a great campaign and snatched the play-off spot ahead of them with "brother" Slovakia winning the group.

Turkey, who finished third in South Korea 2002, didn't manage to edge Bosnia and Herzegovina largely thanks to point losses to Estonia and Belgium.

Croatia, France 1998 3rd place, who had a wonderful EURO 2008 qualifying campaign, couldn't repeat the success and 4:1 defeat at Wembley to England pretty much summed up their form.

Russia, 12th team in the FIFA ranking, were beaten in the play-off round by Slovenia, who are placed all the way down at 49th place. A really remarkable feat by the nation with only a population of two million.

There were no real surprises in Africa, with only Egypt failing is a sudden death match with Algeria. So they won't have a chance to continue their impressive play in South Africa, which they did in this year's Confederations Cup.

In Asia, local powerhouse China, who made their debut in South Korea 2002, failed twice in a row, finishing bottom of a group containing Australia, Qatar and Iraq. Iran, who impressed during Germany 2002 fell in the last stage in a group with South Korea, Korea DPR, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

In the North, Central America/Caribbean zone Trinidad & Tobago, who made their debut at Germany 2006, finished bottom of the last stage.

No surprise in Oceania as New Zealand passed and also no shocks in South America, maybe only the good play Chile showed. They last qualified for the World Cup finals in 1998, lead by the legendary strike duo Marcelo Salas and Iván Zamorano.

And rest of the World...

The North, Central America/Caribbean zone had 35 teams taking part to decide 3 automatic qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and 1 spot, who'd take on the 5th team from South America in a play-off round.

First round saw the entrants reduced to 24 teams. Second round decided the 12, who'd be drawn into thre groups of four, where the two top teams advanced to the final stage - a six-team group. USA won the group in the end. Mexico, who struggled in the beginning under Sven-Göran Eriksson, got 2nd place, while Honduras took 3rd with better goal difference ahead of Costa Rica. Costa Rica went to play Uruguay in a play-off round.

Oceania qualification was the first since Australia switched to the Asian Zone. The first stage started all the way back in 2007 at Pacific Games in Samoa, where the football competition also acted as a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying competition. Top three advanced to the second stage to be seeded along side New Zealand. The second stage was Oceania Nations Cup 2008 as well as the last stage of the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying in the Oceania zone. It consisted of a 4-team group, from where the winner advanced to the next phase - a play-off with Asian zone 5th team.

So, New Zealand faced Bahrain in a two-legged play-off. The first match in Bahrain ended goalless, but the All Whites, as the New Zealand football team is called, took the qualifying spot in the return leg, thanks to a goal from Plymouth Argyle striker Rory Fallon.

Who will be representing Asia?

Asia were allocated 4 places to the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa, and one place in a play-off versus a representative from Oceania.

43 teams started the campaign. Timor-Leste started World Cup qualifying for the first time in their history, while Australia, who previously were part of the Oceania zone, made their debut in the Asian zone.

First round was a play-off round with 38 teams. Of the 19 teams that made through, eight lowest seeded were required to play in the second round, while others went straight through to round three. 20 teams were drawn to 5 four-teamed groups in the third round. Two top teams qualified for round four. Round four saw the remaining 10 teams drawn into 2 five-teamed groups, from where the two top teams qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and 3rd placed teams played a play-off to decide who will take on a team from Oceania.

Group 1 was won by Australia, who finished the group unbeaten. They were followed by Japan and Bahrain went into the play-off.

Two Koreas topped Group 2, with South Korea taking 1st place and Korea DPR, who've had former England and Mexico boss Sven-Göran Eriksson linked to their managerial post for the World Cup finals, taking the second qualifying spot on goal difference ahead of Saudi Arabia, who'd take on Bahrain in a play-off.

Both matches in the play-off ended in draws (0:0 and 2:2), but Bahrain advanced in the end thanks to away goals to take on Oceania qualifying zone winners New Zealand.

Who will upheld the honour of the host continent Africa?

The Africa qualification started with a preliminary round to decide 48 progressing teams. As hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa qualified automatically, but they still had to take part of the process, as it also decided the teams that will play in the African Cup of Nations 2010 in Angola.

After the preliminary round 12 groups with four teams were drawn, with the group winners and 8 best runners-up advancing to the next group stage. The second group stage saw 20 teams split to 5 groups of 4. The group winners qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals. These teams were Cameroon, Nigeria, who edged out Tunisia by only a single point, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Group C saw Egypt and Algeria finish with exactly the same points and goal difference, so the two nations were forced into a winner takes all match on neutral ground in Sudan, to decide the final team, who'd pass through to the FIFA World Cup finals 2010. Algeria won the match 1:0 to mark the nations 3rd ever World Cyup finals place and the first since 1986.

Who made it from Europe?

53 teams started the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying stage all the way back in August 2008. It was marked as the first, where the small nation of Montenegro participated.

There were 9 groups, 8 with six teams and 1 with seven teams. The group winners qualified directly, while the 8 best second-placed teams participated in a play-off round.

Tightly contested Group 1 was won by the 1992 European champions Denmark ahead of Portugal, with Sweden and two-times World Cup runners-up Hungary narrowly missing out.

Life wasn't easier in Group 2, either. 2008 European Championships co-host Switzerland, under the legendary German manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, took the spoils in the end, with Greece going to the play-off round. Latvia and Israel were left ruing their luck.

Group 3 had five out of the six teams fighting for qualification, with San Marino being the bottom side. Slovakia got through in the end as winners. Close neighbours Slovenia, who conceded only 4 goal in the entire qualifying stage, finished second with Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Poland missing out.

Group 4 was mostly dominated by the last FIFA World Cup hosts Germany. The three-times World Champions finished the group unbeaten and were followed by Russia. Finland also had a chance to qualify to their first World Cup in their history, but missed out in the end.

Current European Champions Spain had a easy run in Group 5, winning all of their games with a goal difference of 28-5. Bosnia and Herzegovina entered the play-off round, while 2002 FIFA World Cup 3rd placed team Turkey were also third this time, only in the qualifying group.

1966 World Champions England enjoyed similar success as Spain in Group 6, only losing their last match of the campaign to Ukraine and so helping the Eastern Europe side to the play-off round ahead of Croatia.

Only one point separated first and second in Group 7, with Serbia winning the group ahead of France.

Two teams finished Group 8 unbeaten. Defending World Champions Italy won the group as Ireland finished second, with Bulgaria missing out.

Group 9 was also a one-team show. Netherlands won all of their games. Norway and Scotland finished both on 10 points, but the Scandinavian team had better goal difference, so they took 2nd place. It didn't matter much in the end though, as Norway was the worst second-placed team in the qualifying stage and thus didn't make it into the play-off round.

In the play-off round, France took on Ireland, Greece were handed Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina played Portugal, while Russia faced Slovenia.

Otta Rehhagel did his magic with Greece again, as the 2004 European Champions over came Ukraine away 1:0, after the first leg ended goalless. Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo missing through injury, proved they are not a one-man team and quite comfortably beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1:0 in both matches. Slovenia got a vital away goal from Moscow and that helped them through with the aggregate score tied 2:2. France needed a handball to beat Ireland 2:1 on aggregate

Who's there from South America?

The South American zone kicked off with a simple ten-team league. The teams played each other twice and top four qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2010. The fifth side had a chance to book itself a ticket to South Africa via a play-off round versus the 4th team from the North, Central America/Caribbean zone.

Five-time World Champions Brazil won the qualifying, edging out Chile and Paraguay by one point. Argentina, who struggled through out the stage, took the final automatic qualifying spot in the end ahead of the first World Champions, Uruguay, who entered the play-off round with the 4th teams from North, Central America/Caribbean zone, Costa Rica. The tie ended 2:1 to Uruguay on aggregate, so there will be five teams from South America in the FIFA World Cup 2010

USA v Costa Rica CONCACAF 2010 World Cup Qualifying 15 Oct 2009

USA v Costa Rica CONCACAF 2010 World Cup Qualifying 15 Oct 2009
The USA last played Costa Rica on June 3 in a World Cup qualifier in San Jose, Costa Rica. In that game, Costa Rica scored in the second minute and cruised to an easy 3-1 victory.
Group Standings:
United States 6-2-1 (19 points), Mexico 6-3-0 (18), Costa Rica 5-4-0 (15), Honduras 4-4-1 (13), El Salvador 2-5-2 (8), Trinidad and Tobago 1-6-2 (5). Top three advance to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa (United States and Mexico have clinched). Fourth-place team enters a playoff against a South American opponent next month.

Honduras v United States 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Honduras v United States 2010 World Cup Qualifying Socer Match 10 Oct 2009
United States will travel to the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras in an important World Cup qualifier for both sides.
After winning their last two World Cup qualifiers over El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago, the United States will be looking to clinch a spot in the 2010 World Cup with a win over Honduras.
Point --
1. United States -16 points
2. Mexico -15 points
3. Honduras -13 points
4. Costa Rica -12 points
5. El Salvador -8 points
6. Trinidad & Tobago -5 points (eliminated)


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Mexico vs El Salvador 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Mexico vs El Salvador 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009
Mexico vs. El Salvador (World Cup qualifying) (3 p.m., Telemundo)
El Tri can secure its place in South Africa with a victory at Estadio Azteca, and Coach Javier Aguirre is expecting nothing less, even with Giovanni Dos Santos and Cuauhtemoc Blanco injured.

Mexican national team will make an effort to qualify to the 2010 World Cup by beating El Salvador. El tri along with newly integrated Francisco Palencia and without Nery Castillo, will look for revenge against their counterparts since they have been the only ones to beat Mexico in the qualifiers under the new Aguirre era.

Russia vs Germany 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Russia vs Germany 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009
Russia vs. Germany (World Cup qualifying) (7:55 a.m., Setanta Sports USA)
Does Coach Guus Hiddink work his magic again in Moscow and foil the Germans' bid to clinch their place at the South Africa 2010 World Cup?
Germany better hope Andrei Arshavin doesn't score in Moscow on Saturday because the Russian striker clearly isn't one to pass up a chance to gloat.
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Portugal vs Hungary 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Portugal vs Hungary 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009
Portugal vs. Hungary (World Cup qualifying) (12:40 p.m., Setanta Sports USA)
The Portuguese have to win this one or reigning FIFA world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo will not be going to a second World Cup, at least not until Brazil 2014.
Portugal (4-5-1): Eduardo; Duda, Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves; Miguel Veloso, Raul Meireles, Cristiano Ronaldo, Simao Sabrosa, Deco, Liedson.

Hungary (3-5-2): Babos, Gyepes, Juhasz, Gaal, Vadocz, Halmosi, Dzsudzsak, Gera, Hajnal, Torghelle, Priskin.
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Serbia vs Romania 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Serbia vs Romania 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009
Serbia lock horns with Romania on Saturday in what could prove to be a decisive World Cup qualifier in Group 7. A victory on Saturday means that the Serbians will finish first in their group and qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
Serbia have been slapped with three fines from FIFA, totalling 44,000 Swiss francs (£26,700), for incidents in their matches against France, Austria and Romania.
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Argentina vs Peru 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 OCT 2009

Argentina vs Peru 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 OCT 2009
Argentina coach Diego Maradona will be in the spotlight as six South American countries battle for the final berths for the 2010 World Cup final starting on Saturday.

Argentina (4-4-2): Sergio Romero, Jonas Gutierrez, Rolando Schiavi, Gabriel Heinze. Emiliano Insua; Enzo Perez, Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria, Pablo Aimar, Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain.

Peru (4-5-1): Butron, Prado, Zambrano, Rodriguez, Vilchez, Solano, Torres, Ballon, Vargas, Palacios, Fano.

Ireland vs Italy 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Ireland vs Italy 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009

Whether the World Soccer columnist would root for his motherland the Republic of Ireland or his adopted nation Italy on Saturday, or perhaps compromise again and hope for a 1-1 draw, this columnist does not pretend to know, but Paddy Agnew's Irish-Italian link is one of a number of intriguing components that make Saturday's clash so very colourful.
Probable Starting XIs and Star Man:

Ireland (4-4-2): Given, O'Shea, St Ledger, Dunne, Kilbane, Lawrence, Whelan, Andrews, McGeady, Keane, Doyle

Italy (4-3-3): Buffon, Zambrotta, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Grosso, De Rossi, Pirlo, Palombo, Camoranesi, Iaquinta, Gilardino

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Denmark vs Sweden 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Denmark vs Sweden 2010 World Cup Qualifying Soccer Match 10 Oct 2009
Denmark vs. Sweden (World Cup qualifying) (11 a.m., FSE; 2 p.m., FSC)
The Danes should have wrapped things up a long time ago. They didn't, and now the Swedes, the Portuguese and the Hungarians are waiting to pounce. Should be a lively time in old Copenhagen.
Game between Denmark and Sweden is not only a game of honor but also a game that can ensure Denmark a place in the world cup, in South Africa, in the summer of 2010.

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Ukraine vs England 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009

Ukraine vs England 2010 World Cup Qualifying 10 Oct 2009
TONIGHT'S big game between England and Ukraine will not be on TV tonight due to a battle of rights.

However do not fear as the 5.15pm World Cup Qualifier will be on at Odeon, in Hatfield, with tickets costing £8 for adults, £5.50 for children, or £20 for a family ticket.
England have already booked their place in South Africa ahead of their penultimate qualifying fixture in Ukraine later today, but Portugal’s position is still in the balance. 

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