CHALK UP ANOTHER ONE

 

Well we'd already dealt with Kazakhstan once in our 2010 World Cup UEFA qualifying Group 6 campaign, and we saw them off 5-1 at Wembley. However this time around we had to fly all the way out there, where local time was GMT + 5. Central Stadium isnn't exactly one of the locations that a future England international dreams of but the game still had to be played - even if we did have injury trouble. This time round, we went 4-2-3-1, Green finally getting a competitive chance in goal, Terry and Upson central defence, Gerrard and Barry in midfield, Lampard Walcott and Rooney acting as support strikers with Heskey up front. It looked relatively straight forward.

Except to start with, it was anything but. We were dodging bullets within second and though we recovered for some attacking play of our own, it was still the Kazakhs that hit the net first, however Sergey Ostapenko's effort was ruled out for offside. England's play looked very messy, and the only possible excuse could have been jetlag. We went on to get more posession but we certainly didn't look like hitting the net. That was untill the 40th minute when Gerrard crossed to an unmarked Barry who headed in our opener. Then in injury time another Gerrard cross fell loose and Heskey collected the ball and stuck it in. We were in business at last.

England steped up their game slightly after half time, but if jetlag was the excuse for a below-peak first half then maybe it was straight complacency in the second half. The only reason to continue watching this match was the downpour outside! And then in the 73rd minute, Johnson sent over a cross and I had to do a double take as Rooney scored with a bicycle kick? When was the last time an England player pulled off one of those? Lampard then made it four with a 78th minute penalty. The downpour continued, but it was the only thing to complain about. The text I sent out said "job done". Not a vintage performance but we collected another three points.

Elsewhere, Croatia faced the Ukraine at the Stadion Maksimir. Mladen Petric opened the scoring for Croatia only for Andriy Shevchenko to equalise for the visitors and after that, rest of the first half proved to be relatively quiet. In the second hald, Ukraine appeared to have turned the game around through Oleksy Gai but Croatia found an equaliser through Luka Modric. The home side weren't able to find a winner though and that meant their fans came home dissapointed. It means that England not only remain top of UEFA qualifying Group 6 and on course for South Africa but they increase their lead over Croatia to seven points. It's only a matter of time before we wrap up qualification.

In UEFA qualifying Group 9, Scotland were given the weekend off. However there was a crucial match in that group going on between Iceland and the Netherlands in the Laugardalvollur Stadium. The Dutch hit the ground running with Nigel De Jong and Mark van Bommel scoring early on. The Dutch went on to dominatwe the match, though Iceland did manage to get a consolation goal late on through Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson. An equaliser never looked likely though. For Scotland it means that they remain in 2nd place, on course for the playoff mixer. Eleven points behind the Dutch and three points ahead of Iceland with a game in hand over both sides. The Orangje will not care though - they are now officially heading for South Africa.

In UEFA qualifying Group 4, Wales faced Azerbaijan in the Tofik Bakhramov. John Toshack fielded a young lineup for this game but David Edwards still opened the scoring for the Welsh in the latter stages of the first half. Credit to the home side, they had the better game in the second half, but they couldn't find themselves an equaliser and in the end the Welsh were able to claim their first away win of this campaign, Toshack couldn't ask for more! However, Wales still lie 4th in the group, three points behind Russia and the playoff mixer. The Russians have two games in hand though, this could be yet another qualifying campaign that the Welsh have to write off.

Northern Ireland faced Italy in a friendly at the Arena Garibaldi Romeo Anconetani. Giuseppe Rossi opened the scoring for the Italians, the one-time United assasin getting his first international goal as the Azzurri proceded to give NI a reality check. Pasquale Foggia and Sergio Pellissier went on to open up their own international accounts and Nigel Worthington's excercise in defensiveness proved to be futile, his men were outclassed. I suppose for NI this was a chance to give their guys experience against one of Europe's creme de la creme. Marcello Lippi will be happier though, having blooded a group of young players relatively smoothly.

While Northern Ireland were given a night off competitive action, their rivals in UEFA qualifying Group 3 were not. Slovakia faced San Marino at the Tehelne Pole. Marek Cech opened the scoring for the home side, Peter Pekarik made it two, Cech got his second, Miroslav Stoch made it four and Jan Kozak five. Slovakia eased off slightly in the second half but Martin Jakubko and Lubos Hanzel were still able to join the party before the final whistle. That means that Northerm Ireland have dropped down to 2nd in the group and are on course for the playoff mixer. They're two points behind Slovakia who are on course for South Africa but three points ahead of Poland and non-qualification. Both sides have a game in hand over NI though.

In UEFA qualifying Group 8, the Republic of Ireland faced Bulgaria at the Vasilij Levski. Richard Dunne opened the scoring for the Irish only for Dimitar Telkiyski to equalise soon afterwards, the Irish having the slightly better first half overall. The second half was another matter entirely as Bulgaria shut down the men in green, forcing them to go all out defence. The ROI held on though to claim a point in what was always going to be a relatively tricky away encounter. That allows ROI to remain 2nd in the group, on course for the playoff mixer. One point behind Italy, who are on course for South Africa and five points ahead of Bulgaria and non-qualification. Both Italy and Bulgaria have a game in hand over the Irish though.

So now we come to the playoff mixer. Currently in this virtual group are Hungary, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, France, Republic of Ireland and Scotland. The main team of interest in that group are Scotland but having not played on the weekend, they haven't improved their prospects. They lie 9th in the virtual group, three points behind 8th place France and the playoffs. The Tartan Army are still not going to South Africa as things stand. As for the other British teams in the mixer, well Northern Ireland are at the other end of the table. They top the virtual group, six points ahead of Scotland and are heading for the playoffs. As are the Republic of Ireland, 4th in the playoff mixer, also six points ahead of Scotland. So far, England are on course for South Africa and the two Irish sides are on course for the playoffs. Not bad.

Returning to domestic issue, the Scottish club season ended with the Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Falkirk at Hampden Park. Rangers had the stronger attack in the first half but Falkirk dodge the bullets well enough to come into half time level. That changed after half time with Nacho Novo opening the scoring for the Gers. Falkirk hit the net later on but it was ruled out for offside and though the Bairns never gave up, it was the Gers that took the glory on this occasion. Congraulations to Rangers who won the second Scottish Cup in a row, the first time they've won back to back Cups since the 2001-03 period. It's also their first SPL and Scottish Cup double since '03.

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