Four First Timers From Africa

The dust is settling for the qualifying rounds, just one day remains (Wednesday before the home-and-home playoffs are settled for the sides that will contest those early next month.
We do know the following: First timers are getting their shot, as 4 African nations will make their initial trip to the Finals, as will Ukraine.

24 teams have already qualified:

* Tunisia, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Togo, Angola, and Ghana are in. Morocco ends up as the only African team without a loss in qualifying (going 5 wins and 5 draws) and get nothing but a seat watching the World Cup Finals next year after kicking in own goal v Tunisia and sealing their fate on Saturday. Cameroon missed a penalty (off crossbar) in injury time, handing their qualification jersey to Ivory Coast. Japan/Korea quarterfinalist Senegal, perennial Nigeria and 2010 host South Africa all out of the festivities as well.

* USA, Mexico and Costa Rica are in. Weak CONCACAF group will probably land a ridiculous 4 berths, with Trinidad & Tobago or Guatemala to go to playoff with Bahrain or Uzbekistan for a spot in the Finals. THAT needs to be fixed next time around. Neither of these four nations deserve a spot in the Finals.

* Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran are in. Japan, Korea and Iran deserve the ticket. Saudis are likely to be fodder again, just like in 2002.

* Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay and Ecuador are in. The drama now shifts to see which of Uruguay (22 pts), Colombia (21 pts) or Chile (21 pts) are going to get the fifth place slot and play Australia in the home-and home playoff. Uruguay plays across the Plata at Argentina, Colombia at Paraguay, and Chile hosts Ecuador on Wednesday. For the record, Colombia is a plus 7 in goal differential, but Uruguay is a minus 6 and Chile is a minus 4.

* Germany (host), Ukraine, Netherlands, Poland, England, Croatia, Italy and Portugal are in.

GROUP 1: Red-hot Netherlands has won the group. Czech Republic need a win at Finland to secure at least the playoff. If they fail to win, Romania gets the playoff spot.

GROUP 2: Ukraine has won the group. Turkey will reach the playoff with a win at Albania. If they lose or tie, and Denmark beats Kazakhstan (which they should easily), Denmark gets the playoff spot. Greeks are but done, and have themselves to blame, scoring just 14 goals in 11 matches so far.

GROUP 3: Portugal wins the group, coming back from a shocker 1-0 home deficit to Leichtenstein on Saturday to win 2-1. Slovakia and Russia play Wednesday for the playoff spot, but that game is in Slovakia and a tie favors the hosts.

GROUP 4: Israel, believe it or not lead the group with 18 points but have played all their matches, Amazingly, Israel, Switzerland and France have each not LOST a match yet. However, Ireland must beat Switzerland on Wednesday to leapfrog them and Israel and guarantee at least a place in the playoff. France hosts Cyprus and should win, and claim the group spot in the Finals. Israel is hoping for France to lose to Cyprus, and have Switzerland and Ireland draw, giving them at least a playoff. Not likely. Still a group entirely up for grabs.

GROUP 5: Much more settled here, as Italy wins the group. Norway clinches second place and playoff, thanks to Scotland's shocking home loss to Belarus on Saturday.

GROUP 6. Poland and England have both qualified as England has enough points to at least clinch one the top two second place finishes, which is good for auto qualification. Poland wins group with a win or tie at England Wednesday.

GROUP 7: Interesting group here, as Spain as practically clinched a playoff spot with a certain win on Wednesday at San Marino. Spain though can win the group if Bosnia (yes, that Bosnia) can find a way to defeat Serbia, who has allowed just one goal in 9 matches so far. Bosnia would then earn the playoff spot leaving the Serbs out in the cold. Not likely, but would make a great movie...

GROUP 8: Croatia has at least clinched one of the two top second places. Sweden has at least climched the playoff. A Sweden win v Iceland and Croatia loss to Hungary would give the Swedes the group championship.

8 spots are still up for grabs, 6 of the them will be from Europe. Playoffs likely to involve Turkey, Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, Norway and a random draw will pair the team up for home and home playoff.

More after Wednesday as three more spots are claimed, likely Serbia, France, and Sweden.