Reflections : WC 2010 - Before Second Last Round Of Qualifiers

This Saturday cannot come fast enough. The excitement has almost become unbearable. The fate of so many national teams will be decided or almost decided and there are some big names in there.

So let us take a look at where the teams who have not qualified yet but have a realistic chance of doing so stand at present. What exactly do they need to do in order to secure qualification? Is their fate in their own hands or they must pray for other results to go in their favor?

Here's a look at each qualification group zone by zone.

Africa :-

Group A :-

Camerooon are playing Togo at home and it's hard to see anything other than a home victory especially seeing the resurgence Cameroon has shown since the appointment of Paul Le Guen. Gabon who were in pole position not so long ago seem to have given up the ghost. Still they are at home and a victory against Morocco can help them keep in sight of Cameroon till the very last round of matches on 14th November.

Group B :-

Tunisia and Nigeria are both expected to win their home matches leaving Tunisia in pole position to qualify.

Group C :-

Algeria are playing Rwanda at home while Egypt is away at Zambia. Algeria only need to better Egypt's result and they will qualify. Otherwise this goes to the final round but Algeria still remain in pole position.

Group D :-

It's done and dusted as Ghana have already qualified.

Group E :-

Ivory Coast need only one point to qualify and surely no one would bet against them at this stage.

Asia / Oceania

An evenly matched two legged playoff between Bahrain and New Zealand. The Asians are perhaps just slightly stronger on paper but the Kiwis are very determined.

Europe :-

Group 1 :-

The crunch fixture is Sweden away at Denmark. If Denmark win they qualify as group winners. Even a draw may not be enough for Sweden's cause and a defeat will play completely into the hands of Portugal. This one's bound to be a cracker between the Scandinavian neighbors and tempers could easily flare up. Portugal on the other hand face a now out of steam Hungary at home, a match they should win even if C.Ronaldo does not play and with their last match at home to Malta, they look like making the playoffs unless Sweden and Zlatan Ibrahimovic can pull off something extra-special.

Group 2 :-

Switzerland will qualify if they win against Luxembourg and the match between Greece and Latvia ends in a draw. Even otherwise they will still be in a pole position but the winner of this match could run them close.

Group 3 :-

Slovakia are so near to fulfilling a national dream but have to be careful because opponents like Slovenia and Poland cannot be taken lightly. The Czechs can aim for the playoffs by beating Poland at home and trying to come out the winner in a four way tussle with Poland, Slovenia and Northern Ireland.

Group 4 :-

Now we come to one of the matches of the day. Would you fancy Germany in spite of their obvious pedigree to get a win or even a draw away to Russia who are ever improving and have the one and only Guus Hiddink in charge? This is the match that almost surely decides who qualifies directly and who makes the playoffs.

Group 5 :-

The European champions Spain have already qualified without dropping a point. All Bosnia-Herzegovina need to do is beat Estonia away and they will make the playoffs at the expense of Turkey. Edin Zdeko, Zvzezdan Misimovic, Daniel Pjanic, if ever your nation needed you most, it's now!

Group 6 :-

A Fabio Capello inspired England has already qualified without dropping a point. Will they be tempted to play it slightly soft in favor of Ukraine so as to give them the better of the team that was responsible for England not making Euro 2008 - Slaven Bilic's Croatia? With the last matches for both looking very easy, an England victory or a draw would put Croatia into the qualifiers but an England defeat would send Ukraine through instead. Hold your breath for this one!

Group 7 :-

Serbia remain in pole position to qualify directly. Although their last match is a relatively simple one against Lithuania, it's better for the nerves to beat Romania at home and qualify before that. France have two simple fixtures and are sure to make the playoffs at least.

Group 8 :-

Even if world champions Italy were to lose to fellow Italian Giovanni Trappatoni's Republic Of Ireland, they would still qualify directly by winning their last match which is an easy home fixture against Cyprus. Ireland could make the playoffs even if they lose this game but it would do their cause no harm to pick up as many points as possible from this fixture.

Group 9 :-

It's already done and dusted. Netherlands have qualified without dropping a point. Norway have come second but their points tally is so low that they are almost certain to miss the playoffs.

North America :-

Costa Rica must win against the already eliminated Trinidad and Tobago at home since not doing so would present a big advantage to their rivals. Mexico in their current form since the appointment of Javier Aguirre are almost certain to beat El Salvador at home. The crunch clash is USA away at Honduras. If Mexico win their match and this fixture results in anything other than a victory for Honduras, Mexico will be through. At the same time if USA win this fixture then USA will be through.

South America :-

And finally we come to where the eyes of the entire world will be - what will happen to footballing super power Argentina. Will Maradona's inexplicable tactics cause the impossible with them not qualifying? Will the world's best player incumbent Lionel Messi finally come up with a masterclass for his country as he keeps doing time and again for his club Barcelona? Argentina just have to win at home against Peru. Or else the situation will become virtually impossible. It will also help them if Chile beats Colombia away, Ecuador and Uruguay draw their game and Venezuela lose at home to the already qualified Paraguay. With as many as six teams still in the running for the two remaining automatic qualifying spots as well as the lone playoff spot, this group is so difficult to analyze completely due to the myriad number of permutations and combinations possible. Once the Saturday results are in our hands, we will know exactly what needs to happen on Wednesday for each team to qualify or make the playoff. However some may not be in the running after this Saturday itself. It just cannot get more heated up than this.