By Simon Wright – Follow
me on Twitter @Siwri88
Domestic
matters took a backseat over the past three days as the race to reach the 2014
World Cup finals in Brazil got really serious.
Some sides took a giant step closer to South America next summer, while
the dreams for others died and some of the powerful heavyweights of the
international game were lucky to escape embarrassment.
Apart from
England’s 4-0 victory over Moldova, it was a bleak night for all the home nations. In Group
A, Wales’ mathematical chances of reaching the tournament ended with a
disappointing 2-1 loss in Skopje to FYR Macedonia. The world’s most expensive footballer Gareth
Bale was declared not to be match fit and sat on the bench throughout. The Welsh goal came from former skipper Aaron
Ramsey (pictured), who is producing the best form of his stop-start career so far.
The Welsh
slipped into fifth place in this group, and it is Scotland who are propping up
the table. The Scots couldn’t handle the
devastating class of Belgium and were comfortably swept aside 2-0 at Hampden
Park. Belgium’s goals came from the
impressive Steven Defour and Everton winger Kevin Mirallas. They are the 10th best side in the
world according to the FIFA world rankings, but could be a real surprise
package at the finals next summer. Five
points clear now of Croatia in this group, it is difficult to see another
outcome to Group A.
Northern
Ireland’s outside hopes of getting into the top two of their group ended on a
stormy evening against top class opposition in Portugal. The Windsor Park faithful saw six goals,
three red cards and some shameful foul play in an absorbing contest. The game ended 4-2 to the Portuguese, as they
cemented their position at the top of Group
F. Northern Ireland actually led the
match 2-1 with goals from Gareth McAuley and Jamie Ward. Unfortunately, Chris Brunt was dismissed for
a two-footed lunge, and Kyle Lafferty joined him and Helder Postiga for an
early shower late on. Postiga had seen
red for a distasteful head-butt into McAuley’s face in the first half. The outcome was settled by Cristiano
Ronaldo. Taunted all night for no longer
being football’s most expensive talent, Ronaldo silenced them in the best
possible fashion by scoring a classy hat-trick.
The result keeps Portugal top despite Russia’s 4-1 home win over Luxembourg,
whilst Israel’s hopes of spoiling the party took a knock after they held to a
1-1 draw by Azerbaijan.
It doesn’t look
good either for the Republic of Ireland after Sweden defeated them 2-1 in
Dublin on Friday night in Group C. Robbie Keane put the Irish infront in the
first half, but the visitors equalised quickly from new Norwich City striker
Johan Elmander, before veteran Anders Svensson gave the Scandinavians a
priceless three points and made them favourites to secure the play-off spot
below Germany. The Germans routed near
neighbours Austria 3-0. Victory in
Berlin is now likely to be required for the Irish, and Giovanni Trapattoni will
do well to stay in the job after this failed qualification campaign.
Holland won’t
need to worry about failed qualification, but the Dutch nearly got embarrassed in
Tallinn by Estonia in Group D. They needed a late Robin van Persie equaliser
to escape with a 2-2 draw, but did lose their perfect record in the group. France can also forget catching Spain in Group I as they could only manage a
dreadful scoreless draw in Georgia, whilst the world champions cruised to a 2-0
away victory in Finland. In England’s
group, Poland and Montenegro drew 1-1 in Warsaw, whilst Ukraine warmed up for
Tuesday’s match by stuffing San Marino 9-0 in Lviv. The Czech Republic’s hopes of making the
finals ended with a humiliating 2-1 home defeat to Armenia in Group B, and Switzerland and Iceland
played out a belting 4-4 draw in Bern in Group
E, though that result still leaves the Swiss in pole position to finish in
top spot.
In the Women’s
Super League, Arsenal’s dominance looks set to be broken after a second
successive draw. The Gunners were held
to a disappointing 0-0 scoreline by Bristol Academy to put Liverpool firmly in
the driving seat to win the WSL for the first time. England international Kim Little found the
target in Doncaster Belles’ 1-1 draw with Everton.
There was an
amazing scoreline in the Danske Bank Irish Premiership on Saturday where
Portadown thumped Ballinamallard United 11-0.
The landslide triumph at Shamrock Park is the biggest victory in the
Irish league since 1966, although their opponents did finish with just nine
men.
Raith Rovers,
Stenhousemuir and Annan Athletic all booked their places in the Ramsdens
Challenge Cup semi-finals in Scotland after quarter-final successes over
Falkirk, Dundee and Formartine United respectively. Stenhousemuir’s triumph came via a penalty
shootout.
There was
some domestic action in the lower England divisions. In League One, Coventry City came out of the
minus points column after a 2-0 ‘home’ victory over Colchester United. Callum Wilson scored both goals to extend the
Sky Blues unbeaten run to five matches, and see them climb off the bottom of
the table. They are replaced by Notts
County who didn’t play this weekend.
Carlisle
United and Gillingham did and both lost.
Carlisle were beaten again, this time by one goal at home to Port Vale,
whilst Gillingham lost 3-2 to Crawley Town.
The best result of the weekend came at Valley Parade where Bradford City
ended Brentford’s unbeaten start to the new campaign. James Hanson scored twice as the Bantams
racked up a commanding 4-0 victory, recovering well from their own 5-0
annihilation by Hartlepool in midweek in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
It isn’t
going so well for Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United. David Weir’s first job in management isn’t
going according to plan and they lost again on Saturday, this time 3-1 to
Rotherham United. Kieran Agard, substitute
Daniel Nardiello and Robert Milsom scored the goals to keep Rotherham’s
unbeaten start going, and send Weir to a fourth defeat already in six
games. In the Sky Sports lunchtime clash,
Milton Keynes Dons and Swindon Town shared the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate.
Chesterfield
held onto top spot in the clash of top against bottom in League Two. A strike from Tendayi Darikwa took the
Spireites to a narrow 1-0 home win over Accrington Stanley, keeping James
Beattie’s men at the foot of the table.
Chesterfield’s advantage stays at two points as Oxford recorded their
third successive win on their travels, 2-0 at 10-man Burton Albion. Hartlepool finally scored their first league
goal of the campaign, but were still beaten 2-1 at home by Wycombe Wanderers.
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