The World Cup 2014 final qualification draw
was done and some may like the grouping, some may have slight apprehensions
with regard to a team or two. But I still maintain with a good start (as the
schedule provides us) we should be able to qualify directly from this group.
The group is comprised of:
South Korea
Iran
Uzbekistan
Qatar
Lebanon
And the time table of our games is:
WCQ 4.1: (June 03 2012): Uzbekistan - Iran
WCQ 4.2: (June 08 2012): (Bye)
WCQ 4.3: (June 12 2012): Iran – Qatar
WCQ 4.2: (June 08 2012): (Bye)
WCQ 4.3: (June 12 2012): Iran – Qatar
WCQ 4.4: (Sep. 11 2013): Lebanon - Iran
WCQ 4.5: (Oct. 16 2013): Iran - Korea Rep.
WCQ 4.6: (Nov. 14 2013): Iran - Uzbekistan
WCQ 4.7: (Mar. 26 2013): (Bye)
WCQ 4.8: (June 04 2013): Qatar - Iran
WCQ 4.9: (June 11 2013): Iran - Lebanon
WCQ 4.10:(June 18 2013): Korea Rep. – Iran
Having Uzbekistan, Qatar and Lebanon in
the group means short distances for our away journeys which sets us apart
from our direct competition in the group, South Korea.
Given Uzbekistan’s predicament in their first game with suspension of 5 of their players who deliberately tried to get yellow cards in their group games, in one of our most crucial group games we may yet be provided a great chance to get an away win from one of the stronger teams in the group. And given our following home game and then the third game against Lebanon, it wouldn’t be too much of a wishful thinking to think we stand a very good chance to get 9 points from our first 3 games. Should this happen, this would mean 50% of the job already done. Will Quieroz exploit the Uzbek situation and go for the kill in our first game? Or will he keep it sedate and stick to the conventional rule of “aim for winning home games and draw the away ones”? I am not sure what will be his strategy. But all I hope is that he doesn’t leave things for too late in the campaign, given our last rapid-fire 3 match-days and the ultimate game away to South Korea. Our memory is still fresh from the last World Cup 2010 qualifiers, leaving things too late, with our last game away to the very same South Korea.
Given Uzbekistan’s predicament in their first game with suspension of 5 of their players who deliberately tried to get yellow cards in their group games, in one of our most crucial group games we may yet be provided a great chance to get an away win from one of the stronger teams in the group. And given our following home game and then the third game against Lebanon, it wouldn’t be too much of a wishful thinking to think we stand a very good chance to get 9 points from our first 3 games. Should this happen, this would mean 50% of the job already done. Will Quieroz exploit the Uzbek situation and go for the kill in our first game? Or will he keep it sedate and stick to the conventional rule of “aim for winning home games and draw the away ones”? I am not sure what will be his strategy. But all I hope is that he doesn’t leave things for too late in the campaign, given our last rapid-fire 3 match-days and the ultimate game away to South Korea. Our memory is still fresh from the last World Cup 2010 qualifiers, leaving things too late, with our last game away to the very same South Korea.
