D Monday, October 12, 2009 METROSPORT 23 FIFA WORLD CUP EUROPEAN QUALIFYING GROUP ONE Denmark .........1 Sweden .......... 0 J Poulsen 78 Att 38,000 Portugal ..........3 Hungary .......... 0 Simao 18, 79 Att 50,115 Liedson 74 P W D L F A Pts Denmark 9 6 3 0 16 4 21 Portugal 9 4 4 1 13 5 16 Sweden 9 4 3 2 9 4 15 Hungary 9 4 1 4 9 8 13 Albania 9 1 4 4 5 9 7 Malta 9 0 1 8 0 22 1 GROUP TWO Greece ............5 Latvia .............. 2 Gekas 4, 47 (pen), 57, 90Verpakovskis 12, 40 Samaras 73 Att 20,000 Israel ...............3 Moldova ......... 1 Barda 21, 69 Calincov 90 Ben Dayan 65 Luxembourg ...0 Switzerland .... 3 Att 8,054 Senderos 6, 8 Huggel 22 P W D L F A Pts Switzerland 9 6 2 1 18 8 20 Greece 9 5 2 2 18 9 17 Israel 9 4 3 2 20 10 15 Latvia 9 4 2 3 15 13 14 Luxembourg 9 1 2 6 3 23 5 Moldova 9 0 3 6 4 15 3 GROUP ThREE Czech Rep ......2 Poland ............ 0 Necid 51 Att 20,000 Plasil 73 Slovakia ..........0 Slovenia ......... 2 Att 23,800 Birsa 56 Pecnik 90 P W D L F A Pts Slovakia 9 6 1 2 21 10 19 Slovenia 9 5 2 2 15 4 17 Czech Republic 9 4 3 2 17 6 15 Northern Ireland9 4 2 3 13 9 14 Poland 9 3 2 4 19 13 11 San Marino 9 0 0 9 1 44 0 GROUP FOUR Finland ............2 Wales .............. 1 Porokara 5 Bellamy 17 Moisander 77 Att 13,301 Liechtenstein .0 Azerbaijan ...... 2 Att 1,635 Javadov 55 Mammadov 82 Russia .............0 Germany ........ 1 Att 84,500 Klose 35 P W D L F A Pts Germany 9 8 1 0 25 4 25 Russia 9 7 0 2 18 5 21 Finland 9 5 2 2 13 13 17 Wales 9 3 0 6 7 12 9 Azerbaijan 9 1 1 7 3 13 4 Liechtenstein 9 0 2 7 2 21 2 GROUP FIvE Armenia ..........1 Spain .............. 2 Arzumanyan 58 Fabregas 33 Att 10,500 Mata 65 (pen) Belgium ...........2 Turkey ............. 0 Mpenza 8, 83 Att 33,000 Estonia ............0 Bos-Herz ........ 2 Att 6,450 Dzeko 31 Ibisevic 66 P W D L F A Pts Spain 9 9 0 0 23 3 27 Bosnia-Herz 9 6 1 2 23 8 19 Turkey 9 3 3 3 11 10 12 Belgium 9 3 1 5 13 18 10 Estonia 9 1 2 6 7 24 5 Armenia 9 1 1 7 6 21 4 GROUP SIx Belarus ............4 Kazakhstan .... 0 Bordachev 23 Att 10,000 Kalachev 69, 90 Kovel 86 Ukraine ...........1 England .......... 0 Nazarenko 29 Att 31,000 P W D L F A Pts England 9 8 0 1 31 6 24 Ukraine 9 5 3 1 15 6 18 Croatia 9 5 2 2 17 12 17 Belarus 9 4 1 4 19 11 13 Kazakhstan 9 2 0 7 10 27 6 Andorra 9 0 0 9 3 33 0 GROUP SEvEN Austria ............2 Lithuania ........ 1 Janko 16 Stankevicius 66 Wallner 80 (pen) Att 14,500 France .............5 Faroe Isles ..... 0 Gignac 34, 38 Att 16,000 Gallas 53 Anelka 86 Benzema 88 Serbia ..............5 Romania ......... 0 Zigic 37 Att 50,000 Pantelic 50 Kuzmanovic 78 Jovanovic 87, 90 P W D L F A Pts Serbia 9 7 1 1 21 6 22 France 9 5 3 1 15 8 18 Austria 9 4 2 3 13 12 14 Lithuania 9 3 0 6 8 10 9 Romania 9 2 3 4 9 17 9 Faroe Islands 9 1 1 7 4 17 4 GROUP EIGhT Cyprus ............4 Bulgaria .......... 1 Charalambidis 11, 20 Berbatov 45 M Constantinou 54 Att 2,628 Aloneftis 78 Montenegro ....2 Georgia .......... 1 Batak 13 Dvalishvili 45 Delibasic 78 Rep of Ire ........2 Italy ................. 2 Whelan 8 Camoranesi 26 St. Ledger 87 Gilardino 90 Att 70,640 P W D L F A Pts Italy 9 6 3 0 15 5 21 Rep of Ireland 9 4 5 0 12 8 17 Bulgaria 9 2 5 2 11 11 11 Cyprus 9 2 3 4 12 13 9 Montenegro 9 1 5 3 9 14 8 Georgia 9 0 3 6 5 13 3 GROUP NINE P W D L F A Pts Holland 8 8 0 0 17 2 24 Norway 8 2 4 2 9 7 10 Scotland 8 3 1 4 6 11 10 FYR Macedonia 8 2 1 5 5 11 7 Iceland 8 1 2 5 7 13 5 INTERNATIONAL mATChES Australia .........0 Holland ........... 0 Att 40,537 Japan ..............2 Scotland ......... 0 Berra 83 (og) Att 72,377 Honda 90 COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE Carlisle ............0 Norwich .......... 1 Charlton ..........0 Oldham ........... 0 Gillingham ......3 Wycombe ....... 2 Huddersfield ...4 Exeter ............. 0 Leyton O .........0 Colchester ..... 1 MK Dons .........1 Walsall ............ 0 Swindon ..........1 Millwall ........... 1 Yeovil ...............2 Brighton ......... 2 P W D L F A Pts Leeds 11 8 3 0 18 5 27 Charlton 12 7 4 1 20 10 25 Colchester 12 7 3 2 22 9 24 MK Dons 12 7 2 3 13 9 23 Bristol Rovers 11 7 1 3 18 14 22 Norwich 12 5 4 3 24 18 19 Swindon 12 4 7 1 14 15 19 Huddersfield 12 5 3 4 23 14 18 Oldham 12 4 5 3 10 11 17 Millwall 12 3 6 3 13 9 15 Gillingham 11 4 2 5 19 18 14 Southend 12 3 5 4 16 15 14 Brentford 12 3 5 4 12 15 14 Walsall 12 3 5 4 12 16 14 Hartlepool 12 3 4 5 12 14 13 Exeter 12 3 4 5 13 19 13 Yeovil 12 2 6 4 14 15 12 Leyton Orient 12 3 3 6 13 21 12 Carlisle 12 2 5 5 12 16 11 Stockport 11 2 5 4 12 16 11 Brighton 11 2 4 5 12 20 10 Tranmere 11 2 1 8 9 26 7 Wycombe 12 1 3 8 11 20 6 Southampton 12 3 6 3 17 14 5 LEAGUE TWO Accrington S ..4 Cheltenhm ..... 0 Aldershot ........4 Morecambe ... 1 Bournemouth .1 Chesterfield ... 2 Bradford .........2 Crewe ............. 3 Bury .................2 Northampton . 2 Dag & Red ......2 Darlington ...... 0 Grimsby ..........1 Burton Alb ...... 2 Macclesfld ......0 Lincoln City .... 1 Rochdale ........2 Barnet ............ 1 Rotherham .....1 Hereford ......... 1 Shrewsbury ....0 Port Vale ......... 1 Yesterday Notts County ..2 Torquay .......... 2 P W D L F A Pts Bournemouth 12 8 1 3 16 8 25 Dag & Red 12 7 3 2 23 13 24 Rotherham 12 7 3 2 20 12 24 Rochdale 12 7 2 3 21 12 23 Notts County 12 6 3 3 29 12 21 Aldershot 12 6 3 3 22 13 21 Barnet 12 6 3 3 18 12 21 Shrewsbury 12 6 3 3 20 15 21 Chesterfield 12 6 2 4 17 17 20 Burton Albion 12 5 3 4 17 15 18 Bradford 12 4 5 3 19 20 17 Bury 12 5 2 5 13 16 17 Accrington S 12 5 1 6 18 19 16 Port Vale 12 3 6 3 13 12 15 Crewe 12 5 0 7 20 21 15 Lincoln City 12 5 0 7 9 16 15 Cheltenham 12 3 5 4 15 21 14 Macclesfield 12 3 4 5 12 19 13 Northampton 12 3 3 6 18 22 12 Hereford 12 2 6 4 15 19 12 Morecambe 12 1 8 3 15 22 11 Grimsby 12 3 1 8 11 23 10 Torquay 12 2 3 7 14 20 9 Darlington 12 0 2 10 4 20 2 LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREmIER DIvISION Bohemians .....4 Drogheda ....... 0 Byrne 27 Ndo 30 Powell 53 Crowe 90 Bray .................3 Cork ................ 2 Kelly 79 (pen) Murray 41 Mulcahy 86, 90 Kuduzovic 52 (pen) Derry City .......0 Shamrock R ... 1 Baker 27 Dundalk ..........0 St Patricks ..... 0 Sligo ................2 Galway Utd .... 0 Cretaro 37 Marshall 86 P W D L F A Pts Shamrock R 31 19 9 3 43 21 66 Bohemians 31 20 4 7 51 18 64 Cork 31 15 7 9 36 22 52 Derry City 31 15 5 11 40 25 50 Dundalk 31 12 6 13 39 40 42 Galway Utd 31 11 4 16 30 47 37 St Patricks 31 10 4 17 23 40 34 Sligo 31 8 9 14 32 44 33 Drogheda Utd 31 6 10 15 26 43 28 Bray 31 6 8 17 28 48 26 FIRST DIvISION Athlone Tn ......0 Finn Harps ..... 6 McLaughlin 55 Mailey 60 Funston 65, 66 Gethins 78 Moran 79 Limerick FC ....2 Kildare ........... 3 OFlynn 42 Jackson 8, 56 Kelleher 45 OBrien 25 Mervue Utd .....0 Longford ........ 1 Curran 25 Sporting ..........2 Shelbourne .... 2 Byrne 70, 73 Quigley 76 (og) Hines 84 UCD .................2 Wexford .......... 0 Corry 23 Kilduff 33 Waterford ........0 Monaghan ...... 2 Gartland 7 Freeman 53 P W D L F A Pts UCD 29 20 5 4 52 16 65 Shelbourne 28 19 6 3 53 24 63 Sporting Fingal 29 18 6 5 56 23 60 Waterford Utd 28 17 6 5 44 16 57 Monaghan Utd 29 12 7 10 45 46 43 Wexford Youths29 13 4 12 24 27 43 Limerick FC 29 9 8 12 41 39 35 Finn Harps 29 8 9 12 34 42 33 Longford Town 29 7 4 18 39 51 25 Athlone Town 29 5 8 16 28 54 23 Mervue Utd 29 6 4 19 26 57 22 Kildare County 29 4 3 22 22 70 15 RESULTS ROUND-UP Perfect start: Robbie Keane amid the celebrations after Glenn Whelans opener Picture: AP BY DAVID KENNEDY REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Gio- vanni Trapattoni was quick to take the positives from Saturday nights 2-2 draw with world champions Italy at Croke Park. Sean St Ledgers 87th-minute head- er looked to have handed Trapattonis men a famous victory over his native country which would have blown the race for the top spot in Group Eight and automatic qualification for next summers finals wide open. However, substituteAlberto Gilardi- nos 90th-minute equaliser broke Irish hearts and ensured the Italians won the group. Irelands point at least booked them a place in the play-offs, but as they prepare for Wednesday nights final qualifier against Montenegro and the two-legged showdown which will follow, they know it could have been so much better. Ireland twice led, through Glenn Whelans eighth-minute opener and St Ledgers late header. However, the classy Italians hit back on both occasions, Mauro Camorane- si levelling after 26 minutes and then Gilardino denying the home side vic- tory at the death. The last-gasp equaliser came after the Republic had conceded the ball deep inside Italian territory, and the mercurial Andrea Pirlo picked out Vincenzo Iaquinta with unerring ac- curacy to set up the goalscorer. Trapattoni said: In my opinion, it was a good game for both teams. It was a pity twice we were in the lead and conceded a goal. But the re- sult for me was fair. Shay Given didnt have any great saves to make, but Italy made fewer mistakes than us with their passing. We made too many mistakes with our passing the second goal was from our mistake but that is the neg- ative. We were in front against the world champions with three minutes to go and we were a little bit nervous. But the positive is our perform- ance, and that we have not lost a game in the group. Ireland in the past has played in the play-offs and I hope like the last time we can achieve qualification. the positives Making his point: Gilardino saves Italy at the death Robbie Keane is expecting the Republic of ireland to have to do it the hard way if they are to reach next summers World Cup finals. ireland will discover their opponents in a two-legged play- off when the draw is made next Monday. but with France, Portugal, Russia and Greece looking the likely seeds, Keane knows it is going to be tough no matter who they face. asked who he would want, he replied: i dont know. Which teams are in it France, Portugal? There are tough teams in there and i am sure we will get one of the toughest teams, theres no question about that. We never get an easy ride, do we? no matter what, it is going to be tough. We will see who we get. France, Portugal, Ukraine or whoever, its going to be tough. They all have quality players. no matter who we get, it is going to be difficult but we always make it difficult for ourselves. Keane expecting a tough assignment FAI chief executive John Delaney has expressed his disappointment with Fifas decision to seed for the World Cup play-offs draw next week. Irelands 2-2 draw with Italy on Saturday clinched a play-off place but with the draw seeded based on world rankings, Ireland could face a team of the calibre of Russia, France or Portugal in the two-legged decider next month. Well, we were disappointed, said Delaney. If wed known that the seedings would be alerted in the play-offs [as well] thats fine, but the rules seem to have been altered halfway through. But, look, we are where we are. The manager is not afraid of anybody in terms of who we get in the play-offs. We wrote to Fifa a year ago and they told us a year ago that it would most likely not be seeded. But a number of weeks ago they wrote back to us to say that it most likely would be seeded. So there wasnt clarity at the start. But thats done and dusted now. Were in the play- offs and well take who we get. In a move to boost attendance at Wednesdays meaningless final Group 8 clash with Montenegro, fans at that game will get to buy a ticket for the big play-off game. Anybody who turns up against Montenegro will be guaranteed a ticket for the play-off match in November, he said. The demand for tickets will be absolutely huge. FAI chief dismayed by Fifas seeding change index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html