Sports
One of Müller, Son dream MLS debuts will end in Vancouver-LAFC playoff clash
They are the kind of midseason acquisitions that dreams are made of.
Think of the player who comes in, fits in seamlessly with his teammates, and whose performances on the field make the team better. Reality is often different, with some players not quite living up to the hype. But this Saturday, the MLS Cup playoffs will feature two players who fit into the former category: LAFC‘s Son Heung-Min and the Vancouver Whitecaps‘ Thomas Müller.
It’s almost a shame that these players are meeting up at this stage of the playoffs, and not deeper into the postseason. Son has been a sensation for LAFC, both on and off the field, recording 10 goals and four assists in 12 league and playoff appearances, and electrifying LAFC’s entire fanbase with his trademark smile. Müller has been almost as good, with eight goals and three assists in nine matches, including the postseason.
It raises the question of why have Son and Müller have done so well while others have failed, beyond their obvious quality. ESPN tackled that query as it related to high-profile players earlier this year, and the list of factors included adapting to the style of play, the ability to adapt to new teammates off the field, as well as the hunger to win.
It sounds simple, but it also requires the kind of character that is accepting of how the soccer culture in MLS might be very different than what they’re used to. Suffice it to say, Müller and Son have checked all of those boxes.
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LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead recalls with clarity the first time he met Son. It was when the South Korea international was introduced before the team’s Leagues Cup match against Tigres, and went into the locker room, where Hollingshead was using some weights to help him warm up for the match.
“I handed [Son] my weights and he said, ‘Let’s get to work,'” Hollingshead recalled. “And he laughed and started doing the exercise. He was ready to go. Obviously, he was in his street clothes, but it was just one of those where it was like, I got to test his banter early, and he definitely passed the test.”
Son’s acclimatization was helped by the fact that he fit perfectly into LAFC’s counterattacking style. LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo felt his side were missing another attacking weapon up top, one who could finish plays and create a goal out of nothing. That proved correct, with Son’s pairing with Denis Bouanga proving to be devastating to opponents, with Bouanga netting 13 times since Son’s arrival.
But Son’s attitude has been critical to his adaptation as well. Hollingshead noted that Son is demanding, isn’t afraid to speak up if something isn’t working, but in a constructive way.
“[Son] is the first one to push for things,” Hollingshead said. “But then, as soon as the play breaks, he’s coming over and giving you a high five and laughing with you and talking to you about what he could have done differently himself and what he saw, and he’s talking through the play. So it’s like trying to find a solution. And that’s what I love. It’s not just frustration. It’s like, ‘How do we as a team get better?’ His goal is always to make the team better.”
Some familiar faces have helped as well. LAFC keeper Hugo Lloris was at one time Son’s captain at Tottenham Hotspur. Cherundolo played against Son when the two were in the Bundesliga, Cherundolo with Hannover 96, while Son was with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. Cherundolo recalled that Son was “constantly a thorn to your side, running and darting and just a pain.
“All of those components point into really only one direction,” added Cherundolo. “This was always headed towards success.”
Many of the attributes that those around LAFC use to describe Son are echoed by Vancouver players and staff about Müller. There’s a push for perfection, but also a humility about everything he does.
“He wants it to be about the Whitecaps with Thomas on the team, and not about Thomas and then with the Whitecaps in the background,” said Vancouver manager Jesper Sørensen. “So I think that’s been his ambition from day one. And that’s also been how he’s been acting, and that’s been very easy for his teammates to deal with. Also with him and also for us as coaches, because obviously we also looked how we could make him fit well into how we would like to do stuff.”
Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter recalled how Müller sent him a text before he arrived, where the German introduced himself, and said how excited he was to play with the U.S. international and that they would do great things together. That made a huge impression.
“[That] kind of just set the tone from the beginning, that he’s just like us and he wants to just be one of the boys,” Berhalter told ESPN. “And that’s something from day one, he’s emphasized that he just wants to be one of the boys and we’ve tried to make him feel like that.”
Once the two got to know each other as teammates, the conversations covered all kinds of topics, from soccer tactics to recovery to the way he looks at life. Berhalter’s biggest takeaway?
“[Müller] doesn’t overthink things, he doesn’t make anything complicated,” said Berhalter. “He keeps it very simple and very easy and he does what he wants to do, and that’s very clear and that I think is what makes him successful. He’s learned over his career that, for him, it’s about just being himself and doing the right things and being a realist almost in senses and not trying to hide and going after it.”
Müller may have spent his entire career before this summer in Germany with mighty Bayern Munich, but he knew that the changes he was taking on were big enough that nothing was guaranteed. His attitude proved to be his insurance policy.
“I was not coming here for vacation,” Müller told reporters on Tuesday. “I wanted to do a serious job and that was always my goal when I came here, that I want to perform. But you never know in a different country, different league, in a new team, how long this process maybe will last until you’re really a real part of the team.
“But yeah, in the end I was always able to adapt really quick to situations during all my career. I changed my playing styles so many times in a tiny bit of way.”
The two players have faced off nine times previously, with Müller having the edge with a 6W-1L-2D record, but Son’s win was a biggie: that being in the 2018 World Cup when he scored in South Korea’s 2-0 win over Germany that eliminated the defending World Cup champions.
When asked what he remembered about Son when they squared off in the Bundesliga, Müller remarked that it was a little unfair to look at the kind of player the South Korea international was back then. The Hamburg and Leverkusen teams didn’t have the level of talent to compete with the likes of Bayern.
“We are now [on] very good teams, two very good teams, and he is a big player there,” Müller said about Son. “I’m a big player here, so it’s a little bit different because when he was at Hamburg, when we came with Bayern at this time, we crushed him every time.”
LAFC will be trying to avoid that fate on Saturday. Doing so will require finding a way to nullify Müller as best they can. Cherundolo knows from personal experience how difficult that is.
“He’s one of the most intelligent players out there in the world, just really exceptional at reading the moment in the game and what the game needs,” Cherundolo said. “He has a very lanky and long frame and his technique sometimes look like it’s out of control, but I can tell you firsthand it is everything but that. It is 100% under control and in control. He’s exceptional at his first touch, his passes, his finishes.
“He doesn’t make mistakes and his timing of spatial awareness is amazing. His prowess in the box and sniffing plays out is world class.”
So is Son’s, and come Saturday, fans of both teams — as well as neutrals — will get a chance to admire the quality of both players. But only one player’s dream season will continue.
Las Vegas has already hosted some important and exciting early-season games, but nothing tops next week’s Players Era Women’s Championship, a chance for players to earn NIL money and for teams to separate themselves from the other elite squads in the country.
Four of the nation’s best — Duke, South Carolina, Texas and UCLA — meet up at Michelob ULTRA Arena, the home of the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day to compete in a Final Four-caliber event.
That’s the highlight of the holiday week tournaments and games — but far from the only intriguing action across the globe over the next 10 days. Games from Puerto Rico to Cancun and from Florida to Texas help create one of the best stretches on the basketball calendar this season.
Many of these games will have far-reaching implications into March and could be the difference between being in or out of the NCAA tournament field.
It’s a crowded sports calendar this time of year, but this is your guide to the best games and how to watch them. Come back after the final whistle to see how each game ended and for analysis on how it might impact March.
All times Eastern
Thursday
9 p.m., ESPN2, WBCA Showcase (Orlando, Florida)
A full week before Thanksgiving, the WBCA Showcase at the The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort gets the holiday hoops feast started with a Top 25 matchup. The No. 7 Bears already have a pair of good wins on their résumé, making this a bigger game for the No. 19 Hawkeyes, who are looking for their first. Both teams are 4-0; one of their perfect seasons will end Thursday.
Friday
8 p.m., Fox, Hall of Fame Showcase (Uncasville, Connecticut)
Syracuse and Utah tip off the event (5 p.m., FS2), but this is the marquee game of the two days at Mohegan Sun — and it got even bigger after Michigan’s 39-point win over Notre Dame on Saturday.
Saturday
8 p.m., ESPN+, WBCA Showcase
The Hawkeyes get two notable games in Orlando. A Hurricanes team with 12 new players gets its first true test.
Sunday
2:30 p.m., FS1, Hall of Fame Showcase
The Utes are another potential bubble team that needs a boost. Winning is not essential here, but a good performance against the No. 1 team in the country will be enough to help.
3 p.m., ESPN+, WBCA Showcase
The WBCA Showcase wraps up with this single game on Sunday. The Tigers need to string together some wins after falling to Kansas over the weekend if they want to remain in bubble contention before SEC play begins.
Monday
Belmont vs. Ohio State
11 a.m., FloHoops, Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Goombay Division (Nassau, Bahamas)
The Buckeyes weren’t able to hang with UConn on Sunday, making this game that much more important. Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge against Belmont’s deep and experienced backcourt is the matchup to watch.
4 p.m., FloHoops, Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Junkanoo Division
If the Bulls want to be in the running for an at-large bid, this is the kind of game they need to win. Minnesota has many more opportunities for résumé wins in the Big Ten, but a good showing in the Bahamas sets up the Gophers nicely.
Tuesday
Emerald Coast Classic, Bay Bracket championship game
1:30 p.m., FloHoops (Destin, Florida)
Mississippi State and Middle Tennessee will be favored to get here. Winning both games is especially important to the Bulldogs, who have gotten off to a good start but need to build up the win total with the SEC gauntlet awaiting.
Oregon vs. Saint Mary’s
2:30 p.m., FloHoops, Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic (Frisco, Texas)
The Gaels and the Ducks have gotten off to good starts against the softer parts of their schedules, so this Thanksgiving trip provides some key tests. Oregon can’t afford a stumble because December brings games against Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford and Michigan.
7 p.m., BallerTV, Hawaii North Shore Showcase (Laie, Hawaii)
Ny’Ceara Pryor, who dominated for three years at Sacred Heart, has made her way to a Power 4 school with the Aggies. She’s filling the stat sheet, leading the team in points, assists and steals.
Emerald Coast Classic, Beach Bracket championship game
7:30 p.m., FloHoops (Destin, Florida)
Virginia and Nebraska are the favorites to meet for the Beach Bracket title. A backcourt meeting of the Cavaliers’ Kymora Johnson, one of the underrated players in the country, against the Huskers’ Britt Prince is worth tuning in to see.
Wednesday
Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Goombay Division championship game
1:30 p.m., FloHoops (Nassau, Bahamas)
West Virginia will likely get the Belmont-Ohio State winner. After beating Duke with just five players in the second half last week, the Mountaineers are getting much more attention.
2 p.m., truTV, Players Era Championship (Las Vegas)
This is the event of the week — and possibly the event of the season prior to March. The Bruins have already had a difficult nonconference schedule with wins over Oklahoma and North Carolina, but nothing on their schedule matches the quality of the Longhorns.
Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Junkanoo Division championship game
4 or 6:30 p.m., FloHoops (Nassau, Bahamas)
If Alabama survives Harvard on Monday, the Crimson Tide will have a game against either South Florida or Minnesota that could have significant bubble implications in March.
Duke vs. South Carolina
4:30 p.m., truTV, Players Era Championship (Las Vegas)
As we were saying, nothing on UCLA’s schedule matches the quality of the Longhorns … unless the Bruins end up meeting the Gamecocks in the Players Era final on Thursday. Duke, meanwhile, has gotten off to a slow start and needs some redemption after losses to Baylor and West Virginia. This is that opportunity.
6:30 p.m., FloHoops, Puerto Rico Shootout (Carolina, Puerto Rico)
Easily the best game of the Puerto Rico Shootout, the Terps and Wildcats meet in the final game of Day 1. Both programs are having success on the fly after major personnel changes in the offseason. Kentucky will play Louisville right before heading south, and Maryland has already beaten Princeton, but this will be the biggest test for either team thus far.
7:30 p.m., FloHoops, Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic (Frisco, Texas)
These are two teams on the periphery of the bubble — and they’ll only stay there with a pair of wins in Texas. Auburn plays UTSA and Cal meets Grand Canyon two days earlier.
Thursday, Nov. 27
South Dakota State vs. North Carolina
11 a.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)
After the Players Era Championship, this is the next-best event of Thanksgiving week. The Jackrabbits and Tar Heels lead off a great first day. South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer is off to a great start and ranks among the national leaders in scoring. North Carolina’s success starts with defense. The winner of that matchup likely wins the game.
4 p.m. ET, FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)
The Wolfpack and Phoenix represent a contrast in styles. NC State wants to run. Green Bay likes to control the pace. This is a dangerous game for the Wolfpack, who can’t afford any more nonconference losses if they want a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament.
Players Era championship game
8 p.m. ET, truTV (Las Vegas)
No matter how this shakes out and what the matchup is in this game, a clear No. 2 team in the country will emerge from this first-of-its-kind women’s event.
9 p.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)
Coming off the most successful season in program history, and with All-American candidate Maggie Doogan back, the expectations are high for Richmond. Four games removed from a 29-point loss at Texas on Nov. 7, this represents a chance to check the Spiders’ progress. The pieces have come together quickly for the Horned Frogs, who should be unbeaten heading into Big 12 play with a win over the Spiders.
9 p.m., ESPN+, Paradise Jam (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Coach Scott Rueck always seems to find a way at Oregon State — and how he defends Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes will be another test. After the Beavers’ win over Illinois, they are back in the NCAA tournament hunt.
0:18
Mikayla Blakes eases in long jumper for Vandy
Mikayla Blakes eases in long jumper for Vandy
Players Era consolation game
10:30 p.m., truTV (Las Vegas)
Despite the quality of the opponents at the Players Era Championship, two losses in Las Vegas would be devastating to No. 1 seed aspirations — or possibly even No. 2 seed prospects given how many more challenges in and out of conference await the Blue Devils, Bruins, Gamecocks and Longhorns.
Friday, Nov. 28
Iowa State vs. Marquette
11 a.m., FloHoops, Coconut Hoops (Fort Myers, Florida)
The Cyclones won’t have been challenged until this trip to Florida. Marquette was dominated by Minnesota two weeks ago and should approach this game with some desperation if the NCAA tournament is part of the Golden Eagles’ future.
1:19
Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Milwaukee Panthers: Game Highlights
Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Milwaukee Panthers: Game Highlights
1 :30 p.m., FloHoops, Coconut Hoops
Allie Turner of Gonzaga and Indiana’s Shay Ciezki are two of the best small guards in the country. Ciezki is off to a fast start and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the nation.
7:30 p.m., ION, Fort Myers Classic (Fort Myers, Florida)
Neither team was on the NCAA tournament radar until a combined 9-0 start to the season. This could be the game that proves whether postseason hopes are realistic.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Oklahoma State vs. Miami
11 a.m., FloHoops, Cayman Islands Classic (Grand Town, Cayman Islands)
Expect plenty of points to be scored in this one. The Cowgirls hit the 100-point mark four times in their first five games.
South Dakota State vs. Kansas State
11 a.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge
Spin the wheel again in Cancun and more good matchups emerge. The Wildcats have eight players averaging at or around seven points per game. That kind of balance will help against a SDSU defense that is consistently good, especially in the half court, under coach Aaron Johnston.
Paradise Jam, Island Division championship game
1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ (U.S. Virgin Islands)
The Vanderbilt-Oregon State winner will meet either BYU or Virginia Tech. Regardless of the matchup, this game will have meaning. If the Beavers come out of the Paradise Jam with two wins, they are not only the clear WCC favorite but also in a position to earn an at-large bid. The Hokies won’t likely threaten for the top of the ACC, but their at-large chances increase significantly with a championship here.
1:30 p.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge
The Lions’ Riley Weiss scored 24 points in an NCAA tournament win over Washington last season. If you missed that, here is another chance to watch Weiss, who is having an even better junior season.
George Mason vs. Ole Miss
3 p.m., BallerTV, Daytona Beach Classic (Daytona, Florida)
If the Atlantic 10 is going to get multiple bids to the NCAA tournament like it did a year ago, George Mason is the key. A game at Maryland right before this trip to Florida and this matchup with Ole Miss gives the Patriots their two biggest opportunities for a foundational résumé win.
Georgia Tech vs. Florida
5 p.m. ET, FloHoops, Cayman Islands Classic (Grand Town, Cayman Islands)
In the four games with sophomore Liv McGill, the Gators have scored at least 87 points. In the game she missed with a leg injury, they scored 54. If she’s on the floor, Florida is a must-watch.
Paradise Jam, Reef Division championship game
8:30 p.m., ESPN+ (U.S. Virgin Islands)
LSU and Washington State is the likely matchup here. The Tigers’ nonconference schedule once again doesn’t provide many challenges, and the Cougars are struggling this season. But this might be a chance to see MiLaysia Fulwiley in her new surroundings. She’s leading LSU in scoring despite still coming off the bench.
1:19
LSU Tigers vs. Tulane Green Wave: Game Highlights
LSU Tigers vs. Tulane Green Wave: Game Highlights
Sunday, Nov. 30
Coconut Hoops, Blue Heron Division championship game
11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., FloHoops (Fort Myers, Florida)
An Indiana–Iowa State meeting seems most likely here, and the Hoosiers have some size to throw at Cyclones star Audi Crooks, who already has a 43-point game this season.
Coconut Hoops, Great Egret Division championship game
4 or 6:30 p.m., FloHoops (Fort Myers, Florida)
With their fast pace, ability to shoot and the addition of freshman Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma is fun to watch. The Sooners meeting Florida State here is the likely matchup in one of the final games of the weekend.
Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Junkanoo Division championship game
6:30 p.m., FloHoops (Nassau, Bahamas)
Michigan State and Clemson will be the big favorites to meet in this one. The Tigers’ early losses were to South Carolina and Louisville, but they played well for long stretches in both. The Spartans opened the season by scoring at least 92 points in four straight games, sparked by Grace VanSlooten and the best assist totals in the country.
The 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup kicks off in just 203 days, but six qualification slots are still up for grabs via the Intercontinental and European playoffs.
Two teams will book a place at the event (to be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada) via the playoffs, which will be staged in Mexico in March, while 16 European nations, including four-time World Cup winners Italy, are set to battle it out for the final four UEFA qualification berths. The path to the World Cup is now clear for the 22 nations still dreaming of a place at the finals next summer.
Following a draw at FIFA HQ in Zurich on Thursday, the playoffs are now locked in, so which teams can start to plan for North America and who has a nightmare route to football’s biggest tournament?
With the ties now confirmed, here are ESPN’s predictions.
European playoffs
The final four places at the World Cup will be determined via the UEFA playoffs, to be played in March 2026. There is no path to the World Cup through FIFA’s interconfederation playoffs.
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The UEFA playoffs involve 16 teams: the 12 group stage runners-up, plus the four best-ranked group winners from the UEFA Nations League who did not finish in the top two in World Cup qualifying. The teams will be divided into four pots according to FIFA ranking, with the Nations League group winners assigned to Pot 4 and drawn into four routes, each with four teams featuring a one-legged semifinal and a final for a place at the World Cup.
Semifinals to be played on March 26; finals to be played on March 31
Path 1: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Semifinal 1, Italy vs. Northern Ireland: The playoff nightmare returns for Italy following elimination at this stage ahead of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, but they will be happy with a home draw against Northern Ireland in the semifinal.
Michael O’Neill’s team are huge outsiders, and despite finishing second in their qualifying group behind Norway, Italy should be too strong and more than capable of erasing memories of failures to beat Sweden (2018) and North Macedonia (2022) at home in their last playoff campaigns.
Winner: Italy
Semifinal 2, Wales vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina: Wales coach Craig Bellamy made huge importance of beating North Macedonia in Cardiff in their final group game because that would guarantee a home semifinal, and that advantage should swing the tie in their favor. The Welsh have a formidable record at the Cardiff City Stadium, playing in front of what has been billed as a “Red Wall” of passionate supporters; Bellamy’s team should win this game to seal another home tie against Italy in the final.
Winner: Wales
Final, Wales vs. Italy: Despite being the highest-ranked nation in the playoffs, sitting 12th in the FIFA Rankings, Italy lack a proven goal scorer, and they struggle to break opponents down.
If key men Sandro Tonali and Giacomo Raspadori are fit and in form, Italy should have enough to shade this tie, but Wales are strong at home, and if these two meet in the final, don’t be surprised if Wales inflict yet another playoff heartbreak on the Azzurri.
Prediction: Wales advances
Path 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania
Semifinal 1, Ukraine vs. Sweden: While Ukraine have home advantage, the ongoing conflict in the country means Sergiy Rebrov’s team will likely play this tie in neutral Poland, and that could tilt the game in Sweden’s favor.
Sweden were dismal in qualification, finishing at the bottom of Group B without a win in six games, but their Nations League success last year sealed a playoff spot, and star forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres will surely see this as a second chance to qualify that they cannot pass up. Sweden are hugely fortunate to be in the playoffs, but they will be too strong for Ukraine.
Winner: Sweden
Semifinal 2, Poland vs. Albania: Poland have become the team that always qualifies for major tournaments but fails to deliver once on the big stage. But this is a tough tie.
Albania, coached by former Barcelona and Brazil defender Sylvinho, are a well-organized, high-energy team, and they will be confident in beating Poland away from home. At 37, this will be Robert Lewandowski‘s final World Cup campaign. If the Barcelona forward is on form, Poland will win. If not, back Albania.
Winner: Albania
Final, Sweden vs. Albania: Albania are good enough to cause any opponent problems and could quite easily travel to Sweden and win. But if Sweden overcome Ukraine and seal a home game in the final, it would be tough to deny a team with the attacking qualities of Isak, Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga.
Sweden, now coached by Graham Potter, really shouldn’t have this opportunity to reach the World Cup, but they are the strongest squad in Path B, so they will qualify.
Prediction: Sweden advances
Path 3: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo
Semifinal 1, Turkey vs. Romania: Turkey showed their strength by earning a 2-2 draw against Spain in Seville in their final Group E game, a result that restored some pride after a 6-0 home defeat against the European champions in September. Having scored 12 goals in three games against Bulgaria (twice) and Georgia in between the Spain fixtures, Turkey are clearly an attacking force and loaded with top talent, including Arda Güler, Kenan Yildiz, Deniz Gül and midfielder Hakan Çalhanoglu.
Romania, coached by the 80-year-old Mircea Lucescu, are unpredictable but talented. They will be brave and confident in this game, but Turkey should be too strong.
Winner: Turkey
Semifinal 2, Slovakia vs. Kosovo: Kosovo are the most dangerous outsiders in the European playoffs and much stronger than their FIFA ranking of 80th would suggest. Franco Foda’s team lack big names, but their players are based throughout Europe, and Kosovo ran Switzerland close in Group B, beating Sweden home and away before being held at home by the Swiss in the final game.
Slovakia shocked Germany with a 2-0 home win in qualification before losing 6-0 to Julian Nagelsmann’s side in Leipzig in the final game. Slovakia are ranked higher (45th) by FIFA, but Kosovo are a better team right now.
Winner: Kosovo
Final, Kosovo vs. Turkey: On paper, Turkey are big favorites to make it through Path C to the finals, but home advantage could be decisive for Kosovo if they eliminate Slovakia.
Having only become a FIFA member in 2015, following a declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, the national fervor for home games in Pristina makes Kosovo a formidable opponent for Turkey. This could be a game in which Turkey’s superior talent and depth counts for little against a Kosovo team determined to make history by qualifying for a first World Cup.
Prediction: Kosovo advances
Path 4: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Republic of Ireland
2:12
Could the Rep. of Ireland cause an upset in the World Cup qualifiers?
Mark Ogden backs the Republic of Ireland to make it through the playoffs and end their 24-year World Cup drought.
Semifinal 1, Denmark vs. North Macedonia: Denmark threw away an automatic qualification spot by drawing at home to Belarus and then losing away to Scotland in their final two games having been in control of Group C, so their status as favorites in this tie should be tempered by the scars of their group-stage failure.
North Macedonia’s 7-1 defeat away to Wales in their final game should not be taken as a true gauge of their capabilities, though. Blagoja Milevski’s team drew home and away with group winners Belgium and they will relish their underdog status, just as they did when eliminating Italy with a 1-0 win in Palermo in the 2018 playoffs. Denmark should be too strong at home, but North Macedonia are primed to record another shocking result.
Winner: North Macedonia
Semifinal 2, Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland: The Czechs were locked in a surprise battle with the Faroe Islands for the runners-up spot in Group L and almost blew it with a 2-1 defeat away to the perennial minnows in Tórshavn in October. But Jaroslav Kostl’s squad, which includes West Ham’s Tomás Soucek and Bayer Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick, held their nerve to seal second position behind Croatia.
Ireland came from nowhere to claim a playoff place, though, with a shocking 2-0 home win against Portugal before Troy Parrott‘s hat trick in Budapest, including a 96th-minute winner, denied Hungary and claimed second spot for Heimir Hallgrimsson’s team. Ireland have momentum and belief, so they can win this tie and book a home final in Dublin.
Winner: Republic of Ireland
Final, North Macedonia vs. Republic of Ireland: Home advantage in a game to decide a place in the World Cup will be crucial, and Ireland, backed by a crowd of 52,000 in Dublin, might just have enough to make it the World Cup.
North Macedonia are more individually talented, and the same applies to Denmark if they make the final, but Ireland coach Hallgrimsson made his name guiding Iceland to a series of shocking wins, and he can do it again if key players Troy Parrott, Caoimhin Kelleher and Evan Ferguson are fit and in form in March.
Prediction: Republic of Ireland advances
Intercontinental Playoffs
The playoffs, to be held in March, will determine the final two qualifiers. Six countries will take part. Each of the five confederations (apart from UEFA) will provide one country, while the host confederation (Concacaf) receives a second slot.
The two nations with the best FIFA world ranking will be seeded and go straight into one of the two finals. The four other countries will be drawn to play a semifinal, feeding through to play a seed for one of the two places at the World Cup.
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Steve McClaren quits Jamaica: ‘Respect and One Love to you all’
Steve McClaren quits his job as Jamaica boss after their failure to directly qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
New Caledonia or Jamaica vs. Congo DR
Congo DR await the winners of the New Caledonia vs. Jamaica semifinal, and it would be a huge upset if Jamaica fail to book a final clash against the African nation.
New Caledonia are the lowest-ranked team in the playoffs, sitting at 149th in the FIFA rankings, and coach Johann Sidaner told ESPN last month that his team, from an archipelago in the South Pacific, have a “1 percent chance” of qualifying for the World Cup.
Jamaica blew their chance of automatic qualification with a 0-0 draw at home to Curacao in the final round of Concacaf qualifiers, and that result forced coach Steve McClaren to quit. Jamaica will be too strong for New Caledonia, and they will face Congo DR as underdogs.
Congo DR have Premier League experience in Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Arthur Masuaku and Axel Tuanzebe, but Jamaica can also rely on Brentford‘s Rico Henry and Ethan Pinnock. This tie is a close call, but Congo DR look to have just a little bit more quality and will claim the qualification spot.
Prediction: Congo DR advances
Bolivia or Suriname vs. Iraq
Iraq won a two-legged Asian playoff against United Arab Emirates to clinch their place in the Intercontinental playoffs — their winning goal was a penalty 17 minutes into stoppage time.
Due to their FIFA ranking of 58th, Iraq are seeded through to the final, where they will expect to face Bolivia. Coached by former Australia coach Graham Arnold, Iraq’s squad are largely based in the Middle East, but former Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal, now at FC Utrecht, is a player with European experience.
Suriname, ranked 123rd, have a squad of players based in Europe, but while Bolivia’s squad is largely drawn from South American leagues, they have a recent win against Brazil on their form guide, so they should be too strong for Suriname. If Bolivia face Iraq in the final, it will be tough to call, but their experience of playing at altitude could be crucial in Mexico, and it should give them the edge.
Prediction: Bolivia advances
This week’s questions range from the NFL to the Netherlands.
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