The most dramatic of Sunday's

For most Sunday November 26th was probably just another ordinary Sunday but for fans of two clubs in Europe it will be remembered for quite some time to come. You see Sunday November 26th was the final day of the league season in both Belarus and Georgia for 2017. Drama doesn't even do the events justice.

Belarus:

We'll start in Belarus as the final day of the season saw three sides in the hunt for title glory. Much of the build up here was about a variety of events such as the Belorussian football association reinstating a previously deducted three points to BATE which lifted them top of the pile. Shakhtyor Solihorsk only a couple of weeks ago had looked poised to take advantage of a dip in standards from BATE to claim a first title in twelve years but a crucial defeat last week at home to Torpedo Zhodino gave BATE the advantage going into this final day.
Also in the mix were Dinamo Minsk who came into the final day on the back of three successive victories. The capital side were looking for BATE to be beaten away at mid-table Gorodeya while only a win for themselves at Vitebsk would suffice. Shakhtyor also needed BATE to lose while they also needed to win to give themselves a chance, they were away at Neman Grodno.

Of all three games taking place simultaneously the first big change was with Dinamo Minsk taking a fifteenth minute lead at Vitebsk through Dmytro Khlyobas. Dinamo were now first but that would last a full three minutes as a Mirko Ivanic goal for BATE saw the defending champions of the past eleven years assume top spot. However BATE's 1-0 lead at Gorodeya wouldn't last six minutes as the home side rallied to equalize, Dinamo back in top spot. Further joy for Dinamo as it was shortly after that when Neman Grodno took the lead against Shakhtyor. A massive goal just after the half-hour mark in Gorodeya saw BATE fall behind as Kiril Pavlyuchek struck a dagger into BATE's title aspirations. No further goals followed as the half-time whistle sounded across the country.

Dinamo were forty-five minutes away from glory and they were edged closer to it barely a minute after the restart as Gorodeya sensationally made it 3-1 through Bojan Dubajic. A shock scoreline and drama. Shakhtyor managed an equalizer five minutes after that shock-wave to get themselves firmly back into contention. However Shakhtyor's hopes took another blow when Neman Grodno retook the lead barely five minutes after that equalizer. Seemingly three was being narrowed down to two as the second half wore on.
Dinamo added two more goals after the hour which all but confirmed they would be winning their game at least. The 78th minute arrived and the first of the late drama, penalty for BATE. Converted by Vladimir Rodionov, 3-2 with just over ten minutes remaining and a draw suffice to win the title. Nerves in both Gorodeya and Vitebsk some 380km apart. Vitebsk pulled a goal back but nothing to worry Dinamo as they now lead 4-1, Shakhtyor piling forward desperately seeking a spark and BATE likewise.
Dinamo's game ends 4-1 and Neman Grodno put the final nail in Shakhtyor's coffin with a third in stoppage time. BATE's game goes into six minutes added time anxious wait from Dinamo players and management. GOAL! a cross into the box is headed off a defender and Mirko Ivanic is the recipient of the loose ball, he strikes low to equalize for BATE with the last kick of the game. Cloud nine for BATE and absolute gut wrenching despair for Dinamo as news filters through that BATE have won the title for the twelfth time in succession. Ivanic and his teammates pumped full of adrenaline chasing the Montenegrin as he wheels over to the travelling support in absolute ecstasy from what they have just seen in front of them.

Georgia:

Just as the games ended in Belarus the final game of the season was beginning over in Georgia. All the other games on the final day kicked off earlier in the day to give this clash all the attention. Going into this final game Dinamo Tbilisi were top of the table by two points from Torpedo Kutaisi and as faith would have it, Dinamo's opponents on this final day in the capital. 

The build up to this final clash saw Dinamo at one stage seemingly sailing towards a first title in two seasons. A stuttering run allowed Torpedo Kutaisi the opportunity to haul themselves back into contention which they made no mistake and gradually they got themselves closer. Dinamo dropped two points last weekend across the city at Saburtalo while Torpedo got themselves within a win of the title with a 2-0 home success over Dinamo Batumi. Both results effectively ensured a title play-off on the final day. 

What made this clash even more enthralling was Torpedo chasing a first league title since 2002. Both Dinamo and Torpedo are the arch-rivals with both sets of fans not taking a particular like to each other. It all mixed to create this tremendous winner takes all clash. 

Torpedo having to win the game saw them push a little bit more with Dinamo looking to take advantage on the counter knowing a draw would be enough. The breakthrough didn't come until the seventy-fourth minute when Kapanadze nodded home from close range for Torpedo. It gave the Kutaisi side the lead they needed and just over fifteen minutes away from the title.
Then the drama. Four minutes added time was signaled and then a penalty was given. It appeared harsh on first viewing but a couple of replays showed there was just enough contact from Giorgi

Torpedo Kutaisi lift the title
Source: Torpedo Kutaisi

Guruli on Dinamo sub Mykola Kovtalyuk.
Otar Kiteishvili stepped up to take the spot kick, a spot kick that should he score his team win the league and should he fail he hands their arch rivals the title instead. Balls of steel and as cool a head required in this situation. Kiteishvili's penalty is beaten away by the feet of Roin Kvaskhvadze and that was literally the final play of the game as the full time whistle sounded to the delight of Torpedo Kutaisi and they're travelling supporters. 

New Zealand and the OFC

New Zealand down and out in Lima
source: getty images

In the early hours of last Thursday morning New Zealand's World cup hopes were dashed by a Peruvian side that ended their own thirty-six year absence from the finals. New Zealand had come into the tie very much as underdogs but the fact that it was Peru and not Colombia or Argentina gave the New Zealanders some hope. However a 0-0 stalemate in Wellington wasn't the ideal result to take to Lima. Overall though Peru's superior quality showed and they deserved to go through to Russia. The subject for this post is about New Zealand and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) as a whole.

To qualify for this intercontinental play-off New Zealand emphatically overcame the Solomon Islands 8-3 on aggregate. A result showed how far ahead New Zealand are in their confederation by winning so handsomely. OFC is the weakest confederation within FIFA and because of that it doesn't have an automatic qualification spot at the World cup finals. Australia became so disillusioned with the lack of progress to be made from OFC that they left in 2006 to join the Asian confederation (AFC). It can be argued for and against whether Australia have improved to great lengths since leaving OFC but the stark reality is they now play more competitive games and their record of qualifying for every World cup since can't be sniffed at.
It's been debated for years whether OFC actually deserves an automatic berth. Arguments for will turn to New Zealand's last finals appearance where sensationally they were the only unbeaten team at the 2010 finals along with Australia reaching the last sixteen in 2006 (Australia qualified for that tournament under OFC). Arguments against are the lack of strength in depth with even New Zealand not exactly pulling up trees with Tahiti's 2013 Confederations cup also getting an airing.

Near impossible challenge:
The current thirty-two team format has never seen OFC been granted with an automatic berth. The leading OFC nation has always had to face an intercontinental play-off for a seat at the top table. More often than not OFC have been absent from the finals due to play-off heartbreak. The 1997 play-off where Australia lost out to Iran on away goals being the notable defeat. Four years later in November 2001 Australia took a 1-0 lead to Montevideo looking to dump two time winners Uruguay out but a 3-0 defeat put an end to the Socceroos. Australia did get the better of Uruguay in 2005 in what turned out to be their final campaign as an OFC member. Beating the Uruguyans on penalties ended a lengthy thirty-two year wait for a finals appearance, which shows the scale of the challenge facing OFC nations.
New Zealand themselves qualified in 2010 beating Bahrain in the play-off before being utterly outclassed by Mexico in the 2014 edition.
However Oceania is set to get an automatic berth in the new expansion which kicks in from the 2026 World cup onwards. Such a development will more than likely see New Zealand become a regular fixture at the finals as it's unlikely anyone else will be strong enough to overcome them thus the fears of practically giving them a bye are legitimate. Critics of the expansion, myself included, feel expansion was unnecessary and that a rejig of Confederation places was all that was needed to change. Until then there is still one World cup cycle under the current format and the smart money is on OFC not being present for the finals in Qatar.

Disband OFC?
Some people online have suggested disbanding the OFC altogether and merging with the AFC instead. I'm of the opinion a merger would be a lot more hassle than it's worth. If a straight merger was to happen then the AFC would become absolutely massive with membership going up to sixty-one nations from the current forty-eight. That is simply way too big for a single confederation. Besides I don't think having Lebanon v Cook Islands qualifiers will be doing anyone any good.
If merging is needed then perhaps splitting the AFC into two is the way to go. Again it's likely to cause more hassle than it's worth as by splitting the confederation you weaken the playing field. For instance South Korea have to get the better of not only neighboring countries such as Japan, China and North Korea to qualify, they also have to get the better of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Uzbekistan in the west. By splitting the confederation you make it much easier for South Korea to qualify with less competitive games and you are left with a situation not to dissimilar to OFC when both Australia and New Zealand had far too little competitive games.
Splitting the AFC into East and West would in my opinion see the West be of slightly high quality given that West Asia would have the likes of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Syria and the UAE with East having Japan, South and North Korea, Australia and with a bit of a drop off after that in terms of quality. Essentially splitting the Confederation isn't going to happen realistically and so OFC will continue to exist and get by.
What if New Zealand go to AFC themselves? This has been posed a few times but I'd retort back what does the OFC do then without New Zealand? OFC would suffer massively without New Zealand much like when Australia left in 2006, New Zealand didn't have that team to aspire to overcome in the confederation. Besides I highly doubt the AFC will be looking at taking in New Zealand given some members haven't exactly warmed to Australia being part of the confederation some eleven years on.

Future:
New Zealand won't be leaving the OFC that's for certain. The expansion from 2026 keeps them firmly in OFC as that automatic qualification spot should be their's to lose. Until then however, the All-Whites will attempt to qualify for Qatar 2022. The luck of the draw may see them not having to face a CONMEBOL team and maybe they'll face an AFC or CONCACAF side for a spot in five years time.
Coach Anthony Hudson's future is also a topic up for discussion after the end of the campaign last week. Whether it's Hudson or another manager the All-Whites' schedule sees the OFC Nations cup on the horizon in 2020 with that being the gateway to the Confederations cup the following year. 2021 will also see the qualifiers for the World cup take place. So for the next two years it's back to the drawing board for OFC's leading nation to come up with a strategy to break into the thirty-two team party one last time.

Road to Russia reaches its climax

November's international week is upon us and with it the final hurdle for nineteen countries who still harbor hopes of making the cut for Russia next summer. However nineteen doesn't quite fit into the nine places that are remaining so let's have a look at who will be making it.

Africa:

Groups B and E have already been decided with Nigeria and Egypt respectively on the plane to Russia next summer. The remaining groups remain in the balance, some tighter than others. 

Group A:

Tunisia currently lead the group by three points from DR Congo. Both Libya and Guinea have long since been eliminated but both will have the final say this Saturday. Tunisia host Libya knowing a draw will be enough to secure qualification while DR Congo need to hope for a shock Libyan victory as well as beating Guinea themselves. It's hard to look past Tunisia sealing this. 

Group C:

This group comes down to a straight shootout between group leaders Morocco and second placed Ivory Coast. However the Ivory Coast have home advantage on Saturday with Morocco travelling to Abidjan knowing a point will be enough to seal a first qualification to the finals since 1998. Ivory Coast's last home game was lost to Gabon in September giving Morocco some hope of ending the World cup absence. I think Morocco will get the result they need here.

Group D:

Group D could be decided on Saturday as the rearranged game of South Africa v Senegal takes place. FIFA ordered a replay after the original game was officiated by Joseph Lamptey who has since been banned for life after "unlawfully influencing" the result. Victory for Senegal in Polokwane will seal their qualification while defeat will set up a mighty final day in which any one of the four could qualify. Senegal sit on eight points with two games to play while Burkina Faso and Cape Verde sit on six points with each having one game remaining and South Africa currently bottom on four points but with that Senegal game to play. I've a feeling Senegal will take care of the group on Saturday to qualify unfortunately. 

Europe:

It's play-off time in Europe as eight group runners-up go head-to-head for the final four spots on offer for the confederation. 

Northern Ireland v Switzerland

Northern Ireland were hoping for Switzerland and Switzerland probably looking at Northern Ireland as ideal opponents. This will be a close run tie I feel and the deciding factor is Switzerland being at home for the second leg. Michael O'Neill has overseen an outstanding turnaround in fortunes in guiding 'Norn Iron' to the last sixteen of the Euros and on the brink of a World cup berth for the first time since 1986. Switzerland will be in for a tough tie but I'm going with Switzerland to edge through this. 

Croatia v Greece

Croatia sacked manager Ante Čačić just before a deciding group game against Ukraine in October. The game was won and Croatia qualified for the play-offs. Standing in the way is Greece who have turned their fortunes around from the previous disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2016 Euros. Croatia on paper just have far too much quality I feel to come unstuck against a solid but unremarkable Greek side, when have we heard that before. Croatia to get through. 

A winner over Wales saw Ireland through to the play-offs
source: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Denmark v Ireland

Probably the team most people wanted from an Irish perspective. However it's still a very tricky tie truth be told. Denmark have obvious strengths such as the influential Christian Eriksen however the danger of focusing solely on the Tottenham midfielder is the fact that players such as Celta's Sisto, Feyenoord's Nicolai Jørgensen and the defensive duo of Simon Kjær and Andreas Christensen can be threats. Ireland's main strength has been the excellent defensive record maintained throughout qualification with just six conceded in ten games so far. My head says Denmark to shade it but this Irish team might have another performance in them such as the ones seen in Austria and Wales. 

Sweden v Italy

Probably the match-up of the round with two sides that were probably looking to avoid each other in the draw last month. Sweden haven't set the world alight and don't have the powers of Zlatan to call upon these days but can still be a tricky team for Italy who have had some unremarkable results in qualifying such as a draw with Macedonia. I just feel a World cup without Italy won't happen and that they will pull the rabbit of the hat. 

Inter-Continental play-offs:

Honduras v Australia

Australia and inter-continental play-offs again. The difference being they are entering it as Asia's representative but the Socceroos have had some heartbreak at this stage down the years namely the 2001 defeat to Uruguay but most painful of all the 1997 defeat to Iran on away goals. They come into this game sweating on Tim Cahill's fitness and face a side that pipped the United States to the play-off spot in CONCACAF. Honduras are a very physical team so the prospect of a patched up Tim Cahill facing them is a decision that coach Ange Postecoglu must think about. Postecoglu's future has also been a big talking point in the build up as he may not lead the Aussies out in Russia should they overcome the central Americans. I'm not convinced by this Australian team and I think Honduras will hold onto a lead from the first leg to qualify. 

Peru v New Zealand

This is an interesting match-up simply because for New Zealand it could've been a whole lot tougher. Messi's bailout for Argentina meant they qualified automatically and thus a collective sigh of relief  from the All-Whites ensued. Colombia also qualified automatically after drawing away in Peru. So for the New Zealanders its a Peru side that haven't qualified since 1982. New Zealand themselves haven't been at the finals since 2010 so this match-up offers a chance for one to step up. Peru however will be without Paolo Guerrero after he was suspended for thirty days for a doping offence, his loss cannot be understated to the Peruvians. I think Peru will get through here but will be keeping a close eye on this one.