Women's World Cup Qualification 2019

[Kevin S]

The Scotland and NI games can be seen live on iPlayer btw.

[Kevin S]

Poland penalty...

[Kevin S]

Saved by Alexander!

[Kevin S]

Scotland lead on 80, Poland down to ten.

[Kevin S]

Emilie has sealed the win there.

[Kevin S]

It's three. Scotland have been very good in the final half an hour.

[Kevin S]

FT
Austria 0-1 Spain
Scotland 3-0 Poland
NI 0-3 Norway

Huge win for Scotland, now in second ahead of Poland with a game in hand.

[Doraemon]

The Asian Cup is happening at the moment which acts as the qualification tournament for the AFC.

The five teams that have qualified are the same 5 that qualified last time ie Australia, Japan, China, Thailand and South Korea.

Although they didn't qualify for the World Cup, the Philippines took part in the tournament and even beat the hosts Jordan. Two interesting things:

1 They are nicknamed 'The Malditas' which is coincidentally an anagram of 'The Matildas' - Australia's nickname.

2 The team is mainly made up of US college players of Filipino heritage. I think this is similar to Mexico, where many players are of Mexican heritage. I am not sure if it is a good thing in that it makes them competitive or bad if it is detrimental to the development of the game in The Philippines itself.

Anyway, the final between Japan and Australia is tomorrow. The Australians only narrowly getting past Thailand in the semis, with a last minute equaliser and a win on penalties.

[Kevin S]

What about DPRK? I thought they were one of the top teams?

[Ray de Galles]

The Racecourse looks to be out for the same reason (though they'd have a week to get the pitch ready). There's a Steps gig at Parc y Scarlets. So I guess they're looking at the Liberty Stadium or Rodney Parade?

Bosnia & Herzegovina confirmed for The Liberty and Russia for Newport (Spytty) Stadium.

[Doraemon]

What about DPRK? I thought they were one of the top teams?

The DPRK are one of the best teams and got seriously shafted in the qualification for the Asian Cup.

Because they were banned from the last tournament they were unseeded in the draw for the qualifying round. They were then put in the same group as South Korea. They won all their games comfortably, except the one vs South Korea, which they drew 1-1. They had a plus 17 GD which meant they finished second in the group as South Korea had plus 20. Only the top team qualified for the tournament.

The tournament itself was strange as the hosts Jordan were top seeds, meaning that Australia, Japan and South Korea were all in one group and China got Thailand and Jordan

[Patrick Thistle]

Bosnia & Herzegovina confirmed for The Liberty and Russia for Newport (Spytty) Stadium.

Where has that second venue been confirmed? The FAW website fixtures page still says TBC for the 12 June.

I'm likely away on 7 June but back the folliwing week so would like to go to the Russia game.

[Ray de Galles]

https://twitter.com/cymru/status/986906780247740416?s=21

[Patrick Thistle]

I'd missed that. I scrolled through the feed and could only see the references to the Liberty.

I've been to Spytty "stadium" a few times and the gulf between it and the Liberty is, well, the difference between a top level sporting venue and an old council athletics track.

[N est à?]

A deliberate snub to Russia in view of, well, things?

[imp]

Any pointers as to where Scotland's home game with Switzerland at the end of August might be played?

[Patrick Thistle]

A deliberate snub to Russia in view of, well, things?

I'd take it as an insult. I have a feeling a Welsh League club play there now but it's not even a Welsh Premier ground like Jenner Park or the UWIC playing fields.

The Liberty has 20,000 seats. Spytty doesn't even have stands on all 4 sides.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

I'd take it as an insult. I have a feeling a Welsh League club play there now but it's not even a Welsh Premier ground like Jenner Park or the UWIC playing fields.

The Liberty has 20,000 seats. Spytty doesn't even have stands on all 4 sides.

Have they removed the stands behind the goals since Newport played there? If so, given UEFA rules prohibit using the terrace, Wales could potentially secure a playoff spot in front of a capacity crowd of 1,100.

I know the FAW are playing the hand they have been dealt and the problem is stadium availability, but it seems an astonishing response to the upswing of interest that recent results have brought to the WNT.

[Patrick Thistle]

Those "stands" were scaffolding on the running track. I don't think they are there. They're not in the picture the FAW tweeted.

Are they not allowed 3G pitches?

[Patrick Thistle]

Just checked Google maps and they aren't there on the satellite picture

[Patrick Thistle]

Or on Streetview dated 2017

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Those "stands" were scaffolding on the running track. I don't think they are there. They're not in the picture the FAW tweeted.

Are they not allowed 3G pitches?

They're allowed 3G pitches. The Faroe Islands play all their games on an artificial surface. England are due to play Russia on the synthetic pitch of the Sapsan Arena in Moscow.

[Doraemon]

The Copa America Feminina has been taking place in Chile.

It looked like Brazil were head and shoulders above the other nations and they won the tournament and qualified for next years World Cup.

There were big crowds for the games involving the hosts and they were rewarded as 'Las Chicas de Rojo' finished runners up and also qualified. Hopefully they will get good support in France next year, as the men did at France 98.

Argentina go into a play off against the fourth best team in CONCACAF.

[Janik]

They're allowed 3G pitches. The Faroe Islands play all their games on an artificial surface. England are due to play Russia on the synthetic pitch of the Sapsan Arena in Moscow.

And, infamously, during the last Finals tournament as well.

[Patrick Thistle]

Oh yeah. The black dust tournament.