QATAR WORLD CUP 2022
TOP SERIE A KIWI'S PICKS RISING
‘SWEDEN RECENTLY RECALLED ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC TO THE FRAY’
There’s a concern that Serie A has lost its lustre thisthree season as Romelu Lukaku While the top spots in CONCACAF moved on, but there are stilldrawn plentythe of World Cup Qualification have keep ancompeting eye on, says most players interestto from the sides, Ciro Brita. fourth-place team inDi CONCACAF will have a second chance at qualification TAMMY ABRAHAM English striker Abraham arrives from OCEANIA is one of the more unique Chelsea forin a reported €40mThe fee,region, boosting situations world football. Jose Mourinho’s attacking options after which encompasses the Pacific Islands, the departure of Edin Dzeko Inter.not The is the only confederation thattodoes 23-year-old struggled to find on receive an automatic spot into minutes the World the field season when Thomas Tuchel Cup. This last year’s qualification tournament took overplace at Chelsea butin still managed will take in March Qatar. Cook to score 12Fiji, times in Caledonia, all competitions. Islands, New New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon FEDERICO CHIESA Islands, Tahiti, and Vanuatu are slated to Fresh from helping Italy win the European participate. Championship the 23-year-old will be Of those sides, New Zealand is heavily hoping toto continue the explosive form he projected advance. Since Australia left displayed Forming the OFC induring 2006 the tournament. Kiwis have stepped potentially devastating front-three in asathe powerhouse in the Pacific Islands. whichhave alsorepresented includes Cristiano Ronaldo and They the region in each Paulo Dybala, will be interesting see of the last threeit playoffs, with their to 2010 if series coach victory Max Allegri takes the shackles of Bahrain sealing their off attacking players. second-everhis appearance in the World Cup. Almost all of New Zealand’s players play OLIVIER GIROUD professionally either in Europe or in the The France World Cup Winner has finally United States, a factor that should not arrived in Serie AForward having been be overlooked. Chrislinked Woodwith a(Newcastle) move to thehas peninsula forappearances years and will over 400 now up with fellow veteran in theteam English Premier League andstriker the Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Giroud willisbe tasked Championship. Their defense led by with providing the firepower and linkup long-time West Ham center-back Winston play for and the Rossoneri compete in both Reid two of theto top defenders Champions League Bill andTuiloma Serie A. inthe Major League Soccer:
based trio Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias have been among the best players in their positions in Europe over the past couple of years, while there is no shortage of quality in other areas of the pitch. In addition to the household names within the squad, there are a number of players currently making a case for their inclusion in Santos’s squad. Wolves’ Jose Sa has been among the contenders for Premier League goalkeeper of the season, Rafael Leao has been thriving at Milan and Andre Silva is currently enjoying his third consecutive successful season in the Bundesliga. Given the number of young players coming through the ranks, there may be a question about whether the strongest starting XI still includes international football’s all-time record goalscorer. Furthermore, the Selecao have the more difficult opponent in the first round of the play-offs, as they face a Turkey side in solid form under new manager Stefan Kuntz. The Turkish national team failed to impress having been tipped as the dark horses of Euro 2020, however, the side boasts plenty of talent including Caglar Soyuncu Hakan Calhanoglu and Cengiz Under. Whereas Italy will be confident of progressing to the second, and final, round of the play-offs against North Macedonia, the first round will be far more trying for Santos’s team. Of course, Italy and Portugal’s loss is other nations’ gain, as the teams within play-off paths A and B have avoided clashes with the two favourites. By no means does this equate to a lack of drama, however, as path A demonstrates with Wales and Scotland sitting on either side of the draw. Gareth Bale’s side will have to overcome a highly competitive Austrian outfit if they want to progress, while Scotland face a Ukraine side that got to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020. Should both teams succeed and meet in the final round, Wales and Scotland stand relatively evenly matched. Both are captained by explosive left-sided players and boast promising defensive midfielders within the Chelsea loan system, in Ethan Ampadu and Billy Gilmour. The Tartan
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SOCCER360 MARCH • APRIL 2022
ABOVE: Sweden have brought Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic back into the fold BOTTOM RIGHT: New Zealand players celebrate while scoring
Army will most likely have the edge with the bookmakers, thanks to a strong showing at the European Championship, however the Dragons will certainly not consider themselves underdogs. Path B also has its fair share of subplots and round two could well be the story of two superstar strikers. Robert Lewandowski has, for the past two years, arguably been the best player in the world while firing Bayern Munich to domestic and European glory. The forward averaged a goal a game in qualifying, but injury left him unable to prevent his side dropping four points to both England and Hungary. On the other side of the draw is a Sweden side that recently recalled Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the fray. This is surely the last opportunity for international action for the 40-year-old, who has almost single-handedly carried his country at times in a career stretching over three decades. Now, however, Sweden have developed an impressive talent pool and with Alexander Isak and Emil Forsberg leading the line, Ibrahimovic has become plan B for Janne Andersson. In order for this clash of the titans to go ahead, Austria have to find their way past a hardworking Russia side who impressed in the last World Cup, having qualified as hosts. Likewise, Sweden will have to beat a Czech Republic team that bettered the Blagult’s performance in Euro 2020 by reaching the quarter-finals. A front line of Patrik Schick and Antonin Barak can go toe-to-toe with their opponents, while West Ham duo Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal have been thriving over the last 18 months. Evidently, there is plenty of quality set to miss out on the biggest stage in international football, regardless of how the play-offs play out. For this very reason, the 2026 World Cup is set to increase the number of teams from 32 to 48, looking to prevent as many of the big names from missing out. For many, expansion will serve only to lower the quality of the competition, whereas, for Italy and Portugal, the decision has come four years too late.
(Portland Timbers) and Michael Boxhall DENZEL DUMFRIES (Minnesota United FC). Wing back Dumfries showcased the full While they certainly have talent, array of his skills theagainst summer’s New Zealand willduring struggle a European Championship despite CONCACAF side that has battled through the Netherlands out in oftough the qualification and hascrashing experience tournament to has the been CzechaRepublic. The situations. This problem for 25-year-old scored twice and years looks and ready the Kiwis during non-COVID to fill theworsened gap vacated by Achraf Hakimi’s has only during the pandemic. to PSG. In order todeparture prepare for the sprint to qualification, Head Coach Danny Hay VICTOR has had his side playOSIMHEN all of their matches The Nigerian had a them bit ofmore a start in the Middle striker East, giving stop season lasttoterm. Despite suffering opportunities get in competition. injuries missing games through Recent winsand against Curacao and Gambia Covid-19 the 22-year-old showed (who made the Round of 16 in the enough recent promise to make him a real danger man African Cup of Nations) suggest that headingNew into Zealand this campaign. New perhaps may just getCoach past Luciano Spalletti will be hoping he can their CONCACAF opponent come thisget the most out ofsummer. the attacker and improve on his 10 goals from last year.
