Marruecos se clasifica para el Mundial de Qatar
The list of the 32 qualifiers will be completed in June. So far the qualifiers are Qatar as host country; from Africa: Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Cameroon; from Asia: Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan; from Europe: Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands, Portugal and Poland; from North America, Central America and the Caribbean: Canada has already qualified and the United States, Mexico and Costa Rica will play for two places and the play-offs on Thursday. In South America: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador have qualified; and for Oceania: Costa Rica vs Solomon Islands or New Zealand (to be played this afternoon).
We already have 29 teams qualified.
The remaining three will come from the match between Gareth Bale's Wales and the winner of Ukraine-Scotland; the match between Costa Rica and the winner of Solomon Islands-New Zealand (to be played this afternoon) and the match between Peru and the winner of United Arab Emirates-Australia.
The draw for the group stage of the World Cup will take place on Friday at 18:00 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
There will be 8 groups of four teams and the distribution of the pots is as follows:
Draw 1:
Qatar, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, France and England.
Draw 2:
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Mexico, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay and Croatia.
Draw 3:
Iran, Senegal, Morocco, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Serbia and Canada or Tunisia.
Draw 4:
Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Cameroon, Ghana and Canada or Tunisia.
Wales vs. the winner of Scotland or Ukraine
Peru vs the winner of UAE or Australia
Costa Rica vs. winner of Solomon Islands or New Zealand
Qatar as organiser will be in Pot 1 along with the favourites.
It is striking that Germany are in Pot 2.
The big absentees will be Mohamed Salah for Egypt, Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Sweden, Erling Haaland for Norway, Riyad Mahrez for Algeria, David Alaba for Austria and of course the entire Italian team eliminated by Macedonia. Which in turn was eliminated without any problems yesterday by Portugal.
In the African group, Morocco had no problems with the Democratic Republic of Congo, who they beat 4-1.
Tunisia's first-leg goal was enough to see off Mali in the play-offs and they will also be in Qatar, as will Ghana after drawing with Nigeria. Cameroon scored against Algeria in extra time. First Bayern Munich's Choupo-Moting scored to tie the tie and with the game almost over and with penalties looming Toko Ekambi, the Lyon player who previously played for Villarreal, scored the goal that takes them to Qatar.
But the Senegal-Egypt match was a thriller. Senegal started with a goal behind, but soon, in the 3rd minute, Villarreal's Boulaye Dia equalised.
Neither Salah nor Mané were able to win the game in the ninety minutes or in extra time.
Penalties, again Salah and Mané in a duel at the head of their teams.
The two Liverpool stars faced each other.
The shoot-out was a nonsense. Koulibaly, the Napoli player, missed the first. Egypt's star Salah also misses. The next two are also missed.
The third is scored by both teams. Total equality.
The fourth is scored by Senegal, but not by Egypt. Sadio Mané takes the fifth that could be definitive and he doesn't miss. Senegal again beat Egypt.
In the Asian group Iran and South Korea in group A had no problems to qualify already months ago as well as Saudi Arabia and Japan in group B.
United Arab Emirates and Australia finished third in the groups and still have a chance. They play each other and the winner will play Peru for a place.
In South America, with Brazil and Argentina already qualified months ago, Uruguay did not fail and beat Chile two-nil with goals from Luis Suarez and Fede Valverde to qualify. Ecuador also had it made and with a draw against Argentina will also be in Qatar.
The fifth play-off place was won by Peru against Colombia by beating Paraguay by two goals to zero.
In the European group, there is one place left to be allocated and it will be Wales against the winner of the Ukraine-Scotland game postponed due to the Russian invasion. It is scheduled to be played in June.
Bruno Fernandez's two goals helped a Portugal side that had a tough time making it to Qatar.
So did Poland, who beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden with goals from, of course, Lewandowski and Napoli's Zielinski.
In CONCACAF, Canada have already qualified and Thursday's USA-Costa Rica clash could change the group standings.
Mexico and the United States have 25 points and Costa Rica 22.
The Costa Ricans not only have to beat the United States, they would have to beat them or hope that Mexico loses to El Salvador.
Very complicated. The logical scenario is for the USA and Mexico to go through and Costa Rica to play in the play-off against the winner of Solomon Islands-New Zealand.
Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.