CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers: Brazil vs. Bolivia
Believe it or not, but the qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, has already begun in South America! And following on from Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador on Thursday, it’s the turn of rivals Brazil to perform on Friday evening.
Since being knocked out of the 2022 finals at the quarter-final stage last December, Brazil has played just three friendlies, all against African nations – beating Guinea but losing to both Morocco and Senegal. Now they have to chance to return to home soil to protect their long-standing record of never having lost a World Cup qualifier in Brazil! And against Bolivia, a nation that hasn’t won an away qualifier since way back in 1993! So it might be fair to call this one a home banker…
The Seleção are under the temporary management of Fernando Diniz, who will attempt to lay the groundwork for Carlo Ancelotti, who joins next year, and will look to maintain the nation’s other key record – the fact that they’ve qualified for every World Cup in history. Diniz is also the coach of club side Fluminense, who are enjoying an impressive Brasileirão campaign, sitting fifth in the table at the time of writing.
EURO 2024 Qualifiers: Ukraine vs. England
England started the second half of their Euros qualifying group with a trip to play Ukraine in the Polish city of Wrocław on Saturday night. Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions have, as we’ve become accustomed to in recent times, remained unbeaten so far – scoring 15 goals and conceding just once in four wins against Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia, and Malta.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka were on the scoresheet in the earlier fixture with Ukraine and they’ve been England’s standout performers, scoring nine goals between them, and averaging a FotMob rating of 8.28 and 8.26 respectively.
Ukraine are by no means out of the running for a place at next year’s finals and they currently sit second in the group having won the other two games that they’ve played so far. This international break is hugely important for the nation – not least in terms of what relief and distraction football can bring a country at war – but also as a football team that wants to be successful. After this meeting with England, they faced defending European champions Italy.
EURO 2024 Qualifiers: Cyprus vs. Scotland
On Friday night, Scotland has the chance to go five for five in their qualifying group for next year’s European Championship. And claim three of the five points they need to qualify for said finals, taking place in Germany. A combination of results (win tonight + Spain beating Georgia tonight + Georgia drawing with Norway next Tuesday) would allow Scotland to celebrate qualification when they line up for the home friendly against the old enemy (England) that same night.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – Steve Clarke’s side can go to Cyprus full of confidence but they need to back up those impressive results against Georgia and Norway in June, and of course, the win against Spain back in March. Which itself, came just days after Scotland beat Cyprus 3-0 in the first group game between the two.
Scott McTominay scored twice that night and has five to his name already in this group but he’ll come into the game having played just seven Premier League minutes for Manchester United this season.
EURO 2024 Qualifiers: North Macedonia vs. Italy
Moving back to Saturday night’s action, and in another key Euro qualifier, Italy face something of a grudge match against North Macedonia.
It was the Macedonians that stopped the 2020 European Champions from reaching last year’s World Cup finals, beating them 1-0 in what was a playoff game, one that had offered Italy a second chance at qualification following an unbeaten but stuttering campaign in their original group. Aside from making it to the last Euros, that result was undoubtedly the biggest moment in the country’s relatively young football history.
For Italy, this game comes at a difficult time after the shock resignation of coach Roberto Mancini last month (he’s taken the Saudi Arabia national team job). Mancini had generally overseen a successful period – there was the record 37-game unbeaten run that took in the victory at the Euros. But then, there was also the failure to reach the World Cup finals, the defeat to England in their opening qualifier in this group, and the disappointment at June’s Nations League Finals.
He has been replaced by Luciano Spalletti, the man who led Napoli to that glorious Scudetto in Serie A last season, before deciding he wanted to take a well-earned break from the game. It turns out that break lasted just a couple of months and he now has arguably the most important job of his career. And the Azzurri have the chance of a fresh start.
AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Senegal vs. Rwanda
The final round of group games in the qualification process for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been ongoing for the past few days and will close over the weekend. On Saturday, we’ll see if reigning African champions Senegal, who have already qualified for the finals (which are confusingly being held in January 2024), can remain unbeaten in their group.
For this game, the Lions of Teranga meet The Wasps of Rwanda, a side who are resigned to finishing bottom of the group with no chance of moving up a place. The Rwandans have yet to win a game in this qualifying cycle but they came close against Benin back in March, and they only lost the previous meeting with Senegal after conceding a 98th-minute penalty that was converted by Sadio Mané.
Interestingly, there are reports that Mané, who now plays his trade in the Saudi league, could line up alongside teenage sensation Amara Diouf. The 15-year-old domestically-based player captained the nation’s U17 team to a junior Cup of Nations title earlier this year and has now been called up to the senior side for the first time.
Plus two hidden gems from a little deeper in your match feed…
MLS: Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City
As usual, Major League Soccer continues regardless when most top-flight leagues in world football are on hold for the international break. And on Saturday night, Inter Miami will have to play their first Messi-less game since the arrival of the Argentinian icon.
Bottom of the Eastern Conference before the league’s transfer window, Miami has since gone 11 games unbeaten, won the Leagues Cup, and moved up one place in the table – with last week’s 3-1 win at MLS Cup holders LAFC being a watershed moment for the franchise.
They’ll come up against a Kansas side who are also high on confidence after returning to league play with back-to-back wins following the Leagues Cup break. That includes last week’s 2-1 triumph over Western Conference table toppers St. Louis City, a game that featured a brace from designated player Alan Pulido.
The Mexican striker is in line to start this game and with 12 goals for the season, he’ll be looking forward to facing a Herons side that will not only be without Messi but also seven other internationals, including in-form USMNT goalkeeper Drake Callender.
MLS: LA Galaxy vs. St. Louis City
Elsewhere, on Sunday night, the aforementioned, and surprise Western Conference leaders, St. Louis City travel to LA Galaxy. Despite that defeat to rivals Kansas, the league’s newest side still boasts a six-point lead in the table and should be close to clinching a place in the playoffs at the first time of asking – IF they can get past the Galaxy.
Sunday’s hosts have been revitalised in recent weeks with memories of their poor start to the year now being put behind them. They’ve lost just one league game since the start of June and although they still sit second bottom of the conference, they’re only five points short of the play-off places. The in-form Riqui Puig has been central to their recent success, picking up three FotMob MOTM awards, and scoring twice in his last four appearances.
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Cover Image from IMAGO
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