Relatively easy qualification on the cards for Iran

[Doctor DOOM]

Japan & Uzbekistan
Australia & Oman
Jordan & Iraq
Iran & Qatar
South Korea & Lebanon

[K. Nader]

The next Fifa ranking will be released on the 7th of March, two days prior to the draw for the groups. Given that South Korea won today and Japan lost, South Korea will have more points than Japan in the next list according to the point calculator on FIFA.com. This means we will be avoiding Japan and playing one of Australia or S. Korea.

[Doctor DOOM]

lol. even BETTER

[Martin-Reza]

This will be the pots, according to FIFA Ranking (currently Oman is ahead of Qatar, but today's results will switch that, and lol, right, Japan fell down):

1) Australia, South Korea
2) Japan, Iran
3) Uzbekistan, Iraq
4) Jordan, Qatar
5) Oman, Lebanon

[maij]

I have watched a few matches of South Korea and I believe that they are on the decline. Australia and Japan are still maintaining their usual standard , while Uzbekistan is on the rise.
Overall , It is difficult to decide whether the top Asian teams are stronger or weaker from the last WC qualification. However , I believe that the other teams , lower ranked , could be spoilers for the big boys and might be deciding one or two spots.

About the tight schedule , it works in Europe but Asia is a different matter due to the wide area. I simply cannot understand how AFC does not have a map of Asia to think about the logistics?

[K. Nader]

Another point, based on what's been circulating in the Uzbek circles - five of their best players (including Djeparov) will miss their first game (which is apparently against one of the teams from Pot 2). I'm not sure whether this will be a home match for Uzbekistan or the team from Pot 2 but regardless, it will serve as a huge advantage for us if we were to be drawn into the same group as them. They even tried to appeal to Fifa but it was rejected.

Secondly, Iraq are not without their own set of problems. All of their home games will have to be played in a neutral site (normally Doha or Dubai) so their fan support will be limited.

[Doctor DOOM]

This will be the pots, according to FIFA Ranking (currently Oman is ahead of Qatar, but today's results will switch that, and lol, right, Japan fell down):

1) Australia, South Korea
2) Japan, Iran
3) Uzbekistan, Iraq
4) Jordan, Qatar
5) Oman, Lebanon

thanks.
I'm not familiar with the exact form of the draw beyond what I know which is the top 4 seeds get distributed in 2 groups (seed 1 teams in separate ones & seed 2 teams in separate ones again).
but does this follow for the rest of the teams? meaning we'll only get one of uzbeks or iraq?
if that's so, I think we stand even better chance of qualifying given we avoid japan altogether

[Martin-Reza]

thanks.
I'm not familiar with the exact form of the draw beyond what I know which is the top 4 seeds get distributed in 2 groups (seed 1 teams in separate ones & seed 2 teams in separate ones again).
but does this follow for the rest of the teams? meaning we'll only get one of uzbeks or iraq?
if that's so, I think we stand even better chance of qualifying given we avoid japan altogether

Good question, don't know exactly this time. Last time they drew only one team from the first three pots but mixed pot four and five, if I recall correctly. I guess it will be similar or even more restrictive this time, so I am sure Iraq and Uzbekistan can't be drawn into the same group.

[maij]

The draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers (Final Round) will be held at AFC House, Kuala Lumpur, on March 9, 2012, at 1600 hours.

The draw ceremony will be attended by several team representatives, including Gary Moretti (Manager, Australia), Paul Le Guen (Coach, Oman), Carlos Queiroz (Coach, Iran), Zico (Coach, Iraq), Adnan Hamad (Coach, Jordan), Choi Kang Hee (Coach, Korea Republic), Hiromi Hara (Technical Director, Japan), Shuhrat Maksudov (Assistant Coach, Uzbekistan) , Fahad Abdulla Al Zarraa (Assistant Coach, Qatar) and Johannes Theodor Bucker (Coach, Lebanon).
Also in attendance would be Asian legends Mehdi Mahdavikia of Iran and Tsuneyasu Miyamoto of Japan.


Current FIFA ranking of the teams qualified for Final Round


1 Australia 832
2 Japan 762
3 Korea Republic 714
4 Iran 606
6 Uzbekistan 455
7 Iraq 439
8 Jordan 431
11 Oman 377
12 Qatar 372
16 Lebanon 299

There are two possible changes in the upcoming ranking between Qatar & Oman, while there will be no rank changes from the current one.

My ideal group would be :
Japan
Iran
Iraq
Oman
Lebanon

[Martin-Reza]

^ Japan will be in pot 2 with Iran.

[Hadi]

ideal:

S.Korea
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon

[Doctor DOOM]

Iran's schedule and sequence of games for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in 2012 and 2013 (courtesy saeed-noro's post)

In 2012

WCQ 4.1: (June 03 2012): UzblOekistan/Iraq - Iran

WCQ 4.2: (June 08 2012): (Bye)

WCQ 4.3: (June 12 2012): Iran - Jordan/Qatar

WCQ 4.4: (Sep. 11 2013): Oman/Lebanon - Iran

WCQ 4.5: (Oct. 16 2013): Iran - Australia/Korea Rep.

WCQ 4.6: (Nov. 14 2013): Iran - Uzbekistan/Iraq

In 2013

WCQ 4.7: (Mar. 26 2013): (Bye)

WCQ 4.8: (June 04 2013): Jordan/Qatar - Iran

WCQ 4.9: (June 11 2013): Iran - Oman/Lebanon

WCQ 4.10: (June 18 2013): Australia/S Korea - Iran

And if we have wasted precious opportunity in clinching a direct qualification and come third in our group, we have to observe the following schedule for the rest of the qualifiers:

WCQ 5.1: (Sep. 06 2013): Playoff - Relegation Game 1 between 3rd. Group A vs. 3rd Group B
WCQ 5.2: (Sep. 10 2013): Playoff - Relegation Game 2 between 3rd. Group B vs. 3rd Group A
WCQ 6.1: (Oct. 15 2013): Playoff - Relegation Game 1 between Asia vs. South America
WCQ 6.2: (Nov. 19 2013): Playoff - Relegation Game 2 between South America vs. Asia

WC DRAW (December 2013): WC Groups Draw

What interests me is the last patch of games that are played between June 4th to June 18th in 2013, where we have to play two away games sandwiching a home game. But what's more worrying is the amount of travel involved in these three games, especially the last one which is either to the far east (if South Korea is in our group) or even farther, to down under (if Australia is in our group). I sincerely hope we have sown up the qualification by this time that leaves no if's and but's ... as is, unfortunately, the tradition with Iran's campaigns.


But why I still think we have a relatively easier route than many other qualifiers (except 2006 which was piss easy given the 50% chance of direct and 63% chances of direct + indirect qualification. Odds unheard of, EVER, in our history) is:

1- we get a buy in middle of the first flurry of 3 game crunch. that means rest for us and not for our next opponents (jordan or qatar) who may or may not have to travel back and forth.

2- our first 3 games are against lower ranked teams and by the time we meet the top seed, we shd be able to get plenty of points.

3- for our first 3 games we dont have to travel far and all are short distances (unless IFF does one of their cheapo schedulings, trying to save money and book us to ukraine on the way to lebanon or something!!! I swear with this IFF anything is possible)

4- our 4th game against the top seed team is AT HOME. not only we dont travel, but we're the hosts too. a slight advantage to us, if nothing else.

5- our most difficult (at least on paper) game is the very LAST one and hopefully we've sown up the qualification by the time
besides, another reason to make sure we dont NEED this particular game's points is what we faced in the last WC edition with our game being played several hours before the one in west asia. We dont want to fall into that hole once again.
I know the AFC changed things around to suit the 8-0ers. But who's gonna guarantee they'd do this for us too? I just hope the team and CQ make a note of this and do all they can to make this last game irrelevant/moot.



I'm not downplaying anything and have realistic views. But if we screw THIS up, then we really have to take a loooong look at ourselves and our claims of being asia's top team

[oldcoach]

Ideal:
Australia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon

[maij]

^ Japan will be in pot 2 with Iran.

I stand corrected

My ideal group would be :
Korea Rep.
Iran
Iraq
Oman
Lebanon

[maij]

Ideal:
Australia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon

Australia is a very powerful team at the moment. I certainly do not wish to face them at the moment, although their Average Age is a bit on the high side.