European Qualifiers

[AthleticoSpizz]

Leichtenstein very much in the driving seat, 2-0 win v Lithuania

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

Russia beats Armenia easily.
Andorra stilled tied with Slovakia in the 60th
Gylfi starts for Iceland
And in RoI news, Robbie Keane puts Éire 1-0 up over Macedonia in the ninth minute, assisted by Cox. Shane Long on the bench.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

...and Montenegro open the scoring against Bulgaria on 52'

[RoyalChicagoFC]

^Now level

Elsewhere, O'Shea gets away with hauling a man down inside the area

[Starfish]

We're not doing too badly all facts considered, the facts being that we're missing some of our best players, that Macedonia have had 65% possession, and that our back four is Stephen Kelly, Darren O'Dea, John O'Shea, & Zinedine Kilbane. There are definitely goals for Macedonia in the game though - no counting of chickens being done chez Starfish - 2-2 after 90 minutes is not beyond this Irish team.

And although I am not terribly fond of Robbie Keane, 51 international goals is not bad going.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Bulgaria really did England a solid tonite and indeed wouldn't have stolen anything had they taken all three points home from Podgorica

All Slovakia could do to get a 1-0 result at home to Andorra, and that's likely to be wiped in the final accounting in any case

Gylfi went the distance as Iceland succumbed 0-2 to Denmark

Also in Group H, this Portugal-Norway encounter --goalless after 45 minutes-- will go some way toward seeing who gets left out altogether (and Norway won the reverse fixture 1-0)

We've got Spain over here for a friendly at this moment --60K in attendance, which is unheard of for a match played only for fun

Big respect to Villa, Busquets and Piqué for starting just a week after winning the Champions League to cap off a very long season

Iniesta's on the bench along with Pedro, and I don't imagine that Xavi even got on the plane

[AthleticoSpizz]

All Slovakia could do to get a 1-0 result at home to Andorra,

that has to be the biggest ever humiliating victory

[Starfish]

0-2 is something I would not have placed money on. Pleased.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Big result that the Republic more or less had to have sets things up for a great finish in Group B

Three-sided deadlock atop Group H as well now Portugal have beaten Norway 1-0

That Austria-Germany match unfolded in an interesting way on Friday

Spain clobbering my guys over here ---it was 0-3 before HT and so it stands, but tbf we're playing a buncha n00bz with group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup set to kick off for ours on Tuesday (and a berth in the 2013 Confederations Cup on offer to the eventual winners)

Full credit to Spain for bringing the big guns and unleashing 'em before moving on to play Venezuela in midweek

Oh, Torres just used both posts to add his side's fourth lol

[RoyalChicagoFC]

^Damned vexing innit

You just know the fracking 'Guese will be there among the sixteen, one way or another and no matter what, etc

[Stuka]

I went to England v Switzerland.

When the Swiss keeper was about to take a goal kick or one of their players did a free kick, their own fans made that building up "whoa" noise- the same as we do normally to put opponents off, only they do it to encourage them. Substantial culture differences between us and the Swiss I tell you.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

#Tuesday

Oh dear Estonia, two goals in arrears away to Faroe Islands and now playing with ten men with an hour gone in that one --would all but sink the visitors in Group C if it stands

Germany 3-1 winners away to Azerbaijan, albeit after getting a scare when, up 0-2 on 89', the hosts pulled one back

Sweden clobbering Finland at home and need those three points as they're chasing the Dutch atop Group E and fellow pursuers Hungary are winning away at San Marino

Bosnia-Herzegovina just opened the scoring at home against Albania in a crunch match between mid-tablers in Group D, where Belarus handled Luxembourg 2-0 earlier (a result that may get pitched in the final reckoning)

About 20 minutes for B-H to hold on

[Mr Angry]

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 up away at Italy; 20 mins to go. MASSIVE result if it stays like this, or even if Italy get an equalizer (frankly, the Italians are playing gash tho).

Shane subbed after 60 mins, being replaced by Simon Cox.

[NR_Royal]

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 up away at Italy; 20 mins to go. MASSIVE result if it stays like this, or even if Italy get an equalizer (frankly, the Italians are playing gash tho).

Shane subbed after 60 mins, being replaced by Simon Cox.

You do realise that this is a friendly???

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Bos-Herz add another late on to put it to bed against Albania, who finished the match with ten men

The ten men of Estonia lose at Faroe Islands, but unless the hosts can get in front of NI and off the foot of the group table, that result won't factor in the final accounting (and really stoopid that IYAM)

Speaking of results that won't count, no surprise as Hungary walk out of San Marino easy winners

Ibrahimovic a hat-trick for Sweden --and he entered as a sub on 25'

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 up away at Italy; 20 mins to go. MASSIVE result if it stays like this, or even if Italy get an equalizer (frankly, the Italians are playing gash tho).

Shane subbed after 60 mins, being replaced by Simon Cox.

Although it is a friendly it is still a great result as Simon Cox nets one as RoI wins 2-0

[Stuka]

Bos-Herz add another late on to put it to bed against Albania, who finished the match with ten men

The ten men of Estonia lose at Faroe Islands, but unless the hosts can get in front of NI and off the foot of the group table, that result won't factor in the final accounting (and really stoopid that IYAM)

Speaking of results that won't count, no surprise as Hungary walk out of San Marino easy winners

Ibrahimovic a hat-trick for Sweden --and he entered as a sub on 25'

I must admit, and I'm not taking the mickey here, I admire your ability to follow so much football!

[Mr Angry]

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 up away at Italy; 20 mins to go. MASSIVE result if it stays like this, or even if Italy get an equalizer (frankly, the Italians are playing gash tho).

Shane subbed after 60 mins, being replaced by Simon Cox.

You do realise that this is a friendly???

Er....no, I didn't!!

I was trying to guess where they were playing cos I thought it looked a little underwhelming.......apparantly they are playing in Belgium!

LOL - thats my tw@t of the day award then.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

FROFLMAOiendLOLies --what a way to clutter to the point of ruin a perfectly good light programme of qualifiers

And there's nada to it really, Stukes --two of the games were stream-able over here on ESPN3.com (Azerbaijan v. Germany and Sweden v. Finland, viewable on picture-in-picture --but it kept overloading my laptop, and so in the end I had to follow all of it via text commentary); planned my whole day around it, f'realz

Spacey* would've loved this --they just played La Marseillaise in Detroit --Guadeloupe and Panama just now kicking off, after which the St8s and Canada go at it in the opening round of group play of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, oo arr

This one's for qualification to Confederations Cup 2013, as noted previously

[RobRoyal]

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 up away at Italy; 20 mins to go. MASSIVE result if it stays like this, or even if Italy get an equalizer (frankly, the Italians are playing gash tho).

Shane subbed after 60 mins, being replaced by Simon Cox.

Although it is a friendly it is still a great result as Simon Cox nets one as RoI wins 2-0

It's a bit sad that come next season they'll all be ex-royals, but what an impressive thing it is for the club to have contributed three players to a side that beats Italy in Italy. Sounds like Long played well, S Hunt set up both goals, with Cox scoring the second. Italy 0 - 2 Reading.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... d-friendly