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[이데일리 스타in 이석무 기자] ‘If you avoid Germany and the Netherlands and meet the United States and New Zealand (or Costa Rica), the best match!’
A total of 29 countries have been confirmed out of 32 countries that will participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. The remaining three will be taken by the winners of the European Playoff (PO) and PO of each continent to be held in June.
Now that the countries participating in the World Cup finals have been confirmed, the attention of soccer fans around the world is focused on the draw for the finals. The draw for the World Cup finals will be held at the Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, on the 2nd at 1 am (Korean time).
In the group draw, the 32 countries advancing to the finals will be divided into 8 countries from port 1 to port 4 according to the FIFA rankings. The host country Qatar and the top 7 countries in the FIFA rankings enter port 1 (jar). It then enters ports 2, 3, and 4 in each of 8 countries.
This is a measure to prevent strong teams from being grouped into one group. In addition, in terms of arrangement by continent, countries on the same continent cannot belong to a group. However, in Europe, where 13 countries are participating, two countries can be included in a group.
Korea, ranked 29th in the FIFA rankings, is ranked 21st out of 27 finalists. Port 3 is likely to be assigned along with Iran and Japan in the same Asia. If it is included in port 3, it is advantageous because it can meet the relatively weak port 4 country. In the meantime, Korea has been in the 4th pot and had to receive an unfavorable result in the group draw.
However, since two intercontinental PO winners from Asia-South America, North Central America, Caribbean-Oceania, and one European qualifier PO Group A winner were assigned to pot 4 regardless of FIFA ranking, it is difficult to say that it is necessarily advantageous for Korea according to the results of the draw. .
Port 1 is home to all of the world’s best soccer teams. Neither team looks easy. Port 1 includes the host country Qatar (No. 51), Brazil (No. 1), Belgium (No. 2), France (No. 3), Argentina (No. 4), England (No. 5), Spain (No. 7), and Portugal. (8th place) and other ‘soccer powerhouses’. Brazil, which was ranked second in the world last month, took down Belgium, which had been at the top for more than three years, to take the lead.
Port 2 includes Mexico (9th), Netherlands (10th), Denmark (11th), Germany (12th), Uruguay (13th), Switzerland (14th), USA (15th), Croatia (16th) ) belonged to Korea was tied at Port 3 with Senegal (20th), Iran (21st), Japan (23rd), Morocco (24th), Serbia (25th), Poland (26th) and Tunisia (35th).
Port 4 last included Cameroon (37th), Canada (38th), Ecuador (46th), Saudi Arabia (49th) and Ghana (60th). The winners of the intercontinental playoffs from Asia and South America, North Central America and Oceania, and the winner of the European playoffs fill the remaining three spots.
For Korea, it is meaningless to mention which team has an advantage in port 1. Anyway, Qatar, the weakest, cannot be in the same group, and the remaining seven teams are far superior to Korea.
The fate of Korea is expected to be decided by the second port. Germany and the Netherlands have recently fallen to the 2nd port due to the recent decline in FIFA rankings, but they are traditional powerhouses in world football. Even Germany was ranked No. 1 in the FIFA World Cup in Russia four years ago.
If I had to pick a team that was the easiest at port 2, it would be the United States. The United States, along with Mexico, is the leader of North and Central American football. However, in this regional qualifier, he showed an uneasy appearance. They lost to underdog Panama and drew with Jamaica and El Salvador. With 25 points from 7 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses, they barely managed to occupy the ticket in 3rd place. They had the same points as 4th-placed Costa Rica, but they pulled up ahead in the finals in goal difference.
Sportiv soccer commentator Cha Sang-yeop said, “It was successful even if at least Germany and the Netherlands were damaged in the second port.”
Pot 4 teams are opponents that Korea must win to pass the group stage. Neither team is easy, but neither team has an opponent they can’t beat. The best-case scenario is to be in a group with the winners of the intercontinental POs in North Central America and Oceania. New Zealand, who placed 1st in the Oceania qualifier, and Costa Rica, who placed 4th in the North and Central American qualifier, will face off in a single match.
The worst-case scenario for Korea is to meet the South American strongest Brazil or Argentina in port 1, Germany or the Netherlands in port 2, and the winner of European PO Group A in port 4. It truly belongs to the all-time ‘group of death’. In Europe’s PO Group A, Wales defeated Austria to advance to the final. Scotland and Ukraine will play in the semi-finals in June, and the winning team will face Wales to determine the final team.
Commentator Cha Sang-yeop said, “It doesn’t matter which team you meet as the odds aren’t great anyway in port 1,” said Cha Sang-yeop. result,” he analyzed.