Just A Lazy Mid-Week Day On The Pitch

Tomorrow's a much slower day in World Cup qualifying than Saturday was. But since it's the last matches (except in Africa) until after the European club seasons start back up again, I figured I'd be remiss not to mention the potential matches of the day in advance:

- Japan "at" North Korea: Due to various political items and rowdy fan issues, North Korea is actually being forced by the AFC and FIFA to play this match at a neutral site - Bankok. Now that's some kind of punishment for a team that plays in one of the last communist dictatorships on Earth! Were I a North Korean player, I'd keep wanting to break the rules to get a trip to a party hot spot paid for by government. To be fair, the world footcer community is making them play behind closed doors in an empty stadium. So at least the away fans won't get to enjoy themselves (though if North Korea lets them out, the whore houses could be full).

- Guatemala at Costa Rica: These are two North American looking for a bounce back after losing to the regional leaders over the weekend. These two are tied for third on goal differential. The winner gets back in the driver's seat for the "central American wild card spot" in CONCACAF. Hint: Trinidad & Tobago, you're not allowed.

- Scotland at Belarus: Ah, the pesky Scots. After winning over the weekend, the entirety of the media in the United Kingdom has practically taken them off of life support. But a loss in Minsk will still mean the shot in the head for the Scottish "run" (if you call one win a run). Even with a win they'll be 5 points behind Italy with four matches to go. But Scotland has one thing going for them. Due to fears of Chernobyl health effects and the fact that the team chef is "isolated from Europe and can't get the ingredients he ordinarily could," Scotland has been allowed to bring their own "food." Anyone who knows Scotland knows why food is in quotation marks.

- Ukraine at Greece: A loss for the "boring game" at home virtually spells an end to automatic qualification. They still will have 5 matches to go but with an 8 point gap and only 15 points (a good 4 behind those currently in the "lucky loser" spots), they'll have to go in through the back door playoff in Europe - unless Turkey overtakes them when qualifying resumes. A win means we may get treated to some wonderful Greek 0-0 matches in Germany. Basically it comes down to if the Ukrainian offense can beat the Greek defense. I forget how that saying goes again. Does a good offense beat a good defense or is it the other way around?

- Ecuador at Colombia: Ecuador is fresh off a win over Argentina. Colombia currently sits in sixth on point behind Uruguay (who tied Peru about two minutes ago). This is one point out of the playoff spot for South America. A win tomorrow and Bolvian upset of Paraguay and they leapfrog all the way into fourth. As I said last time, every match is big in South America.

- Brazil at Argentina: Just a battle of a couple of minnows who have never been able to do anything in footcer. I don't even know why I'm putting this match on my preview. Seriously, yes it's the biggest match in the entire world and yes like every other die-hard footcer fan on Earth, I'll be hoping to even catch fleeting glimpses of the Mount Olympus battle royale. But, it's not like we won't be seeing this matchup in more important places in the near future (like the Confederation Cup, for example) when more is on the line. Both teams have already for all intents and purposes qualified. Yawn! :) The only thing really on the line is if Argentina wins, they clinch a spot in Germany becoming only the second team to do so.