Group A: Exploding With A Whimper

By: chris | November 22nd, 2007

Aside from the nauseatingly over-covered “OMFG England could stay home!!!!!!!” saga from the last round of European qualifying was the 3 team clusterfuck fighting the other spot Group A with Germany’s great disappointment/recent revival Poland. This one had all the makings. The four top teams were to meet in what should have been the last matchday of qualifying, with all avenues to Swissaustria behind decided at the last gasp. Only Zeus had a lightning bolt up his ass and felt like playing grumpy by snowing out last weekend’s Serbia - Kazakhstan game and pushing the game up to this weekend. Strike one.

That deflated the balloon a little, because Serbia was looking to cook up a little bit of revenge against the Snow Leopards, then taking on Poland while the group’s surprise, Finland, took on one of the participants in last summer’s recreation of The Thrilla In Manila (that would be Portugal, who staved off 9,812 cards to oust the Netherlands). One spot, three teams, everything left to play for.

Portugal needed one point to secure passage while Finland and Serbia both needed to taste victory to have any hopes of dancing their way through to Swissaustria. Only Portugal has been far from the Euro contender that some are predicting them to be, and haven’t produced similar results as they did last summer (we’d like to think that losing a 72 year old Figo was the difference maker). Losing only one, but drawing six with 7 victories, while none of those wins came against anyone else in the top 4 of that group. All coming against Belgium, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan (they own the ex-commies). I might be going out on a limb here, but I don’t think we’re going to see any of those teams at the final in South Africa. So, Finland and Serbia both knew all was not lost and there was still a sizable chunk of hope remaining. Some life on the horizon.

Dream scenario was Finland taking down Portugal and Serbia defeating Poland. Setting up the game this weekend where the Snow Leopards would try and make their name as Serbia’s arch enemy after a 2-1 victory over them in March, also their first ever win in a UEFA competition (’twas a most glorious victory). Scintillating stuff.

So what happened? Portugal and Finland dry humped each other to a nil-nil draw while Poland and Serbia split 4 goals to effectively take the excitement out of a potentially awesome day. (Of course, the Portuland game was reportedly exciting, but it was always more about the result.) Let’s hope Portugal brings a little bit more drama to the Euros. Or that Valentin Ivanov gets a cameo.