Germany and Italy make the World Cup, Argentina get closer

October 10th, 2009 | by: Rob |

Big day for the big guns today. Italy booked their tickets to the big party in South Africa next summer, with a draw against the Republic of Ireland (who now are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs). A late, late Alberto Gilardino goal denied Ireland a famous victory, and gave Italy confirmation of their spot in South Africa. It’d be wrong without the defending champions anyway, wouldn’t it?

They left it late, but they didn’t leave it as late as Argentina however, who needed a 93rd minute winner from Martin Palermo to inch them closer to a spot in next years World Cup. As things stand they still only sit in the play off place, their game next Wednesday is going to be absolutely huge. They play Uruguay, who sit just a single point behind them. A win for either side could jump them ahead of Ecuador and automatic qualification – Ecuador play already-safe Chile on the same day.

Meanwhile, Germany sweated out a sending off on Russia’s infamous Plastic Pitch to send them to the World Cup. Russia will have to be content with a place in the playoffs.

It’ll be Germany’s 15th successive World Cup Finals, and to be honest the idea of the Germans not being at a World Cup is a strange one. And I speak as someone who is obliged to not want them to do well at anything.

It was perennial World Cup goalscorer Miroslav Klose who sealed the Germans a 1-0 win, despite the inspiration of Arshavin and company, they couldn’t break the Germans down.

All eyes then, are on Argentina on Wednesday. Will they make it to the World Cup? Do you want them to? It’s going to be exciting either way.

Tags: Argentina, Arshavin, germany, Gilardino, Ireland, Italy, Klose, Maradona, plastic pitch, Russia, World Cup 2010

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Comments

By Fernando | October 10th, 2009 at 9:21 pm

YES… UNITED GERMANY makes its 7th World Cup Appearance, great for UNITED GERMANY.

For those who don’t understand what I mean, let me explain, UNITED GERMANY has intervened in 6 World Cups (34, 38, 94, 98, 02 & 06) — a country called West Germany won 3 World Cups, that country no longer exists. FIFA can try to con us that this Germany is the same association but its not. In the 1974 World Cup, East Germany intervened in that World Cup, so what do we do with those stats?

Posted from United States

By Felix | October 11th, 2009 at 12:43 am

There is not, nor has there ever been, a country called United Germany. Nor was it ever called West Germany (officially).
The Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland) or FRG/BRD on the other hand… has won three World Cups, three Euros and just qualified for its 15th consecutive World Cup.

Posted from New Zealand

By Oli | October 11th, 2009 at 4:00 am

I’ve gotta agree with Felix, because he’s the only one here with a German name.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Jose | October 11th, 2009 at 8:56 am

Felix is a damn cat’s name Oli.

Posted from United States

By Moler | October 11th, 2009 at 9:59 am

Serbia also secured place in finals, while France is going to playoffs.
Denmark clinched a spot as well I believe.

Posted from United States

By Melanie | October 11th, 2009 at 11:16 am

Of course if you want to see a more exciting World Cup you want Argentina there. A small corner of my soul would love to see Maradona fail but you can hardly call it a World Cup if Messi isn’t there.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Cerberus | October 11th, 2009 at 11:32 am

Yup, Danmark qualified and I can attest that in the bar I went to there was much stoic hugging and famously reserved rejoicing.

Portugal are pretty much a shoe-in for playoff spot so they’ll probably make it too.

Posted from Denmark

By Nick | October 11th, 2009 at 11:45 am

Trust me as a German, there is no such thing as Untied Germany. The Federal Republic of Germany has existed in one form or another after World War I and is a continuous state. East Germany was a creation after World War II and none of its stats, not in FIFA or the Olympics, count towards Germany proper.

Anyway, this is not unlike how Italy counts the World Cups it won in the Thirties. Maybe those should be attributed to Fascist Italy and United Italy going by Fernando’s criteria?

By Maik | October 11th, 2009 at 11:55 am

Actually, as things stand, Argentina (25 pts) would be making it to the cup, Uruguay (24 pts) would be playing the play offs, and Ecuador (23 pts) would be left out.

By Sam | October 11th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Uruguay beats Argentina, Ecuador beats Chile’s B-team, adios Argentina.

By Fernando | October 11th, 2009 at 3:12 pm

Ummm to answer everyone here, the answer is a flat NO! West Germany existed up until 1990 (after the last World Cup win)… then West Germany & East Germany were politically united, East Germany’s football stats ceased to exist, although they weren’t absorbed… you can’t have it both ways, if Germany wants to still be considered the Germany that won 3 World Cups and has made 15 World Cup appearances then they have to put the “West” back in… sorry.

I don’t buy FIFA’s garbage, they did the same thing to Yugoslavia, now all of Yugo’s stats belong to Serbia and before that it was Serbia & Montenegro… What Germany is doing is the biggest con job ever pulled on the unsuspecting football loving purists. They haven’t won anything… and its SIX WORLD CUP APPEARANCES ONLY and only 1 FINAL APPEARANCE which they lost to BRAZIL thank you very much.

SAM—I’m with you 100% brother!

Posted from United States

By Fernando | October 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

By the way I don’t hate Germany, I’m just being real here… I actually want to go to Germany during Octoberfest… saving up as I write this.

Lets go UNITED GERMANY!!!

Posted from United States

By Jose | October 11th, 2009 at 4:47 pm

Germany has more World Cups than Uruguay. Deal with it. And no, it is not the same as Yugoslavia. The people of Germany today, both East and West, celebrated West Germany’s victories as their own. I wouldn’t expect your opinion to change that fact on your “technicality” and, apparently, neither do FIFA. Sorry.

Posted from United States

By Nick | October 11th, 2009 at 9:38 pm

By your logic…

Brazil (known after 1964 as the Federative Republic of Brazil) only won 3 WC and Italy (now not the Fascist Republic) won 2 WC.

Learn some English and then some history. East Germany was not “united” with West Germany. All East German laws, provinces, government branches, and organizations were disbanded after 1990. You are just dwelling on a technicality for whatever reason. I am sure football purists would not approve of the way Uruguay won the WC it has by hacking, kicking, and cynically fouling opponents.

By fifa 2010 game | October 12th, 2009 at 2:40 am

The games in the qualifying matches are the open door for the teams to take advantage and play the FIFA 2010 game online

By sandrahn | October 12th, 2009 at 5:24 am

Fernando, your posts are idiotic. What a clown. I don’t know what your motive here is, why you want to discount Germany’s world cup wins. What the hell is your problem? You’re the ONLY person I’ve ever seen make an issue out of this. And your use of “intervene” makes no sense in this context, learn some English. Countries participate in the world cup, they don’t “intervene.” I’m Brazilian too, btw, but I have no interest in dismissing Germany’s proven achievements in football based on invented, a-historical, contradictory and hypocritical technicalities. Germany won the wc three times, period. Deal with it.

Posted from United States

By Fernando | October 12th, 2009 at 11:20 am

Winning by “hacking, kicking, and cynically fouling opponents”… its clear you know nothing about Uruguayan football… but if that’s how you choose to dismiss one of the best football traditions in the planet, go right ahead, you are however narrowing an appreciation for football based on stereotypes associated with Uruguayan football.

The only comment I respect is the one given by Jose, the rest seem to be just the typical, no logic, following blind rhetoric that doesn’t question any type of history, with Sandrahn’s being the most insulting, by the way, thank you for using words like clown & idiotic to describe me and my personal favorite “learn English”…

My friend, this is why its called a Blog, people venture to these types of websites, to post comments which are subjective and clearly not objective, this Mr. Sandrahn is called an opinion, maybe you should dust off your ENGLISH ONLY dictionary and look up that term… but I won’t dismiss your comments outright, clearly you go along with whatever is spoon-fed to you by FIFA, hooray, there goes another free thought into the trash bin.

Posted from United States

By Arminius | October 13th, 2009 at 11:24 am

@Nick
The Federal Republic of Germany has NOT existed in one form or another since World War I. (Misspelt “I” instead of “II” ?)

After World War I we had what was colloquially referred to as the “Weimar Republic” and after that, alas, the “Third Reich” (also coloquially).

The Federal Republic of Germany came into being in 1949
and was subsequently referred to as “West Germany”, i.e. referred to colloquially, not officially.

By Nick | October 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

@Arminus
I missed the second I.

Besides the point even in Spanish there is no such thing as West Germany. It’s just an English term to call the BRD and I guess some people just want to deny history.

By the way I watched the Carlsberg Cup match between Uruguay and Iran. It was more like a pub brawl than football. Anyway whatever!

By Enrique | October 13th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

@Fernando

I am supporter of La Celeste and what you are doing is an embarrassment to all fans of the Uruguayan team. Stop acting like a child. Germany deserves the three world cups it won, as we do the two that we did. It can’t be denied either that violence has become a disturbing part of our game lately domestically.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7735164.stm

Anyway, grow up and be a man instead of a whining baby.

Posted from United States

By Mark | October 13th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

Fernando what’s your problem did a German sleep with your girlfriend. O!!! it’s so big compared to Fernando’s Si!!!

Posted from Greece