France/Spain and Mexico/USA. What More Could a Football Fan Want From a Day?

Mexico v USA and France v Spain.

What more could a football fan want?

In Paris, World Champions Spain find themselves in the unusual position of second in the group, after Teemu Pukki’s late equaliser deprived them of a win at home to Finland. France were beating Georgia at the time.

With only five teams, this is an eight game group so a French win would extend their lead to five points with both sides only having three to play.

That would leave Spain with the ignominy of a play-off against another second place side. Eight of the nine best second finishing sides enter a knock out round to join the group winners in Europe to bring them to 13 qualifiers.

Most attention on our continent will be focused on the Estadio Azteca, where old rivals Mexico and the USA meet.

Neither has begun the Hexagonal Group well. Both sides failed to win in Honduras. Mexico drew their other game with underrated Jamaica while the Americans overcame Costa Rica under controversial circumstances in the Denver snow.

That 1-0 win is the only victory the two giants have between them so far. Unless the Mexicans take advantage of their second home game of the series, they will be winless after three of the ten games.

The CONCACAF still has a massive safety net with the top three of six qualifying for the World Cup, and the fourth side meeting lowly New Zealand to join them.

Costa Rica v Jamaica and Panama v Honduras are the other matches today.

HEXAGONAL UPDATED TABLE
POS		TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A		GD	Pts
1		Honduras	2	1	1	0	4	3		1	4
2		USA	2	1	0	1	2	2		0	3
3		Mexico	2	0	2	0	2	2		0	2
4		Panama	2	0	2	0	3	3		0	2
5		Jamaica	2	0	2	0	1	1		0	2
6		Costa Rica	2	0	1	1	2	3		-1	1

 

We will follow the big games in both continents.

In Europe the top two in Group 8, England and Montenegro meet in Podgorica. The thought of the tiny ex- Yugoslav state topping England in the group seems as unlikely as Spain finishing second.

In Group 4, Netherlands v Romania and Turkey v Hungary see the top four pitted against each other. The Turks are trailing badly and need the bridge the four point gap above them between both Hungary and Romania who have ten points. They also have to rely on the Dutch to dispatch Romania.

Denmark v Bulgaria is another key game with the 3rd place Danes four behind the Bulgars but with a game in hand. Italy are a point ahead of Bulgaria but play pointless Malta in Valetta so should tighten their grip on Group 2.

Some matches are already underway in and it is bad news for Portugal who are drawing 0-0 in Azerbaijan.

Follow all the day’s news between now and the big Mexico v USA kick off on our World Cup Round up Page.

Result
Armenia 0-3 Czech Rep

Latest
Estonia 2-0 Andorra
Azerbaijan 0-0 Portugal

Kick off times Eastern:

3/26 14:30 EDT Turkey v Hungary
3/26 15:00 EDT Ukraine v Moldova
3/26 15:15 EDT Denmark v Bulgaria
3/26 15:30 EDT Serbia v Scotland
3/26 15:30 EDT Netherlands v Romania
3/26 15:45 EDT Belgium v Macedonia
3/26 15:45 EDT Wales v Croatia
3/26 15:45 EDT Malta v Italy
3/26 15:45 EDT Ireland v Austria
3/26 15:45 EDT Germany v Kazakhstan
3/26 15:45 EDT N Ireland v Israel
3/26 15:45 EDT Poland v San Marino
3/26 16:00 EDT Montenegro v England
3/26 16:00 EDT France v Spain