2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification

cgf · Post #21 » by **cgf** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:16 pm

I just don't understand why Greece so steadfastly refuses to try and nurture fluid attacking football. They have the talent to build their team that way, they just seem stuck hoping for another miracle like 2004, which isn't going to come again. Play Ninis and Fortounis together behind a striker that'll actually make aggressive runs, like Salpingidis, and let the backline play the ball out instead of just hoofing it.

Post #22 » by **ATL Boy** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:07 pm

Slovakia vs Greece will be the main game to watch on tuesday, Bosnia is in a must win situation at home vs Lithuania, we wanna win the group and we can't do that if we don't beat the bottom 3 every time: especially at home

AdamTheGreek · Post #23 » by **AdamTheGreek** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:12 pm

So luck to steal 3 points from Slovakia. Thank God.

Post #24 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:28 pm

Time to get this thread started up again, Bosnia vs. Greece coming up on Friday, the Winner of the match should go on to win the group. If Greece wins they'll be 3 points clear with a really easy schedule and the best chance Bosnia would have of 1st place would be if Slovakia won in Greece or if Slovakia and one of the bottom feeders each ties with Greece (Both unlikely scenarios). Bosnia's dominating the Goal Difference because of an 8-1 mauling of Lichtenstein early on so if Bosnia wins and goes 3 points clear then it would take a loss (probably in Slovakia) AND for Greece to start winning the rest of their matches 4-0 for Greece to overcome Bosnia, unless Bosnia loses one to Slovakia and ties the return leg against Slovakia (another unlikely scenario). This is probably going to be the biggest match in Bosnia's young history and I expect for it to be a good one.

Anyway on to the match: I don't know about Greece's injury report for this one but I know for sure that Bosnia's best playmaker and arguably most important player Miralem Pjanic will miss the match, he missed the away leg against Greece too. Sejad Salihovic, another important playmaker and starter might miss this match as well, it's uncertain if he'll play. One of the replacements will be Sevilla's Miroslav Stevanovic who's young but can really make Bosnia into a faster paced team, he's been an excellent discovery by coach Safet Susic and his fast pace will be perfect opposite of Lazio's Senad Lulic on the wings (unless Salihovic does play which would be good too). Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has been in inspired form with the country lately absolutely robbing Slovenia in a friendly on multiple occasions and also saving a wonderful chance by Greece in the 2nd half of the away leg. Everyone knows about the threat Edin Dzeko poses in front of goal, and not many people are familiar with his attacking partner Vedad Ibisevic who's been on form in the Bundesliga this season and who's right there with Dzeko on the leader board for players with the most goals in the European Zone (both he and Dzeko got hat tricks vs Liechtenstein). Also up there with them on the goal scoring leader board is Zvjezdan Misimovic who's been in resurgent form for the country.

It's gonna be a great match, that's it for the Bosnia report I'll let Adam do the Greece report.

Post #25 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:52 pm

Standings

Code: Select all

                        Pld    Pts
 Bosnia and Herzegovina    4    10
 Greece                    4    10
 Slovakia                  4    7
 Lithuania                 4    4
 Latvia                    4    3
 Liechtenstein             4    0

Post #26 » by **ATL Boy** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:50 pm

Wow, Where do I begin? That was perfect for Bosnia!! We controlled the pace, dictated the tempo, our defense suffocated their offense and up until that 93rd minute consolation goal by Gekas (he should've done that 3 months ago) they didn't have a single shot on target.
Our offense was brilliant, Misimovic's set pieces were spot on, Dzeko's headers were towering and a little bit of luck in the form of Ibisevic's goal doesn't hurt either. We dismantled Greece and controlled the entire match. Asmir Begovic, the Goalie was just a spectator for most of the match and we did all that without 2 of our top playmakers in Sejad Salihovic and Miralem Pjanic (Pjanic was on the bench but there was never really much of a chance of him getting in). The Bilino Polje in Zenica was packed and filled with the noise of vibrant singing from the Bosnian 12th man for all 90 minutes. We now control the group so all that's left to say is good luck to Greece in the playoff.

AdamTheGreek · Post #27 » by **AdamTheGreek** » Sat Sep 7, 2013 12:25 am

So to my complete shock, Slovakia won at Bosnia-Herzigovina.

We barely won at Liechtenstein. Mitro-GOAL got it done though after botching quite a few attempts.
Cholevas picked up a stupid red. Thankfully, the hosts returned the favor.

We play Latvia Tuesday.

B-H and Greece are at 16 points. B-H has the tiebreaker still though so Greece needs to continue winning and we need to hope B-H gets a bad result again.

Post #28 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Sep 7, 2013 1:39 am

UGH we were severely outperformed today and deserved to lose. If we win in Slovakia then I have no doubt that we'll win the group. The added pressure from this loss makes me nervous. I'm hoping that Greece slips up to take some of this pressure off of us

Post #29 » by **ATL Boy** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:21 pm

Huge win in Slovakia!!! Coming back from 1-0 in hostile territory (of course I think there were more of our fans than theirs) was beautiful to watch. Izet Hajrovic's 30 yard bomb to win the game still has me in Awe

cgf · Post #30 » by **cgf** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:10 pm

Yeah, you guys definitely had more fans there, it was kinda incredible. You absolutely deserved the win with how Slovakia just bunkered up early in the second half and stopped playing, instead letting you guys settle in and launch attack after attack.

I am a little bummed for Slovakia as they were the better side after that wonderfully open first half, with my man Nemec even picking up the assist on Hamsik's goal. But in the second half they just refused to start playing again until you had already turned the match and taken the momentum.

Post #31 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 4:00 pm

Down to the last game. Win and you're in for Bosnia. Let's get it done and qualify for our first ever major tournament!!!

J-Mezzy · Post #32 » by **J-Mezzy** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 4:08 pm

I'll be pulling for Bosnia buddy

Post #33 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 6:27 pm

J-Mezzy wrote:I'll be pulling for Bosnia buddy

Likewise for me with Columbia (and Belgium, and my birth place of Germany) in the World Cup next summer. After Bosnia of course :wink:

J-Mezzy · Post #34 » by **J-Mezzy** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 8:33 pm

I hope we are not in the same group. When is the groups draw?

Post #35 » by **ATL Boy** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 3:12 pm

J-Mezzy wrote:I hope we are not in the same group. When is the groups draw?

December 6th

Post #36 » by **ATL Boy** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:53 pm

WE DID IT!!!!!!!! Finally, after all the years of heartbreak we're in a major soccer tournament!! This means so much to me and all the Bosnian people around the world!

J-Mezzy · Post #37 » by **J-Mezzy** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:43 pm

ATL Boy wrote:WE DID IT!!!!!!!! Finally, after all the years of heartbreak we're in a major soccer tournament!! This means so much to me and all the Bosnian people around the world!

Congrats my friend. It is nice to see new teams make the world cup. You guys have some pretty damn good players. Good luck next year and hope we don't meet each other in the WC.

Post #38 » by **ATL Boy** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:51 pm

J-Mezzy wrote:
ATL Boy wrote:WE DID IT!!!!!!!! Finally, after all the years of heartbreak we're in a major soccer tournament!! This means so much to me and all the Bosnian people around the world!

Congrats my friend. It is nice to see new teams make the world cup. You guys have some pretty damn good players. Good luck next year and hope we don't meet each other in the WC.

Thank You! Likewise with Columbia, I hope both of our teams go far next summer.

MaliBrah · Post #39 » by **MaliBrah** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:08 am

congrats to bosnia!

Point forward · Post #40 » by **Point forward** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:50 pm

Congratz BH, you deserved it. Nice to see so many (ex-)BL guys like Ibisevic, Spahic, Dzeko, Salihovic, Mujdza, Kolasinac etc. on the biggest stage.

Which two teams will move on?