Qualification Round 2
Who's For Real?​

With the second World Cup qualification window now open, that means it's time for some more international previews! After this round of games, we'll begin to see which teams are for real and which teams will need to step up their play over the final 3 group matches. In the last round, we had 9 of the 20 nations go goalless, while only 3 nations scored multiple goals. That fact will surely play a part in some of this week's predictions, with Part 1 below and Part 2 coming Wednesday night...

PART 1: EUROPE​

SWEDEN vs. NETHERLANDS
Selvy9 danwin​

After the first set of qualification matches, Europe's Group A appeared the most even. 2 of the 3 matches ended in a draw, meaning 4 clubs are tied at 1 point. One of those clubs would be Sweden, who managed to earn a draw against Spain last month. Astonishingly, it was NOT Ibrahimovic with the goal in the 1-1 draw, as Zlatan failed to show up on the scoresheet. But don't expect that trend to continue through this match though. Selvy is a quality manager who has worked his way up to Serie A and currently sits just above the relegation zone despite using a depleted Seattle Sounders team, and I don't think he would be pleased with 1 or 2 points after his first 2 qualifiers. Sweden will be hungry for the win, but danwin does have the better team with the Netherlands. danwin hasn't had the best season with Catania in Serie B, but the Netherlands provides a nice jump in talent level for him. And despite taking over the Dutch at a later stage than most due to his recent TFS arrival, danwin managed to play Broncos218 close all match long despite his side's 1-0 loss to Poland. Don't count out the loser of this match, as teams in Group A have thus far failed to separate themselves and its still early in the qualification cycle, but I think the managerial experience of Selvy will ultimately triumph in this one.
Prediction: Sweden 2-0

FRANCE vs. TURKEY
MiaFLSurf BESHIKTAS​

In the tough Group B of Europe, France and Turkey both come into this game looking to grab some valuable points. France played to a 1-1 draw against Portugal last month, but as mentioned in the Coppa preview, MiaFLSurf isn't playing at his potential right now. His club team (Aston Villa) has failed to live up to lofty expectations after a promising Season 11, but perhaps a change of scenery and working with the likes of Franck Ribery will change Surf's fortunes. France will be favored here considering the talent disparity, and GK Hugo Lloris will certainly be tough to break down. However, I tend to side toward those playing with their hometown teams, so I'd expect BESHIKTAS to play every qualifier like its his last. Turkey can't be faulted for sitting at the bottom of their qualification group right now, as they had to play World Cup favorite Italy in their opener. Now with that game out of the way, Turkey can focus on more winnable games, starting with this one. Playmaker Arda Turan, Turkey's highest-rated player, will be counted upon to slice and dice the French defense apart, yet I still expect a quality team performance from Turkey. As mentioned earlier, both teams need to pick up any and all points in this tough group, and a poor display from the French would really dampen their hopes considering they'll play Italy next.
Prediction: Draw 1-1

BELGIUM vs. ITALY
redwings8831 shiftee​

Belgium and Italy each won in their first qualifiers, meaning the winner of this match will take sole possession for first place in Euro Group B. Both teams were favored to win in their openers, but 3 points is still 3 points! A win here for Belgium would be huge, especially considering that Italy will likely be favored against everyone else in the group. redwings has enjoyed a strong debut season in Serie A, currently sitting tied for 4th place with Fulham. Yet although redwings was known for his offensive style in the lower leagues, he's failed to duplicate that success in the top tier. Hazard, Benteke, and plenty of other attacking options will be at his disposal, and their play in this match will likely be the factor in determining whether or not Belgium comes away with some points. On the other side, Italy is expected to cruise through qualification despite being in a tough group, but a hiccup here or there could put the Italians behind the 8-ball with only 3 games to play. This match will surely be a high-flying, fast-paced type of game, but in the end, it would still be a shock if Italy were to walk away with anything besides a win.
Prediction: Italy 3-1


Here are the predictions for the other European matches:
Broncos218 Poland 1-0 Germany Frenchie1916
BigSmooth33 Czech Republic 1-1 Spain Geneseo98
pitt4life21 England 0-1 Portugal dooz


Look for Part 2 (Americas & Africa/Asia) Wednesday night!