Back to Europe again, as we see who the seventh team from Europe to make the finals. Last time we were here, Germany became the first top seeds to fail to automatically qualify, as they were easily bested by Ukraine:
Can Spain avoid the same fate? On paper, this group appears easier, with Scotland the only real threat. Scotland themselves should be confident of a play-off spot, with Cyprus and Albania relatively weak for 3rd- and 4th-ranked teams in a group.
Matchday 1
Spain started in a characteristic way, dominating Albania with 74% possession. They cruised to a 3-0 win, all the goals coming in the first half. Scotland also were 3-0 by the interval, with some excellent goals in the process. Unlike Spain, Scotland pushed on in the second half and romped to a 7-0 win. Meanwhile, Tomas Hubocan's goal was enough for Cyprus to battle through to beat Crimea 1-0.
Matchday 1
Spain started in a characteristic way, dominating Albania with 74% possession. They cruised to a 3-0 win, all the goals coming in the first half. Scotland also were 3-0 by the interval, with some excellent goals in the process. Unlike Spain, Scotland pushed on in the second half and romped to a 7-0 win. Meanwhile, Tomas Hubocan's goal was enough for Cyprus to battle through to beat Crimea 1-0.
Matchday 2
Latvia and Albania both earned their first point as they shared a goalless draw. Crimea, meanwhile, remained goalless as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Scotland. This was also the scoreline as Spain overcame Cyprus.
Matchday 3
Spain continued their run as they easily overcame Crimea 4-0, again hitting 74% possession. They went clear at the top as Scotland couldn't convert their dominance over Albania into anything other than a 0-0 draw. Meanwhile, Latvia took the lead against Cyprus through a long-range effort by Kamil Bilinski. They were immediately pegged back by Rubén Rayos' penalty, and in injury time Ramos' corner lead to a goalmouth scramble where Latvia's Giorgi Mchedlishvili put the ball into his own goal to give Cyprus the three points.
Latvia and Albania both earned their first point as they shared a goalless draw. Crimea, meanwhile, remained goalless as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Scotland. This was also the scoreline as Spain overcame Cyprus.
Matchday 3
Spain continued their run as they easily overcame Crimea 4-0, again hitting 74% possession. They went clear at the top as Scotland couldn't convert their dominance over Albania into anything other than a 0-0 draw. Meanwhile, Latvia took the lead against Cyprus through a long-range effort by Kamil Bilinski. They were immediately pegged back by Rubén Rayos' penalty, and in injury time Ramos' corner lead to a goalmouth scramble where Latvia's Giorgi Mchedlishvili put the ball into his own goal to give Cyprus the three points.
Matchday 4
After a strong start, Scotland had to be wary as Cyprus visited; a defeat to them (with Spain coming next) and they would slip from 2nd place. They needn't have worried, as goals from Scott Sinclair and Odsonne Edouard gave them a 2-0 win. They remained in 2nd as Spain beat Latvia 3-0, again without really going out of third gear. Meanwhile, Crimea finally got off the mark as they drew 0-0 with Albania - a third scoreless draw in a row for Albania.
After a strong start, Scotland had to be wary as Cyprus visited; a defeat to them (with Spain coming next) and they would slip from 2nd place. They needn't have worried, as goals from Scott Sinclair and Odsonne Edouard gave them a 2-0 win. They remained in 2nd as Spain beat Latvia 3-0, again without really going out of third gear. Meanwhile, Crimea finally got off the mark as they drew 0-0 with Albania - a third scoreless draw in a row for Albania.
Matchday 5
Albania's run of nothingness looked to continue after 77 minutes against Cyprus, but a poor save by goalkeeper Alban Hoxha allowed Cyprus' Ivan Trickovski to score, giving Cyprus a 1-0 win. There was still a 0-0, as the group's lowest-ranked sides, Crimea and Latvia, drew. But the main game was between the top two sides - could Scotland do what no-one else has done, and lay a glove on Spain? Nope, they lost 4-0.
So here is the table with 5 of 10 rounds of games done:
Albania's run of nothingness looked to continue after 77 minutes against Cyprus, but a poor save by goalkeeper Alban Hoxha allowed Cyprus' Ivan Trickovski to score, giving Cyprus a 1-0 win. There was still a 0-0, as the group's lowest-ranked sides, Crimea and Latvia, drew. But the main game was between the top two sides - could Scotland do what no-one else has done, and lay a glove on Spain? Nope, they lost 4-0.
So here is the table with 5 of 10 rounds of games done:
Albania, Crimea and Latvia have one goal between them. With Spain looking a class above, this appears to be solely down to the battle for the play-off spot. Scotland have generally performed better, but Cyprus have ground out wins against the teams below them.
Matchday 6
Once again, Cyprus ground out a win, as Eric Bauthéac's 66th-minute goal was the only one in their match with Crimea. Scotland left it even later against Latvia, as Edouard's scrappy goal came in the 74th minute as they also won 1-0. Spain, meanwhile, continued serenely, with a 4-0 win over Albania.
Matchday 6
Once again, Cyprus ground out a win, as Eric Bauthéac's 66th-minute goal was the only one in their match with Crimea. Scotland left it even later against Latvia, as Edouard's scrappy goal came in the 74th minute as they also won 1-0. Spain, meanwhile, continued serenely, with a 4-0 win over Albania.
Matchday 7
Albania had a good chance to get their first goal as they hosted Latvia. However, they failed to do so, and Tomislav Saric's fine effort meant that Latvia got their first win, 1-0. There was a duck broken, however, as Rayos' scored a penalty for Cyprus against Spain, the first goal the runaway leaders have conceded. This was in the 8th minute, so one would expect Spain to fight back. However, they couldn't do so, and fell two behind when Jason Puncheon(?!)'s long range shot was fumbled in by Jan Oblak. Spain still couldn't get going, and suffered their first defeat, 2-0. Scotland hung onto second spot as they beat Crimea 3-0, and thus closed the gap with Spain to 2 points.
Albania had a good chance to get their first goal as they hosted Latvia. However, they failed to do so, and Tomislav Saric's fine effort meant that Latvia got their first win, 1-0. There was a duck broken, however, as Rayos' scored a penalty for Cyprus against Spain, the first goal the runaway leaders have conceded. This was in the 8th minute, so one would expect Spain to fight back. However, they couldn't do so, and fell two behind when Jason Puncheon(?!)'s long range shot was fumbled in by Jan Oblak. Spain still couldn't get going, and suffered their first defeat, 2-0. Scotland hung onto second spot as they beat Crimea 3-0, and thus closed the gap with Spain to 2 points.
Matchday 8
Those two points represent the two dropped by Scotland when they faced Albania, and in this round they hosted them. They looked set to avenge that after James Tavernier scored a penalty in first half added time. However, before the half time whistle had gone, a ludicrous backpass from Sinclair played in Brian Brown to notch Albania's first goal this campaign. Scotland couldn't regain the lead, and so a 1-1 draw put them in a lot of trouble. This was capitalised on by Cyprus, who beat Latvia 2-1 to move into 2nd place with their 4th consecutive win. And Spain got back to winning ways emphatically, as Eden Hazard grabbed four goals in a 7-0 dismantling of Crimea.
Matchday 9
Crunch time, as Scotland visited Cyprus. Rayos got the hosts off to the perfect start with another early penalty, and from there Scotland utterly collapsed. Cyprus found themselves 4-0 up by the 26th minute, and saw that scoreline out for a fantastic victory, one which eliminates Scotland. Spain maintained their lead in the group - and effectively secured qualification - by beating Latvia 3-0, whilst Albania got their first win as Brown scored the only goal in their match with Crimea.
Those two points represent the two dropped by Scotland when they faced Albania, and in this round they hosted them. They looked set to avenge that after James Tavernier scored a penalty in first half added time. However, before the half time whistle had gone, a ludicrous backpass from Sinclair played in Brian Brown to notch Albania's first goal this campaign. Scotland couldn't regain the lead, and so a 1-1 draw put them in a lot of trouble. This was capitalised on by Cyprus, who beat Latvia 2-1 to move into 2nd place with their 4th consecutive win. And Spain got back to winning ways emphatically, as Eden Hazard grabbed four goals in a 7-0 dismantling of Crimea.
Matchday 9
Crunch time, as Scotland visited Cyprus. Rayos got the hosts off to the perfect start with another early penalty, and from there Scotland utterly collapsed. Cyprus found themselves 4-0 up by the 26th minute, and saw that scoreline out for a fantastic victory, one which eliminates Scotland. Spain maintained their lead in the group - and effectively secured qualification - by beating Latvia 3-0, whilst Albania got their first win as Brown scored the only goal in their match with Crimea.
With one game to go, this is the table:
Cyprus aren't going to turn around a 21 goal difference, so Spain are effectively through. However, this final round isn't all pointless, because if Cyprus beat Albania, they will better Poland's points tally from Group A, meaning they will become the 2nd-placed European team with the best record. If no-one bettered that, Cyprus would go into the Intercontinental Play-Off rather than the European play-offs, where there's a much better chance of qualification.
Matchday 10
After all their hard work, Cyprus couldn't see it through at the end, as they succumbed to the curse of Albania, drawing 0-0. This point meant that Albania held onto 4th spot despite Latvia beating Crimea 2-0. In the clash at Murrayfield, Scotland took the lead as Edouard broke Spain's offside trap to score, and late on a bad error by Marc-André ter Stegen allowed Leigh Griffiths to score into an open goal from 30 yards to wrap up a consolation 3-0 win for Scotland. At least Spain were already through.
Matchday 10
After all their hard work, Cyprus couldn't see it through at the end, as they succumbed to the curse of Albania, drawing 0-0. This point meant that Albania held onto 4th spot despite Latvia beating Crimea 2-0. In the clash at Murrayfield, Scotland took the lead as Edouard broke Spain's offside trap to score, and late on a bad error by Marc-André ter Stegen allowed Leigh Griffiths to score into an open goal from 30 yards to wrap up a consolation 3-0 win for Scotland. At least Spain were already through.
Final table:
The curse of Albania afflicted Scotland; without either of their two draws they would have gone through on goal difference, and may well have got the Intercontinental Play-Off spot. Anyway, Spain go through, despite their performances tailing off towards the end.
In a game of continental table tennis, we go back again to Africa next time to wrap up the final qualification group there. Egypt and Ghana are the big names in that group.
In a game of continental table tennis, we go back again to Africa next time to wrap up the final qualification group there. Egypt and Ghana are the big names in that group.