Catalonia seems like such an embarrassing thing to get emotional about after what happened today in Las Vegas. I said yesterday I don't fully understand, can't understand, the desire for independence for many people in Catalonia. There's a good argument for it, but it's not my business to offer my fully unqualified opinion. But guns? Why? Why have them? Why make them so readily available? To defend yourself? If the other person didn't have a gun, would you really need one?
So I'll defer to what I really do have an opinion about and what is a good escape. This Thursday, October 5th, is a great day in football. It's the start of the penultimate round of qualifiers for Russia 2018. Between Thursday and next Tuesday almost all the spots will be filled.
Australia play Syria in what is undoubtedly a very historic affair. The winners of the two-legged playoff will play the fourth placed team in the CONCACAF region for a place in Russia. Syria are that close. This needs a post of it's own.
There's so much else happening on Thursday. Every match in South America feels like a cup final. Argentina, on the brink of elimination, play the late surging Peru, on the brink of qualifying for the first time since 1982. Uruguay play in Venezuela, looking for a win to keep them ahead of the madness that might unfold beneath them. Likewise, Colombian fans will be expecting a win against Paraguay to avoid last day nerves. Paraguay will be looking for the upset and a win to really complicate matters, possibly, for Argentina and Chile. Chile haev to beat Ecuador to stay in serious contention and prevent Ecuador joining in the last day fun. Oh what a day and night all across South America.
England will expects a win against Slovenia to secure qualification. Scotland will be battling for a win of their own over Slovakia and an English vctory to give the Scots sole possession of second place and a potential playoff spot.
Northern Ireland, already punching way, way above their weight are probably anything is now possible as they entertain Germany. A win for the Irish would get them within 2 points of the group leaders with one match left. A place in the playoffs is already an incredible achievement for Northern Ireland.
Poland can be pretty much home ane dry with a win in Armenia. The two joint second placed teams in that group, Montenegro and Denmark play each other. They are three points behind Poland and will hope for an Armenian upset.
And, on the same day as all this excitement, Malta host Lithuania in what will be coach Pietro Ghedin's penultimate match in charge. The nice guy, the gentleman, they say; the coach of a team that has fallen further behind Luxembourg, Cyprus and Andorra. But still of course, amongst the bonanza in Buenos Aires, the urgency of the Uruguayans, the excitement of the English (not!) and the madness in Montenegro, I will be looking out for the result from Malta. Once a fan, forever a fan.
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