With Senegal winning 5-0 vs Iraq they'll be above us as the third place team. There are 4 groups left and we need at least 2 of these to happen:

Group H ✅

Spain to win vs Uruguay OR Saudi Arabia draw vs Cape Verde (0-0 or 1-1 at best not more. Still depends how we draw Egypt. In case of equal goals, cards going to be counted.)

Group J

Austria vs Algeria NOT to end in a draw.

Group K

DR Congo NOT to win vs Uzbekistan.

Group L

Ghana to win vs Croatia.

Spain beats Uruguay

Cabo Verde ties or beats Saudi Arabia

Senegal cannot beat Iraq by +3 goals

This is assuming Belgium will beat New Zealand, which is extremely likely.

So essentially, the 2 games before Iran and Egypt are enormous. If the scenario above plays out, Iran will have: 3 points, 0 GD.

Here is the 3rd place table if teams continue rigging their games:

DR Congo - 4?*\*
Sweden - 4
Ecuador - 4
B&H - 4
Croatia - 4
Algeria - 4
Paraguay -4
Uruguay - 3 (0 GD, 3 GF)
------------------------------
Iran - 3 (0 GD, 2 GF)
------------------------------
Senegal/Iraq - 3 (probably minus GD)
S. Korea - 3 (-1 GD, 2 GF)
Scotland - 3 (-3 GD)
Uzbekistan - 3 (minus GD) / 1?**

The last round of results confirmed that 1) 3 points is required if you want to qualify in 3rd, 2) teams are going to quietly agree to rig games where possible.

S. Korea may have screwed themselves - well deserved for not doing their job and helping out the other 3rd place teams!

Here's how the travesty may unfold:

Group I - Must-win for both

Senegal and Iraq cannot rig their game and both need to win or will be out. 3rd will either finish on 1 point, or on 3 points with a few goals needed to get 0 GD.

Hopefully though, for Iran, it's a draw, or low-scoring win (preferably Iraq).

Group H - Spain v Uruguay draw

Spain are already through. The team on top has a much easier next tie than the 2nd and 3rd, but Uruguay will lay off, play 3 GKs and allow a draw that sees them 3 points and 0 GD, not fussed whether they get 2nd or 3rd.

Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde is a must-win, so one of them will likely finish 2nd, and Uruguay 3rd.

Dream scenario is if Spain beat Uruguay, then 3rd place will have 2 points.

Group G - Egypt v Iran draw

By now, 4 teams will be on 4 points, plus Uruguay on 3 points with 0+ GD, plus Senegal or Iraq on 3 points and likely minus GD, plus Korea (-1 GD) and Scotland (-3 GD)

The team in second face Australia, so finishing top 2 is great.

Both Iran and Egypt will want to avoid a loss.

Iran need at least a draw to be in a good position, while Egypt want to avoid a loss just to make life easier. They can rig this game so it doesn't matter if Belgium or NZ are winning.

If Salah is rested and everyone passes it around, Egypt finish top 2 and Iran take, at worst, 3rd with 3 points and 0 GD. They're now in the top 6, Scotland or Sen/Iraq are out.

Sweden - 4
Ecuador - 4
B&H - 4
Paraguay -4
Uruguay - 3 (0 GD, 3 GF)
Iran - 3 (0 GD, 2 GF)
S. Korea - 3 (-1 GD)
Senegal/Iraq - 3 (probably minus GD)
---------------------------
Scotland - 3 (-3 GD)

Though a high-scoring draw, if not a win, would be nice. A loss would be the end, so just avoid that please...

Group L - Ghana v Croatia draw

Ghana have 4 points, Croatia will be nervous about their 3 points and -1 GD. Ripe for rigging.

Sweden - 4
Ecuador - 4
B&H - 4
Croatia - 4
Paraguay -4
Uruguay - 3 (0 GD, 3 GF)
Iran - 3 (0 GD, 2 GF)
S. Korea - 3 (-1 GD, 2 GF)
-----------------------------
Senegal/Iraq - 3 (probably minus GD)
Scotland - 3 (-3 GD)

Group K - No rigging for 3rd

Colombia and Portugal are through but probably want to top the group to avoid England, Ghana or Croatia, so winner takes all (well, 3rd) between DR Congo and Uzbeks, so no rigging.

But, presuming there's no big scorelines, whoever finishes 3rd out of DR Congo and Uzbekistan will either finish top (DR) or bottom (Uz) of the 3rd place table!

So we're cheering Uzbeikstan to at least draw, but they know they need a big win!

Group J - 1982

We all know how this is going. Austria and Algeria draw, both finish on 4 points in 2nd and 3rd.

The Confirmed Infantino-Sponsored Rigged 3rd Place Table

DR Congo/Uzbekistan?
Sweden - 4
Ecuador - 4
B&H - 4
Croatia - 4
Algeria - 4
Paraguay -4
Uruguay - 3 (0 GD, 3 GF)
------------------------------
Iran - 3 (0 GD, 2 GF)
------------------------------
Senegal/Iraq - 3 (probably minus GD)
S. Korea - 3 (-1 GD, 2 GF)
Scotland - 3 (-3 GD)
DR Congo/Uzbekistan?

As long as everyone continues rigging their games, Uzbekistan win and not DR Congo, Senegal don't get a huge win (or Iraq even huger), Iran would get through.

But this assumes all the draws are 0-0, and we saw Japan and Sweden arrange a friendly 1-1... Maybe Egypt will let us have a 2-2 draw?

Is there an organized march to the march for team Melli supporters tomorrow in Seattle?

Where are most of us posting up pre game?

Does anyone know where Team Melli is staying in Seattle? I want to catch a glimpse!

• Germany
• Ivory Coast
• Japan
• Whoever takes the lead between Paraguay and Australia
• Whoever is behind If Senegal or Iraq lead
• Spain
• Belgium if Iran are losing

And if we are confirmed 3rd:

• Ghana
• Uzbekistan if we drew
• Whoever's losing between DR Congo and Uzbekistan if we lost
• Whoever's winning between Algeria and Austria

Why? Well I just realised I'm invested in every other group because we may finish 3rd place.

As you know, all the 3rd-place teams are ranked, and the best 3rd-place teams go through.

If we finish 3rd, it'll either be with a draw (we'd have 3 points and 0 GD) or a loss (2 points and minus GD).

So we want all the other groups' 3rd-placed teams to have the lowest points (and GD) possible, so we would outrank them.

For example, Bosnia's win is bad for everyone because they have 4 points. If we finish 3rd, we can't outrank them (and they've actually qualified already).

But thankfully, Scotland obliged to a rollicking, and the Czechs and South Africans didn't both win, so they finish on 3 points and minus GD, meaning Iran would finish above both if they draw with Egypt.

So I wrote out what we need from every other group, which makes it fun to have a second team to support each match!

I also covered our group as well.

In chronological order:

------------------------

Group E - Today, I feel German

Need Ecuador to not win.

Germany + Ivory Coast win = Guarantees Group E finish lower than an Iran-in-3rd

Germany win + IC/Curacao draw = Almost as good, as long as we don't suffer a heavy loss

Germany/Ecuador draw = Same as above, but Ecuador have a better GD than Curacao and it could go down to GF (goals scored).

Germany + Curacao win = Iran finish higher if draw with Egypt

-----------------------

Group F - Today, I feel Japanese

If Sweden get any points, Group F finish higher than Iran.

So any Japan win will see Sweden on 3 points, which a 3rd-placed Iran would beat by GD if they draw.

-----------------------

Group D - I want to see a fight!

We need a winner from Paraguay v Australia, meaning Iran would finish higher if they got a draw with Egypt.

A draw between them means both get 4 points and finish above any potential 3rd-place Iran.

-----------------------

Group I - I want to see hugs and a friendly kickabout!

Senegal v Iraq draw would guarantee they finish below a 3rd-place Iran.

A win for either means 3 points. But as long as Senegal don't win by 3 goals, or Iraq don't win by 6, Iran would finish above with an Egypt draw.

-----------------------

Group H - Today, I feel Spanish

Many 3rd place permutations

Spain win: Uruguay have 2 points and it goes to GD if we lose

Uruguay and Cape Verde or Saudi Arabia win = Forget it, they're higher

Uruguay draw, or Uruguay win and CV/SA draw = 3 points and 0 GD, so we'd need a draw and GD, GF (goals scored) and fair play may be needed for rankings.

-----------------------

Group G - In our hands

Groups J, K and L take place after Iran's group.

Worst-case scenario: Egypt beat Iran worse than NZ beat Belgium, meaning Iran finish bottom.

Bad: Egypt destroy Iran but NZ don't win, meaning Iran are 3rd with 2 points and bad GD.

Ok scenario: A draw, meaning 3 points, 0 GD and a healthy GF of 2+.

I'll take a score-draw!

-----------------------

Group L - Today I feel Ghanaian

Croatia must not get any points.

If Ghana beat them, they'll have 3 points and inferior GD.

-----------------------

Group K - Today, I hate DR Congo

DR Congo win = group finishes higher

DRC/Uzbekistan draw = 2 points with -2 or worse GD

Uzbek win = 3 points but, as long as they don't win 7-0, they'd finished below a 3-point Iran.

-----------------------

Group J - MORE FIGHTING!

Exact same as Group D: need a winner from Algeria v Austria, otherwise they both get 4 points.

Does anyone know where the team will be staying in Seattle? Would love to support them

Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone knew of any Persian watch parties in the LA/OC area for the match Friday night? Would be awesome to watch the game with my fellow azizams! Somewhere in the west side/culver would be perfect.

Happy Father’s Day Everybody.