The 32nd World Cup qualification campaign has already moved beyond its opening feel-out stage. With every team now having taken the field at least once, the first real picture of each group is beginning to emerge.
Albania stunned Germany, Bulgaria entered with force, Bangladesh stayed perfect, Moldova kept winning, and the United States of America answered a heavy opening defeat with one of the round’s strongest results. Here is how the tables look after the opening matches.
Albania made the headline move in Group A, beating Germany 2 : 0 to move top with four points from two matches. E. Cela and A. Hodaj struck in the second half, while goalkeeper Dimat Carcani claimed another man of the match award after also starring in the draw against Denmark.
For Germany, last cycle’s runners-up, this was a serious setback. A defeat to the WC 22 champions is no disgrace, but the manner of a goalless performance leaves pressure on the national team manager.
Denmark and Sweden drew 0 : 0, leaving Denmark unbeaten but still winless. Russia return next against Denmark, while Albania host Sweden with a chance to tighten their grip on the group.
Bulgaria entered Group B in emphatic fashion, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 : 0. H. Kirilov scored twice and C. Tomov added another as the former WC 15 champions immediately moved to the top of the table.
Uruguay also recovered strongly, defeating Ireland 3 : 0 after losing late in Round 1. E. Silveira Da Luz scored twice before S. Cabrera Alvarez sealed the win.
Bosnia and Herzegovina went from opening-round leaders to a heavy defeat, and the national team manager must take responsibility for such a sharp collapse. Round 3 now brings Uruguay against Bulgaria, a direct early test between the group’s top two.
Positions: 1st - Romania (3 points), 2nd - Norway (3 points), 3rd - Brazil (3 points), 4th - Israel (3 points), 5th - Argentina (0 points)
Argentina Crisis Deepens as Brazil Arrive
Argentina’s qualification campaign is already in trouble after a 3 : 0 defeat to Israel left them bottom with no goals and no points from two matches. For the first ever World Cup winners, this is an extreme start, and the national team manager is clearly under pressure.
Brazil entered with a 2 : 1 win over Romania, decided by W. Aviz in the 87th minute. Romania remain top on goal difference, but their perfect start is gone.
Norway, who beat Argentina in Round 1, have played only once and remain well placed. Their next match against Romania could define the early shape of the group, while Israel’s win has pulled them firmly into the qualification race.
Croatia took control of Group D with a 3 : 1 win over Greece. N. Pavlovic scored twice, either side of V. Roko’s second goal of the campaign, to lift Croatia to four points.
Chile began with a 1 : 1 draw against Estonia, after C. Araoz Reto cancelled out U. Puust’s early opener. Estonia now have two draws from two matches and remain difficult to beat.
Greece are still winless after two matches, while Thailand have played only once. Croatia next face Chile, a match that could confirm whether the WC 23 runners-up are ready to take charge of the group.
Group E had no Round 2 matches, leaving all four teams level on one point after the opening round. Serbia and the Netherlands remain tied after their 0 : 0 draw, while South Korea and Peru also sit level following a 1 : 1 result.
With only six rounds in this four-team group, the next fixtures carry major weight. The Netherlands face South Korea, while Peru meet Serbia.
For a group containing former champions Serbia and the Netherlands, plus a Peru side with multiple podium finishes, there is little room for hesitation.
Belgium moved top of Group F with a narrow 1 : 0 win over New Zealand. J. Rombaut’s penalty settled the match, giving the two-time World Cup winners four points from two games.
Turkey began with a 0 : 0 draw against Bolivia, who now have two clean sheets and two points. Jack Segura’s man of the match display in goal kept Bolivia unbeaten.
New Zealand remain second after their opening win over India, but Belgium’s response has changed the tone of the group. Round 3 brings Belgium against Turkey, another major test for the leaders.
Slovenia followed their 5 : 0 destruction of England with a 1 : 1 draw against France. M. Simonovic put Slovenia ahead before S. Segard levelled, leaving the three-time champions on four points.
South Africa also moved to four points after a 0 : 0 draw with England. Didier Reuteler’s defensive display helped South Africa keep a second straight clean sheet.
England stopped the bleeding after their opening humiliation, but one point and no goals from two matches is still a poor return. Montenegro enter Round 3 against Slovenia, while England face France in a match neither side can afford to waste.
Positions: 1st - Portugal (4 points), 2nd - Austria (3 points), 3rd - Malta (3 points), 4th - Spain (1 point), 5th - Latvia (0 points)
Malta Stun Champions as Portugal Go Top
Malta produced one of the round’s biggest surprises, beating reigning champions Austria 2 : 1. E. Xerri and J. Gauci turned the match before H. Nagele pulled one back late.
For Austria, champions in WC 31, this was a damaging early defeat. Losing to a Malta side entering its first match of the campaign puts clear responsibility on the national team manager.
Portugal moved top with a 2 : 0 win over Latvia, E. Valerio scoring both goals. Latvia are now bottom with no points and no goals after two matches, while Spain return next against Austria.
Bangladesh are the only team in Group I with a perfect record after beating Australia 3 : 2. A. Islam scored a hat-trick, including two goals in three second-half minutes, to take Bangladesh to six points.
Iceland entered with a dramatic 3 : 2 win over Finland. O. Egilsson, E. Gislason and G. Elfarsson struck in a wild spell around half-time, enough to survive Finland’s response.
Australia now have two defeats from two matches despite scoring twice in Round 2. The national team manager must take responsibility for a start that has already left them chasing the group.
Moldova continued their excellent start with a 3 : 2 win away to Czech republic. D. Croitoru scored twice again, taking his tally to four goals in two matches and keeping Moldova perfect.
Colombia moved second with a controlled 2 : 0 win over Canada. J. Correa and J. Vaca scored, while Nicolas Laverde’s goalkeeping display secured the clean sheet.
Canada are now bottom with two defeats and no goals scored. China have only played once and remain unbeaten, but Moldova’s six-point start has already set the pace.
The United States of America responded to their opening 3 : 0 defeat against Poland by beating Switzerland 3 : 0. R. Woods, M. Barros and J. Stutler scored in a result that completely reopened Group K.
For Switzerland, who had beaten Venezuela 5 : 1 in Round 1, this was an extreme swing. The national team manager must answer for a three-goal defeat immediately after such a dominant start.
Poland remain top after a 1 : 1 draw with Italy, with N. Jestrimski cancelling out E. Maritato’s opener. Venezuela return next against Poland, while the USA face Italy.
Lithuania opened their campaign with a 3 : 2 win over Japan, recovering from two early goals down. M. Vaivada scored twice and J. Lavrinovicius also struck in a strong comeback performance.
Mexico bounced back from defeat to Scotland by beating Hungary 1 : 0, thanks to O. Berrocal’s early goal. Jago Bolivar’s man of the match display kept Hungary out.
Four teams now sit on three points, although Scotland and Lithuania have each played only once. Japan, meanwhile, are bottom after two defeats, and their national team manager is already facing questions after losing from a winning position.
The 32nd U21 World Cup qualification campaign has moved beyond the opening feel-out stage. Most teams have now played twice, and with only the top two in each group qualifying for the U21 World Cup, every dropped point is already starting to carry weight.
Some former powers have answered early questions, some favourites are still waiting to settle, and a few national team managers are already under heavy scrutiny after results that were simply too big to ignore.
Bolivia have made the strongest start in Group A, following their opening 2:0 win over Slovakia with a 4:1 victory against Venezuela. X. Sola was the headline name with a hat-trick, while Berti Jolie’s defensive display earned him man of the match.
Slovakia recovered well from their first defeat, beating Italy 3:0 away with P. Antalik scoring twice. For Italy, opening the campaign with a three-goal home defeat is a serious warning, and the responsibility sits firmly with the national team manager.
Group B: Thailand’s early shock still shapes the table
has not played a second round yet, leaving Lithuania and Thailand in the qualification places after their opening victories.
Thailand’s 2:1 win over four-time champions Bosnia and Herzegovina remains the group’s biggest story, especially after S. Ratamahawong struck late to decide it. Lithuania lead on goal difference thanks to a 3:0 green-table win over Estonia, but the next meeting between Thailand and Lithuania could quickly define the early hierarchy.
Slovenia have started like a former champion with unfinished business. After Klavdij Mlakar’s hat-trick in the 3:0 win over China, they crushed Hungary 4:0, with Mlakar scoring twice more.
That result changed the mood of the group. Hungary’s opening 4:2 win over Uruguay looked promising, but a four-goal defeat immediately raises questions for the manager. Austria and China drew 0:0, giving both their first point but leaving them already chasing Slovenia’s pace.
Spain remain top of Group D, but their 1:1 draw with India stopped the momentum from their extraordinary 9:0 opening win over Canada. U. Khuthuria gave India the lead before J. Nebot rescued Spain a point.
Scotland entered with a clean 3:0 win over Canada, who now have no goals scored and twelve conceded. After two heavy defeats, the Canada manager has nowhere to hide.
Turkey lead Group E with two wins from two after beating Germany 4:1. T. Erdem scored a second-half hat-trick, while Marcellus Giegerich’s red card made Germany’s collapse even worse.
Mexico bounced back from their defeat to Denmark by beating Greece 2:0, with Roberto Montagud and G. Ortiz both scoring. Denmark have played only once, but their upcoming meeting with Turkey now looks like an early battle for control.
Group F has already become tight, with four teams on three points. Sweden opened with an impressive 2:0 win over Israel, while Chile recovered from their first defeat by beating Iceland 3:1.
S. Isasmendi Sola scored twice for Chile, overturning Iceland’s lead before J. Figueroa Chaile sealed it. Israel and Iceland both started well, but the second round proved this group will not be decided quietly.
Algeria and Albania remain level at the top on four points. Algeria followed their 3:1 win over New Zealand with a 2:2 draw against Serbia, while Albania drew 1:1 with New Zealand.
Serbia showed attacking promise in their first match, but giving up an early two-goal position against Algeria will frustrate the manager. Belgium, beaten 2:0 by Albania in round one, have still played only once and need a response quickly.
Brazil, the reigning U21 World Cup champions, already look in command. After beating Australia 2:1, they scored four times in the first 21 minutes against Montenegro and won 4:0.
Australia reacted well by beating Russia 2:0 through a Courtney Richards double. Montenegro’s four-goal defeat on debut was extreme enough to put immediate pressure on their national team manager.
Argentina moved top of Group I with a 3:0 win over Bangladesh after their opening 0:0 draw with Switzerland. M. Saravia Sivilat struck twice inside seven minutes to settle the match early.
Malta also made a strong entrance, beating Switzerland 2:0 through M. Pellicano and C. Saliba. Croatia have played only once, but their 3:0 win over Bangladesh still keeps them firmly in the qualification picture.
England lead Group J after following their 1:1 draw with the Netherlands by beating Latvia 3:1. R. Alfredson scored twice, continuing his strong individual start to the campaign.
Poland opened with a 0:0 draw against the Netherlands, leaving the recent back-to-back runners-up with work to do but no damage yet. Latvia, meanwhile, have only one point from two matches and already sit under pressure.
Czech republic remain first in Group K after a 1:1 draw with Portugal, adding to their opening 5:2 win over the United States of America.
The USA responded strongly by beating Bulgaria 5:0, with C. Loeb scoring a hat-trick. For Bulgaria, two defeats and seven goals conceded is an alarming start, and the manager must carry the blame for such a heavy collapse.
South Korea are the only team in Group L with a perfect record, beating Japan 1:0 after their opening 2:0 victory over Romania. Weon Kee Mo scored the decisive goal against Japan.
Moldova produced the most brutal result of the round, destroying Finland 12:1. Dmitrii Bacataru scored three times and was named man of the match, but a defeat of that size is above all a managerial disaster for Finland.
The second round of the 32nd U19 World Cup qualification campaign delivered exactly what youth football so often promises: chaos, momentum swings and brutal wake-up calls. Scotland continued their scoring avalanche, Bosnia and Herzegovina suddenly look like genuine contenders, while traditional powers such as Spain and the Netherlands are already staring at qualification trouble after disastrous starts.
Several groups are beginning to split between early frontrunners and desperate chasers, while others remain completely open heading into the next set of decisive fixtures. With only the top two teams advancing to the U19 World Cup, the pressure is already growing across every corner of the qualification stage.
Bosnia and Herzegovina are the early rulers of Group A after a ruthless 4-0 win over Czech republic. N. Sainovic, M. Skandro, A. Bajic and R. Stepinac all scored, while goalkeeper Marko Juricic collected another man-of-the-match award.
That result pushed Bosnia to six points from two matches with no goals conceded. Czech republic remain second, but the heavy defeat damaged both confidence and goal difference.
Sweden began with a 1-1 draw against Australia, leaving both sides chasing. Bosnia now face Sweden next, with a chance to tighten their grip on the group.
Scotland followed their 20-0 opening demolition of Spain with a convincing 4-1 win over Russia. L. Jack scored twice, while Scotland again looked like the strongest side in the group.
The bigger story, however, was another disaster for Spain. After losing 20-0 to Scotland, they fell 5-0 to Thailand. This was another extreme result, and the blame clearly sat with the Spain U19 national team manager, who was removed after the second catastrophic loss.
Thailand now enter the qualification race with confidence, while Russia and Italy remain under pressure behind Scotland.
Latvia have made a perfect start, adding a 3-0 win over Greece to their opening victory against Algeria. With five goals scored and none conceded, they sit top with six points.
Algeria recovered from their opening defeat by beating Bangladesh 2-1, but the former U19 World Cup winners remain behind Latvia and Slovenia in the early picture.
The next match is huge: Slovenia meet Latvia. Slovenia opened with a 3-0 win and now have the chance to pull level at the top.
Lithuania continued their excellent start with a 2-0 win over India, following up their earlier victory against the Netherlands. H. Sestokas and G. Preidys scored again, keeping Lithuania perfect.
Poland, the reigning U19 World Cup champions, entered the campaign with a professional 2-0 win over the Netherlands. T. Markiewicz and W. Blas delivered the goals, while Leon Korzeniowski was named man of the match.
The Netherlands, two-time champions, now have two defeats from two matches. Their national team manager faces serious pressure after such a damaging start.
Croatia opened their campaign in style, beating Estonia 3-0. Alberto Dracar scored twice in a rapid second-half burst and was named man of the match.
Japan recovered from their opening defeat by beating Albania 2-1, leaving Albania bottom after two losses. The United States remain unbeaten after their opening win, but did not play this round.
With Croatia, USA, Estonia and Japan all sitting on three points, Group E already looks tightly packed.
Moldova followed their 4-1 win over Mexico with a narrow but important 1-0 victory over Portugal. E. Petrov scored the only goal, and Moldova now sit top with six points.
Romania matched them by beating Mexico 2-0. Ferdinand Tecuta scored twice and has become the early headline player of the group after also hitting a hat-trick in Round 1.
Mexico are now winless after two matches, while Portugal began with defeat. The coming Moldova-Romania meeting already feels like a battle for control.
Iceland remain top of Group H, but their perfect start was interrupted by a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. G. Gestsson and O. Noason scored again, but Uruguay answered with two second-half goals.
Bolivia, third in the last U19 World Cup, entered with a 2-2 draw against Belgium. Lucas Piron scored twice for Belgium, while Bolivia showed enough to suggest they will be central to the qualification fight.
England remain bottom after their 9-0 opening defeat, a result that still reflects badly on their national team manager.
South Africa are flying in Group I after a 5-0 win over Israel. M. Chinyamurindi and D. Romano both scored twice, while goalkeeper Makhosonke Tshabangu earned another man-of-the-match award.
Bulgaria also made a major entrance, beating Montenegro 3-0. That result halted Montenegro’s good opening momentum and immediately pushed Bulgaria into the top-two race.
Israel have now lost twice without scoring, while South Africa have nine goals from two matches.
Denmark opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Venezuela, who had started with victory over Malta. T. Olsen and C. Gregersen scored for Denmark, while Tony Urbano struck again for Venezuela.
France recovered from their opening defeat to Chile by beating Malta 2-1. Thomas Regnier scored early and was named man of the match.
With Chile, Venezuela, Denmark and France all on three points, Group J has become one of the tightest races of the cycle.
Brazil remain top of Group K, but they were held to a 1-1 draw by Colombia. Edvan Cajazeiras scored again, continuing his strong start to the campaign.
New Zealand also drew 1-1, this time against Hungary. Curtis Anderton scored for the second straight match, keeping New Zealand level with Brazil on four points.
Argentina, former U19 World Cup winners, did not play and remain pointless after their opening defeat. Their next match against Brazil now carries enormous pressure.
Austria are top of Group L after a dominant 4-0 win over China. L. Bertignoll scored twice, while Austria now have six points and no goals conceded.
Switzerland, former U19 World Cup champions, began with their own 4-0 win, beating Ireland comfortably. Serbia also remain perfect after one match, making this group look dangerous at the top.
China and Ireland have both lost twice, while Austria now prepare for a major test against Switzerland.
The second round has already turned the qualification campaign into a serious contest. Some favourites have confirmed their power, some outsiders have announced themselves, and several historic names are already being forced into recovery mode.
The 32nd U17 World Cup qualification campaign has already moved beyond its opening feel-out stage. Across most groups, teams have now shown their first real cards, and with only the top two advancing to the U17 World Cup, early dropped points already carry weight.
Former champions have made statements, recent finalists have stumbled, and several managers are already under pressure after heavy defeats. With that in mind, here is how the group battles are taking shape.
Brazil Enter Like Champions, Croatia Recover From Disaster
Brazil opened their campaign with a ruthless 4-0 win over Lithuania, powered by a Prieto Kologeski hat-trick after C. Bazilio had struck early. It was a reminder of Brazil’s U17 pedigree and immediately placed them top of the group.
Croatia also bounced back from their humiliating 5-0 loss to Lithuania, where the manager was clearly at fault for fielding only eight infield players. Their 5-0 win over Russia repaired some damage, while Russia fell sharply after their narrow opening win over Bulgaria.
France began with a 5-2 win over Malta, but Sweden made the loudest move of the second round by beating Montenegro 4-1. H. Holmgren scored twice, while Jonas Oliversson was named man of the match.
Venezuela recovered from their opening defeat by beating Malta 4-2, leaving four teams on three points. Malta’s manager must take responsibility for nine goals conceded in two matches.
Slovenia have started like true contenders, following a 4-1 win over Slovakia with a 4-0 victory against Canada. B. Birsa has already become the group’s headline name, scoring four goals across the two matches.
Moldova, the WC 30 champion, also began strongly with a 3-0 win over Slovakia. Slovakia’s manager is already under serious pressure after two heavy defeats and a 1-7 goal difference.
Switzerland lead Group D after beating Uruguay 3-0 and then holding South Korea to a 0-0 draw. Gregoire Lamprecht’s performance in goal preserved that clean sheet.
Chile entered with a 4-2 win over Denmark, with Roberto Lopez Isasmendi scoring twice. Denmark’s manager must be concerned after seven goals conceded in two matches, even if the attack has produced five.
Belgium are the only team in Group E with six points, winning both matches 1-0. R. Masson scored the decisive goal against both Thailand and Norway, while Sacha Rousseau was twice named man of the match.
Iceland made a powerful entrance with a 4-1 win over Thailand, scoring three times in a five-minute first-half burst. Thailand’s manager must answer for a second defeat and five goals conceded.
Argentina have six points from two matches after beating Mexico 2-1 and Israel 3-2. Gerard Rivero scored decisive late goals in both matches, including a penalty winner against Israel.
Colombia also started well, beating Finland 1-0 thanks to an own goal. Finland and Israel are already chasing, while Mexico still wait for their second chance to respond.
China made a spectacular entrance by beating former champion Czech republic 4-1. After falling behind to an early penalty, China scored four times after half-time, with B. Yuan netting twice.
The Czech manager must take responsibility for such a collapse, especially from a team with a U17 World Cup title in its history. Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina remain unbeaten, but both have drawn twice.
England have opened with two wins, beating South Africa 2-0 and the United States of America 2-1. Morty Earl scored twice in the second match to keep England perfect and establish the former champion as the early pace-setter.
Poland, the reigning U17 World Cup champion, also began strongly with a 3-0 win over the USA thanks to a brace from Nikodem Andruczyk. While Andruczyk suffered an injury in a club friendly before the second round, Poland were fortunate to have the bye week at exactly the right moment and should be at full strength today.
Austria also made a solid start by defeating South Africa 2-0, while the USA manager is already under pressure after two defeats and five goals conceded.
Estonia and Serbia share the lead on four points. After drawing 1-1 with each other, both produced 4-1 wins: Estonia against India, Serbia against Netherlands.
That Serbian win was a major statement, especially against a Netherlands side with two U17 titles in its past. The Dutch manager now faces pressure after conceding six goals in two matches despite opening with a 3-2 win over Portugal.
Germany are the early leaders in the four-team Group J after beating Ireland 3-1. D. Dietrich scored twice and was named man of the match.
Japan and Bangladesh drew 1-1, leaving both with a point. With fewer matches in this group, Ireland’s manager must respond quickly after conceding three in the opener.
Australia made an impressive entrance with a 3-0 win over Hungary, as E. Rix scored twice and Brad Anderson was named man of the match.
Scotland had opened with a wild 5-3 win over Italy, but then lost 2-1 to Bolivia. Italy’s manager must still answer for conceding five in the opener, while Group K now has four teams on three points.
Romania have made the strongest start in Group L, beating Algeria 5-1 and Albania 4-2. F. Munteanu scored in both matches, including twice against Albania.
New Zealand sit second after beating Albania 3-2 and drawing 0-0 with Peru. Algeria’s manager must take responsibility for the heavy opening defeat, while Albania already face pressure after two losses despite scoring four goals.
