The results of the draw for the top 18 of the World Preliminary Tournament have been decided, but the discussion of the draw continues.
1. In the World Preliminaries, Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia have been in the same group for three consecutive years, and Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and China have been in the same group for two consecutive years, is it a pure coincidence?
There is a saying that the AFC Association made Australia retreat and return to the Oceania Football Association. In the past, there were only 0.5 quota places for the World Cup in Oceania, and Australia had to participate in the play-offs if they wanted to qualify for the World Cup, but it is easier for Australia to get a direct spot in Asia with its strength.
Now that the number of places in the Oceania World Cup has increased to 1.5, looking at other opponents, Australian football is in a league of its own. In the last World Cup, Australia and Japan, Saudi Arabia failed to qualify in the same group, this time the three teams met again, Australia did not get the absolute certainty of directly qualifying from the group, if placed in Oceania, Australia's place to qualify for the World Cup is almost a pinch.
After Australia joined the Asian Football Association, the level of Asian football as a whole has not improved, and the expulsion of Australia back to Oceania has become the mainstream demand of Asian football.
2. North Korea successfully avoided South Korea, and Iraq successfully avoided Iran.
With so many coincidences coming together, it's a bit of a surprise!
After the draw results came out, Ivan said: "The round of 18 is not a formality, you have to play your own ideas instead of focusing on the opponent", Ivan also said that young players will be further used in the round of 18, such as Zhang Linpeng, Elkeson and other older players are difficult to be selected for the next national football team, the national football team has nothing to lose, and strive to make this national football team play a modern football style!
Ivan's performance in coaching the national football team in these games is not good, but what makes fans talk about is that Ivan dares to use young players in major games, and the performance of these young players also makes the fans shine.
"We don't want to be a guest in the round of 18", although the original intention is good, but with the strength of the existing international players, if there is no reinforcement of outstanding naturalized players, the national football team has little chance of qualifying for the World Cup, and the fans are even less hopeful. But if a group of young players with outstanding abilities can be discovered in the top 18 games, and the strength of Chinese football can be improved after the baptism of the competition, this may be the greatest significance of the top 18 matches!
In the round of 18, we might as well play it as a World Cup, and fans might as well watch it as a World Cup!