2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC–OFC play-off) explained

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
(AFCOFC play-off)
Event:2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
Team1:Bahrain
Team1association:
Team1score:0
Team2:New Zealand
Team2association:
Team2score:1
Details:New Zealand won 1–0 on aggregate
Firstleg:First leg
Team1score1:0
Team2score1:0
Date1:10 October 2009
Stadium1:Bahrain National Stadium
City1:Riffa
Referee1:Viktor Kassai (Hungary)
Weather1:Clear
29°C[1]
Secondleg:Second leg
Team1score2:0
Team2score2:1
Date2:14 November 2009
Stadium2:Westpac Stadium
City2:Wellington
Referee2:Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)
Weather2:Scattered clouds
13°C[2]

The 2010 FIFA World Cup AFCOFC qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the winners of the Oceania qualifying tournament, New Zealand, and the fifth-placed team from the Asian qualifying tournament, Bahrain.

The games were played on 10 October and 14 November 2009 in Riffa and Wellington, respectively. With New Zealand winning 1–0 on aggregate to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the 1982 tournament.

It was the second consecutive FIFA World Cup play-off for Bahrain, which lost 2–1 on aggregate to Trinidad and Tobago in their 2006 play-off.

New Zealand took part in their first FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play-off after years of Australia[3] appearing in the inter-confederation play-offs of 1986 vs Scotland, 1994 (1st play-off vs Canada and 2nd play-off vs Argentina), 1998 vs Iran, 2002 vs Uruguay, and 2006 vs Uruguay, and Israel appearing in 1990 against Colombia.[4]

The draw for the order in which the two matches would be played was held on 2 June 2009 during the FIFA Congress. New Zealand won 1–0 on aggregate and a second consecutive appearance for an OFC team in the FIFA World Cup.

Background

BahrainRoundNew Zealand
Team
86201211120
8431116515
831468−210
8134514−96
8116510−54
Final standings
Team
6501145915
6222121028
6213811−37
6114513−84
OpponentResultFifth round
(AFC)
OpponentResult
(H)0–01st leg
(A)2–22nd leg

Match details

First leg

GK 1 Sayed Mohammed Jaffer
RB 15Abdullah Omar
CB 16Sayed Mohamed Adnan
CB 17Hussain Ali Baba
LB 14
CM 5 Mohamed Hubail
CM 7 Sayed Mahmood Jalal
CM 10Mohamed Salmeen (c)
AM 12Faouzi Mubarak Aaish
CF 9
CF 6
Substitutions:
GK 18Abbas Ahmed Khamis
DF 2 Mohamed Husain
MF 3 Ahmed Hassan Taleb
MF 4 Abdulla Baba Fatadi
MF 13
FW 8
FW 11
Manager:
Milan Máčala
GK 1
RB 11Leo Bertos
CB 6 Ryan Nelsen (c)
CB 4 Ben Sigmund
LB 3 Tony Lochhead
DM 5 Ivan Vicelich
DM 7 Simon Elliott
CM 8
RF 14
CF 10Chris Killen
LF 9 Shane Smeltz
Substitutions:
GK 18James Bannatyne
DF 2 Aaron Scott
DF 15Dave Mulligan
DF 16Andrew Boyens
MF 12
MF 17Andrew Barron
FW 13
Manager:
Ricki Herbert
width=50% valign=topOfficials width=50% valign=topMatch rules
----

Second leg

GK 1Mark Paston
RB 11Leo Bertos
CB 6 Ryan Nelsen (c)
CB 4 Ben Sigmund
LB 12
DM 5 Ivan Vicelich
DM 3
CM 8
RF 14Rory Fallon
CF 10
LF 9 Shane Smeltz
Substitutions:
GK 18James Bannatyne
DF 2 Aaron Scott
DF 15Dave Mulligan
DF 16
MF 7 Simon Elliott
MF 17
FW 13
Manager:
Ricki Herbert
GK 1 Sayed Mohammed Jaffer
RB 15Abdullah Omar
CB 16Sayed Mohamed Adnan
CB 17Hussain Ali Baba
LB 14Salman Isa
RM 5
CM 7
LM 10Mohamed Salmeen (c)
AM 4 Abdulla Baba Fatadi
AM 12
CF 6
Substitutions:
GK 18Abbas Ahmed Khamis
DF 2 Mohamed Husain
MF 3
MF 13
FW 8 A'ala Hubail
FW 9 Husain Ali
FW 11
Manager:
Milan Máčala
width=50% valign=topOfficials width=50% valign=topMatch rules
  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • 3 (of 7) substitutions permitted

Aftermath

New Zealand qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa and were drawn into Group F with defending champions Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay. After drawing 1–1 with Slovakia in their opening match, New Zealand drew 1–1 with Italy, and in their final match, they also drew 0–0 with Paraguay; meaning they finished third in the group on three points. New Zealand's three draws meant that they were the only unbeaten team at the 2010 World Cup.

After the play-off, Bahrain qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. They went on to finish third in Group C; losing 2–1 to South Korea in their opening match, then beating India 5–2, before being eliminated from the competition after a 1–0 defeat to Australia.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History for Manama, Bahrain. wunderground.com. 2009-10-10. 2013-05-01.
  2. Web site: History for Wellington, New Zealand. wunderground.com. 2009-11-14. 2013-05-01.
  3. Australia moved to the AFC in 2006 and qualified through to the FIFA World Cup through the AFC Qualifying Rounds from 2010.
  4. Israel moved to UEFA in 1991.