RACE
TO BRAZIL 2014 GOES DOWN THE WIRE WITH PORTUGAL HOSTING SWEDEN IN A SUPERSTAR
MATCH-UP
La Seleccion host Erik Hamren’s Sweden in a must win 1st
leg affair for the right to be one of the 32 participating teams in next year’s much
anticipated Football festival in Brazil. Paolo Bento knows there’s no room for
errors like the one Rui Patricio handed out in the last qualifying match.
Victory against the Scandinavian giants will set the tone for a comfortable
night next week.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been one of the World’s great
players in the last decade. The towering attacking jewel of Paris almost
carried Sweden single-handedly in the just concluded qualifying campaign. They
were of course in a much tougher group than opponents, Portugal. This two
legged fixture pitches him against one of football’s finest ever footballers
and the best player in the World since August, Cristiano Ronaldo. After the
battles have been fought, unfortunately, one of the two biggest gladiators of
our time will not make it to South America. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
The in-form team coming into this fixture is undoubtedly
Sweden. The yellow army have won 4 of their last 5 matches losing only to
Germany in an 8 goal thriller, a carbon copy of the miraculous comeback from
4-0 down last time in Germany. This time around, DIE NATIONALELF edged this
5-3. Portugal on the other hand, has won only 2 of its last 5 games. Anything
but a resounding performance on Friday will signal the end of any World Cup
ambitions they have harboured.
The two front liners of this mouthwatering game have scored
39 goals between them in club duties this season and we are still only in
November. Cristiano Ronaldo has been head and shoulders above all the
footballers on the planet with hat-tricks in every competition he has been
involved in. 16 La Liga goals in just 11 matches played, 8 goals in 4 CL games
have been the highlights of his impressive start to the season. Ibra is not far
behind. His four goal haul in Belgium is one of the best individual
performances ever witnessed. Anderlecht were the unlucky recipients of such an
unreal masterclass display.
All will be put to bare on Friday in Lisbon when two of
Europe’s finest nations lurk horns. For all that may be said, for all that is
expected, there can be only one outcome. Only ONE of the two great nations can
compete in Brazil next year and terribly, either CR7 or Ibra will not be
able to showcase his qualities come 2014. The wait is killing us all.
PREDICTED LINEUPS-
PORTUGAL-
Patricio, Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Coentrao, M.Veloso,
Moutinho, Josue, CR7, Nani, Postiga.
Ronaldo on 43 goals is just 4 away from equally PAULETA’s
record of 47 for the Selecao. He hasn’t trained yet, but will feature on Friday
or Bento’s doomed.
SWEDEN-
Isaakson, Lustig, Nilson, Antonsson, Olsson, EKdal,
Durmaz, Wembloom, Larsson, Elmander, Ibrahimovic
If Anders Svensson enters the fray or gets a starting
berth on Friday, he will extend his appearance record for Sweden. The Saints and
Swedish football Legend has amassed a ground breaking 146 caps for the yellow
army in 14 years as a professional. His set piece and passing abilities haven’t
waned. Class is permanent.
Ohireime Eboreime
TWITTER-@ohiskaka1990
