Group F is one of the most exciting groups in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers as three teams are in a dead heat for the top two spots. However, the bottom of the group looks less promising with three teams essentially out of the running. Two of those sides are Azerbaijan and Luxembourg; the two squads will face off on Friday in group play.
Azerbaijan sits in a tie with Northern Ireland for fourth place in the group. The team only has three points in six points and has yet to win a single match in the tournament. Azerbaijan opened its tournament with a 1-1 draw against Israel. In the second game on September 11, 2012, Azerbaijan lost 3-0 against Portugal. Fortunately, the team did not allow a single goal against Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. After a 1-0 loss against Russia, the squad bounced back with a 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland and a 0-0 tie against Luxembourg. Ruslan Abisov and Rauf Aliyev are the only two players to score for the team.
Luxembourg sits at the bottom of Group F with two points. The squad opened its tournament with a 2-1 loss against Portugal. After a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland, Luxembourg imploded in two straight losses against Israel; the Israelis outscored the team 9-0 through two games. Fortunately, Luxembourg managed a 0-0 draw with Azerbaijan in its most recent match to salvage one point. Daniel da Mota has scored two goals for the team.
Prediction: The two sides have yet to prove themselves capable of putting up clutch performances. Expect a slow game that ends in a 0-0 draw.
Start Time: 12:00 PM EST
TV: Cytavision Sports 2
Watch Live Stream on ESPN3 by clicking HERE.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
