The expanded 48-team World Cup format faces a major test of sporting integrity as multiple final-round group fixtures open tactical paths for mutually beneficial stalemates. Photo: IANS
Image: IANS
Algeria have waited 44 years for a shot at Fifa World Cup revenge against Austria, but the clash is one of many in the final round of group games where sides could settle for a mutually beneficial outcome.
Austria's 1-0 defeat to West Germany at the 1982 World Cup has lived on in tournament infamy as "the disgrace of Gijon", after the teams played out a result that took both through at the expense of Algeria on goal difference. After worldwide condemnation and a fruitless formal complaint by Algeria, Fifa decided that in subsequent tournaments the final two games in each group would be played simultaneously.
But the expansion to a 48-team tournament, and with it the return for the first time since 1994 of some third-place sides progressing to the knockout stage, has opened the door to questions over the sporting integrity of the competition once more. Four points is almost certain to be enough to go through at least as one of the eight best third-placed sides from the 12 groups.
Australia and Paraguay face off on Friday morning locked on three points after both beat Turkey and lost to co-hosts the US. A stalemate in Santa Clara near San Francisco would allow both to progress.
“I think you’re cheating the game in a way if you’re looking to just call a truce with 10 minutes to go. That doesn't seem right in my opinion,” said Australia defender Jason Geria. “We could both progress with a point, that's evident, but I don't think it's in us to just concede or just take our foot off the gas.”
Egypt's meeting with Iran in Seattle on Saturday morning is another match where both could benefit from just a point. Iran have overcome huge challenges due to the conflict between Tehran and the US to remain unbeaten in their opening two games.
A third draw would likely be enough to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in Iran's history as at least one of the best third-placed sides. A point could also be enough for Egypt to win Group G, so long as Belgium do not beat New Zealand by more than two goals.
On top of the possible collusion between sides to obtain a favourable outcome, another change to Fifa's rules for this World Cup already means the third group game will be a dead rubber for far more nations. For the first time, head-to-head records instead of goal difference are being used as the tiebreaker for countries level on points.
Lionel Messi is now the leading scorer at the Fifa World Cup.
Image: GraphicNews
Mexico, the US, Germany and Argentina are already guaranteed to win their groups, while Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan and Panama know they are out.
There is a further discrepancy in that teams playing in the final groups to finish will have a far better idea of what is required to be one of the best third-placed sides.
The difficulties presented by narrowing 48 teams to 32 have already led to suggestions that a 64-team World Cup is inevitable. That would allow the traditional format of the top two from four-team groups to progress to the last 32. The Athletic reported last year that the idea has already been floated by a delegation of influential South American leaders ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Although the proposal has been met with resistance, an even bigger tournament may prove financially irresistible for Fifa. The largest World Cup in history is still missing two of the globe's biggest commercial markets in China and India, while four-time winners Italy failed to qualify for a third successive tournament.
Despite concerns over a dilution in quality, the World Cup's expansion has provided some of the stories of the tournament. Cape Verde can still qualify after drawing with Spain and Uruguay, Curacao held Ecuador to earn a first World Cup point, while the bagpipe-playing, kilt-wearing hordes of Scotland's Tartan Army charmed Boston and drank its bars dry.
The price to pay for an imperfect format may come this week as the group stages lurch to an anticlimactic conclusion.