World stages matches

In a busy week of international football the European and African qualifiers concluded their group matches while in other parts World Cup qualifiers were taking place affecting the football rankings. Suriname suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at home to the Dominican Republic and Canada were held to a goalless draw at home to Puerto Rico while Trinidad & Tobago lost 2-1 in Bermuda and Curaçao drew 2-2 in Haiti. Grenada sailed to a 4-1 victory in Belize while Guyana returned from Barbados with a 2-0 win and St Lucia managed a 1-1 draw in St Kitts & Nevis. In South America Chile returned home after taking a 4-1 beating in Argentina to defeat Peru 4-2 while Argentina lost 1-0 in Venezuela. The Peruvians had opened their campaign with a 2-0 home win over Paraguay. In Asia China were left with a mountain to climb after losing 1-0 at home to Iraq while Kuwait could only draw 2-2 in Lebanon, and Uzbekistan picked up 3 vital points with a single goal in North Korea while Iran battered Bahrain 6-0 in Tehran.

South Africa failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after a disastrous 0-0 draw at home to Sierra Leone and Guinea stunned Nigeria with a 90^th minute goal to earn a 2-2 draw and qualify instead of their illustrious host while Rwanda caused an upset with a 1-0 win in Benin.

In Europe Wales had a successful week winning 2-0 at home to Switzerland and 1-0 away to Bulgaria while Austria enjoyed a 4-1 win away to 10-man Azerbaijan and Greece celebrated a decisive 2-0 victory at home to Croatia while Romania could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Belarus. The Czech Republic swept their hosts Lithuania aside 4-1 and Sweden got the better of the Dutch 3-2 in Stockholm while Hungary ended their matches with a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Finland, whereas a 1-1 draw between France and Bosnia & Herzegovina in Paris was enough to see the French qualify for the finals and their visitor for the play-offs.  

Earlier in the month Hong Kong won the Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung by hammering hosts Taiwan 6-0 in the final.