Wednesday, September 4, 2013

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World Cup Opta Facts - UK teams




Scotland v Belgium

Belgium have won seven of their previous 11 competitive meetings with Scotland (D2 L2), including a 2-0 win in Brussels back in October 2012.

In Scotland, however, Belgium have only won one of five competitive games (3-1 in 1979), losing two and drawing two.

Scotland have only lost one of their last nine home games (W5 D3; all competitions), though that was their most recent game on home soil (2-1 v Wales).

Belgium are unbeaten in six games (W5 D1) and have only lost one of their last 12 (W9 D2).

All of Belgium's last nine international goals have been scored by players who play in the Premier League; Dries Mertens (v Slovakia in February) was the last Belgian not based in England to score for this country.

No side has kept more clean sheets in European World Cup qualification than Belgium (five).



Republic of Ireland v Sweden

Ireland have never beaten Sweden in a competitive fixture (D2 L3).

Despite that, overall the Republic have won three and lost just one of five against Sweden on home soil, with that defeat coming way back in 1949).

Giovanni Trapattoni's side have kept three consecutive clean sheets against the Swedes in all competitions.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored five goals in his last two internationals for Sweden.

The Green Army have lost just one of their last eight internationals (W3 D4), and that was to World and European champions Spain.

Sweden have only won one of their last five away games in all competitions (D2 L2).



Northern Ireland v Portugal

Seven of the 12 previous international meetings between Northern Ireland and Portugal, including the 1-1 draw in Porto back in October 2012, have ended level.

In nine previous World Cup qualifiers between these sides, only 14 goals have been scored with only one game (Northern Ireland 3-0 Portugal in 1957) seeing over two goals.

Northern Ireland's 1-0 victory over Russia last time out ended a run of 13 games without a win and was boss Michael O'Neill's first victory at the helm.

Indeed, the Green and White Army have not won consecutive internationals since early 2009, when they beat San Marino, Poland and Slovenia in successive games.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored Portugal's only goal in each of their last two internationals.

Real Madrid winger Ronaldo has had more shots off target than any other player in European World Cup qualification (16).



England v Moldova

England have won all three previous meetings against Moldova, scoring 12 goals without reply.

Indeed, these three victories for the Three Lions have finished, in chronological order, 3-0, 4-0 and 5-0.

Only against Turkey (31) and Andorra (16) have England scored more goals without reply than they have against Moldova (12).

Excluding penalty shootouts, England are unbeaten in 18 competitive internationals (W 10 D8).

The Three Lions have lost just one of their last 29 competitive home games (W22 D6); a 2-3 to Croatia in 2007 involving an infamous umbrella.

Moldova have lost 13 of their last 16 away games (D1), with both victories in that run coming in San Marino.

Eugen Sidorenco has scored three goals in his last three international appearances.

Danny Welbeck has scored with six of his seven shots on target for England.

England have scored more deflected goals than any other side in European World Cup qualification (two).

Moldova have attempted 136 tackles in qualification for the 2014 World Cup so far, the most of all European sides.



Macedonia v Wales

This will be the first international meeting between Macedonia and Wales.

Gareth Bale has scored two-thirds of Wales' goals so far in this qualification period (four of six).

Wales' 0-0 draw with Republic of Ireland in their most recent fixture ended a remarkable run of 46 consecutive games without a draw.

Chris Coleman's side have won just two of their last eight home internationals (D1 L5).

Wales have been credited with more errors leading to goals than any other European side qualifying for the 2014 World Cup (five).

Macedonia have won six and lost just two of their last 10 internationals at home (all competitions).