Spain 2 - Georgia 0; France 3 - Finland 0

Photo by Jose Jordan

France needed to defeat Finland at home in Saint-Denis and see Spain lose in the other Group I match in order to qualify directly for Brasil 2014.  Any thing less would leave them in the draw for the UEFA Playoffs.  Franck Ribery continue his spectacular week at the Stade de France tonight.  Ribery avoided the block of Teemu Pukki and fired a laser from outside the box that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way to glory.  France led 1-0 at halftime.

Mathieu Debuchy played in a nice cross from the right wing with a quarter hour left on the clock.  Olivier Giroud hit a powerful header that was going in at the back post.  A desperate swing by a defender could only hit the ball into the net at a different angle, so France were now up 2-0.  Ribery finished the match off in style.  He drove into the box on the left side of goal and then held up play while waiting for support.  He found some and then made his move to the end line before popping a pass to Karim Benzema.  Benzema swung a volley from waist level into the goal to make it an emphatic 3-0.  France win 3-0 but were all but resigned to their fate of appearing in the UEFA Playoffs.

Spain needed only a draw at home in Albacete against Georgia in order to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.  A bicycle kick shot from Spain forward Alvaro Negredo was tipped over by Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria.  Pedro Rodriguez played to Andres Iniesta, who laid back off to Rodriguez who one-timed a chipped pass to Iniesta, who first-timed a volley into the box.  Negredo one-timed a tap-in off the bounce to give Spain an intricate opener.  Negredo hit the post on a chance later in the period.  Spain took a comfortable 1-0 lead with them into their dressing room.

On the hour mark, Spain received a good bit of fortune as a defensive header deflected off Gerard Pique and fell to Juan Mata inside of ten yards.  Mata blasted the rebound into the back of the net to give Spain a 2-0 and the crowd reason to begin booking flights to Brasil.  Spain continued to be the only team with any designs on goal, and they eased to victory.  Spain win 2-0 and clinch a berth at Brasil 2014.  They will be there looking to defend their South Africa 2010 championship.  France will take part in the UEFA Playoffs next month.

Spain 20 pts IN
France 17 pts
Finland OUT
Georgia OUT
Belarus OUT

Goals
France
Franck Ribery 8
Joona Toivio 76 OG
Karim Benzema 87

Spain
Alvaro Negredo 26
Juan Mata 61

Match Reports:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/92609/france-vs-finland/report?
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/10/15/4842260/france-vs-finland-2014-world-cup-qualifying-final-score-report
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1812676-france-vs-finland-score-grades-and-post-match-reaction
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/10/15/4842256/spain-vs-georgia-uefa-world-cup-qualifying-final-score-result
http://www.goal.com/en-us/match/92610/spain-vs-georgia/report?
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/15/spain-qualify-georgia-world-cup

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfNSMjfWrQY (France v. Finland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75EAcVvHRCY (Spain v. Georgia)

Spain 2 - Belarus 1

Belarus were on the road against Spain in Palma.  Spain were surprisingly ineffective in the first half, and indeed it would be Belarus who were more creative in the opening period.  Vitali Rodionov nearly scored on a corner, but Spain goalkeeper Victor Valdes just managed to keep him out.

Spain began applying legitimate pressure to the Belarusian goal in the second half.  On the hour mark, some unfortunate clearance attempts by Belarus led to Spain's opener.  Xavi Hernandez hit an excellent strike off a weak headed clearance by Egor Filipenko that zoomed into the net and gave Spain hope for victory.  A ridiculous back heel no-look pass from Pedro Rodriguez gave Sergio Ramos the ball in space on his overlapping run.  Ramos smacked a cross into the six-yard box that was finished by the diving header of Alvaro Negredo to make it 2-0.  Ramos almost made it three for Spain, but his dipping effort was kept out by Belarus goalkeeper Aleksandr Gutor.  A careless pass by Spain in their own half sprung a break for the visitors.  Sergei Kornilenko received the through ball and used his pace to get free into the box.  Kornilenko finished well to the far post, but it was too little too late.  Spain win 2-1 and need only a draw at home on Tuesday to advance to Brasil 2014.

Spain 17 pts +9
France 14 pts +6
Finland OUT
Georgia OUT
Belarus OUT

Goals
Spain
Xavi Hernandez 61
Alvaro Negredo 78

Belarus
Sergei Kornilenko 89

Match Reports:
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/10/11/4829164/spain-vs-belarus-uefa-world-cup-qualifying-final-score-result
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/12/spain-xavi-negredo-belarus-world-cup
http://www.goal.com/en/match/92608/spain-vs-belarus/report

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAxhYKcohXM

France 4 - Belarus 2; Finland 1 - Georgia 0

Finland were visiting Tbilisi looking to defeat hosts Georgia.  Georgia were the more offensive-minded outfit in the first half, but they were caught on the counter midway through the period.  A long ball forward from Kasper Hamalainan gave Teemu Pukki a route to goal.  Pukki dribbled beyond the slide of Aleksander Amisulashvili and dodged the goalkeeper thirty yards off his line, but Pukki missed his shot at the completely empty net. The half ended 0-0.

A flying sideways scissor kick effort from five yards was bounced over the Finnish goal by Tornike Okriashvili.  Roman Eremenko was brought down in position for a dangerous Finnish free kick by Georgian captain Jaba Kankava.  Eremenko earned a penalty kick when his free kick was handled in the box, and Eremenko converted the chance to put Finland ahead with just over a quarter hour left in the match.  Adding to the difficulty level of a potential comeback, Georgia lost Kankava for a second yellow card one minute after conceding.  Pukki hit the underside of the crossbar and was not rewarded with a goal though it appeared the ball bounced over the line before spinning back into play.  Finland win 1-0 and eliminate Georgia from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Gomel was the site of a goalkeeping error festival as France came into town to visit Belarus.  France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris somehow failed to stop a soft header off a Belarusian corner by Egor Filipenko, allowing the opening goal to slip under his body.  Belarus took a surprising 1-0 lead into the break, and Finland were pleased to know they had a good chance to remain alive in the competition.

Georgia goalkeeper Sergei Veremko committed a foul on Franck Ribery (pictured, blue) in the box, so Ribery dusted himself off and converted the penalty kick for 1-1.  A twenty-one yard strike from Timofei Kalachev was poorly judged by Lloris, who for some reason thought a hands-interlocked attempted punch one foot in front of his face was proper technique to make the save.  He was wrong, and the ball zoomed past him into the goal to make it 2-1 to the hosts.  Mathieu Valbuena sent in a low cross off a slide that somehow evaded multiple defenders on its way to the back post.  Ribery was there to tap in for the equalizer.  Ribery started a third goal sequence with a short pass to Valbuena who made another short pass immediately thereafter to Samir Nasri.  Nasri rolled his strike into the corner to give France a 3-2 lead.  Two minutes later, Veremko dropped a catch on an inswinging cross.  Paul Pogba won the ball in the resulting goalmouth scramble and pushed the ball over the line to put France ahead by two goals.  France win 4-2 and eliminate Finland from the tournament.

Spain 14 pts +8
France 14 pts +6
Finland OUT
Georgia OUT
Belarus OUT

Goals
Finland
Roman Eremenko 74 PK

France
Franck Ribery 47 PK, 64
Samir Nasri 70
Paul Pogba 73

Belarus
Egor Filipenko 32
Timofei Kalachev 57

Match Reports:
http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/matches/round=2000294/match=2008423/postmatch/report/index.html
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/92553/belarus-vs-france/report?
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/belarus-2-4-france-world-cup-qualifier-franck-ribery-match-report-091013
http://www.france24.com/en/20130910-france-beat-belarus-4-2-world-cup-qualifier-football

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov6_27InJ74 (Finland v. Georgia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJ6I4GsoXU (France v. Belarus)

Georgia 0 - France 0; Spain 2 - Finland 0

Georgia welcomed France to Tbilisi for their qualifier today.  Tornike Okriashvili had a good pair of chances for Georgia, but he hit his own rebound from France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris off the near post and back upfield.  Nothing else happened of note in the opening half which ended 0-0.

France were always on attack in the second half as Georgia could not spring any counterattacks.  At the end of the match, Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria came up huge to rescue a point for the hosts.  Loria made a save at one post from an Olivier Giroud header.  Then, off the resulting corner, Loria saved at the other post from Bacary Sagna.  The match ends 0-0.  As a result, Belarus are eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Finland needed to get another result against Spain, and this time the Finns were at home in Helsinki.  Finland nearly sprung for an early lead after weaving through the right side of Spain's defense, but goalkeeper Iker Casillas made a kick save from close range on Teemu Pukki to deny the early chance.  Cesc Fabregas hit a lofted through ball over the Finnish backline for Jordi Alba.  The fullback beat the offside trap and adeptly cut back and finished over an onrushing goalkeeper as if he were an out-and-out forward for the opening goal.  Spain led 1-0 at intermission.

Spain nearly had an identical goal, but Petri Pasanen side tackled away from Alvaro Negredo at the last moment after Negredo had gotten onto the through ball from Xavi Hernandez.  Jesus Navas beat another Finnish offside trap on a rolling through ball and then passed laterally into the box for a Negredo finish to cap off the night.  Spain win 2-0.

Spain 14 pts +8
France 11 pts +4
Finland 6 pts -2
Georgia 5 pts -4
Belarus OUT

Goals
Spain
Jordi Alba 19
Alvaro Negredo 86

Match Reports:
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/9/6/4702104/france-vs-georgia-2014-world-cup-qualifying-final-score-result
http://www.goal.com/en/match/92542/georgia-vs-france/report?
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/agencia-efe/130907/spain-beats-finland-2-0-world-cup-qualifier
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/9/6/4702100/finland-vs-spain-2014-world-cup-qualifying-final-score-result

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm8Lyv2kHK0 (Georgia v. France)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO1GzazD8PE (Spain v. Finland)

Belarus 1 - Finland 1

Belarus welcomed Finland to Gomel in the second qualifying match between the two sides in a span of five days.  Finland won the first go-around 1-0, but the scene was not so familiar for the Finns on this day.  A loss at home today would eliminate Belarus from Brasil 2014.  Belarus started out as the brighter side, but they could not capitalize on the scoreboard.  Midway through the opening frame, Finland had matched their 1-0 scoreline from the prior encounter between the sides.  Teemu Pukki received a pass with his back to a defender, spun off him and then ran laterally before taking a shot which the goalkeeper did not react to quickly at all due to a deflection of Stanislav Dragun.  Finland would take their 1-0 lead with them into the dressing room.

With six minutes to go, Timofey Kalachev stood over a wide free kick for Belarus.  The in-swinger came in quickly, and the first to meet the ball with his head was Dmitry Verkhovtsov, leveling the affair at one goal apiece.  Verkhovstov dash left him two yards clear of the defense by the time he headed the ball.  The match ends 1-1, and it now appears that neither of these sides control their own destiny on the march to Brasil 2014.

Spain 11 pts +6
France 10 pts +4
Finland 6 pts 0
Georgia 4 pts -4
Belarus 4 pts -6

Goals
Finland
Teemu Pukki 24

Belarus
Dmitry Verkhovtsov 85

Match Reports:
http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/matches/round=2000294/match=2008406/postmatch/report/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqFyzsSwFJs

Finland 1 - Belarus 0

Finland needed a win at home in Helsinki against Belarus in order to maintain hope of qualifying for Brasil 2014.  It would be Belarus that were the more enterprising of the two teams in the first half as they came close to hitting the frame on two separate occasions in the final quarter hour of the first period.  The teams returned to their dressing rooms knotted at 0-0.

Twelve minutes after the restart, Finland capitalized on some amazingly good fortune.  A fast throw-in lead to an attack down the right flank, but a poor cross went between the legs of Finnish attacker Teemu Pukki (pictured, white) and deflected off Belarus defender Igor Shitov.  Kasper Hamalainen had a chance for a tap-in, but his whiff actually threw off the goalkeeper and the ball rolled into the net for an own goal.  Goalkeeper Sergei Veremko denied a Pukki shot with his knee after Pukki had shaken his marker to get a shot off in an attempt to double the lead within five minutes of the opener.  Pukki struck a laser from distance shortly thereafter, but Veremko was able to push the shot high over the bar.  Showcasing an extreme lack of focus, Finland, playing with a one-goal lead with under ten minutes left in the match, decided to leave substitute Timofei Kalachev wide open on a switch of play cross, but Kalachev's open strike failed to curve inward quickly enough to get inside of the far post.  Pavel Nekhaichik was sent off for Belarus in minute 90 for his second yellow card, this one for diving for a penalty.  Finland made it through stoppage time to secure the 1-0 victory.

Spain 11 pts +6
France 10 pts +4
Finland 5 pts 0
Georgia 4 pts -4
Belarus 3 pts -6

Goals
Finland
Igor Shitov 57 OG

Match Reports:
http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/253617/report
http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/matches/round=2000294/match=2008410/postmatch/report/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeprHy5GW1s

Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwGotDfwR-o

Spain 1 - France 0

Saint-Denis was the site of the decisive clash in Group I, with defending champions Spain needing a win on the road against France in order to reclaim pole position in the group.  Spain really should have taken the lead four minutes in, but Xavi Hernandez missed a open net after a pass from left back Nacho Monreal.  Franck Ribery had France's best chance in the opening half as he headed down Mathieu Valbuena's lofted through ball, but his first touch gave Spain goalkeeper Victor Valdes time to slide tackle the ball to safety.  The first half ended with no goals having been scored.

Valdes came off his line bravely ten minutes into the half to snatch the ball ahead of two open French players at the back post.  Andres Iniesta had a nifty flicked shot attempt tipped just over the French crossbar by France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (pictured, yellow).  The breakthrough came soon thereafter as a Monreal cross found Pedro Rodriguez (pictured, red), who somehow pushed the ball over the line despite the challenge from Patrice Evra (pictured, blue) and Lloris, who lay prone across his goal line and managed to paw the ball but not redirect it out of his net.  Blaise Matuidi shot a hard, low grounder under a Gerard Pique slide, but again Valdes made a quick save on the ground.  With a quarter hour remaining, a French corner fell to Raphael Varane in a dangerous setting, but before he could find the ball Monreal had cleared it out-of-bounds off Varane.  Soon thereafter, Paul Pogba picked up two yellows in two minutes, leaving France down a man from minute 78 on through the finish.  Three minutes from time, Valdes miraculously denied an Evra header from three yards in front of him.  Valdes was a superhero and the French could not best him on this day.  Spain win 1-0.

Spain 11 pts +6
France 10 pts +4
Georgia 4 pts -4
Belarus 3 pts -5
Finland 2 pts -1

Goals
Spain
Pedro Rodriguez 58

Match Reports:
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2013/03/28/france-0-1-spain-both-sides-use-one-wide-player-for-ball-retention-and-the-other-for-direct-attacks/
http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/03/27/924647/spain-beats-france-1-0-world-cup-qualifying

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ5G9SefdRw

Finland 1 - Spain 1; France 3 - Georgia 1

Visiting Finland dealt the crowd gathered in Gijon the shock of the day as they took on defending champions Spain.  As was expected, the Spaniards dominated the possession battle, but a determined Finland refused to concede.  Finland constantly played with eleven men in their own half of the field, parking the bus at an expert level.  Santi Cazorla had a big hit midway through the period, but Finland goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa parried the low shot away.  Andres Iniesta had an even better long-range effort with six minutes left in the half that was also stopped by Maenpaa.  The half closed as it began: 0-0.

In the second period, Spain broke the deadlock.  A David Silva corner came onto the head of Sergio Ramos, who celebrated his 100th cap in style with the opening goal.  As a testament to Filand's good defense, their first free kick surrendered did not come until after the hour mark.  Thirty minutes after scoring, however, the Spaniards were caught on the break.  Their reward for solid defending was a shock equalizer on the break.  Two quick passes led to a ball being played into Teemu Pukki, whose first-time effort found the back of the net to break Spanish hearts.  In spite of massive pressure, Spain were unable to find a tiebreaking goal.  Spain manage only a 1-1 draw at home.  To make matters worse, David Silva will be suspended for Tuesday's decisive match in France after collecting too many yellow cards during the campaign. 

Georgia traveled to Saint-Denis to face France.  France did not make their dominance pay off until stoppage time.  A free kick from player of the match Mathieu Valbuena led to a header goal from Olivier Giroud.  With a 1-0 lead in their pockets, France returned to the locker room.

Two minutes in, Franck Ribery was able to pass a ball to Valbuena while neither French attacker was under pressure.  The result was a clinical finish by Valbuena and a 2-0 lead.  Not quite a quarter hour later, Ribery had a goal of his own after having received a ball from Valbuena.  He fought off the challenge of Georgia right back Zurab Khizanishvili in order to fire low to the near post for a 3-0 lead.  Ten minutes later, Georgia had pulled a goal back after a deflected cross fell to Alexander Kobakhidze.  His shot was deflected on the way in by a French defender, so the double deflection proved to be lucky for the visitors, but it was not enought to earn them any points on the night.  France win 3-1 and take the Group I lead into the decisive match against Spain on Tuesday.

France 10 pts +5
Spain 8 pts +5
Georgia 4 pts -4
Belarus 3 pts -5
Finland 2 pts -1

Goals
Spain
Sergio Ramos 49

Finland
Teemu Pukki 79

France
Olivier Giroud 45+1
Mathieu Valbuena 47
Franck Ribery 61

Georgia
Alexander Kobakhidze 71

Match Reports:
http://yle.fi/uutiset/finland_draws_with_world_football_champions_spain/6551712
http://www.france24.com/en/20130323-france-beat-georgia-go-top-group
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130322/france-georgia-uefa-world-cup-qualifying.ap/

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpw-EAgVi3g (Finland v. Spain)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F30ARCtnxYw (France v. Georgia)

France 1 - Spain 1; Belarus 2 - Georgia 0

Belarus were hoping a home date in Minsk would be the solution to their pointless start to their 2014 FIFA World Cup as Georgia came calling.  Belarus had their opener with Georgia defender Zurab Khizanishvili was stripped as he tried to clear.  The ball fell to Renan Bardini Bressan, who smacked home the opener for Belarus with five minutes gone. Bressan sent in a cross to the near post on a free kick later in the half.  Stanislav Dragun beat two defenders to the near post and rose to head home without any pressure.  Tornike Okriashvili nearly scored for Georgia directly off a corner kick, but Belarus goalkeeper Sergei Veremko knocked the ball off his crossbar as the halftime whistle blew.  Belarus took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.

With only nineteen minutes left on the clock, Belarus nearly had a third, but after latching onto a through ball Vitaly Rodionov fired onto the near post.  Georgia did not put on their best display, and they showed little attacking spirit in the second half, letting Belarus win comfortably 2-0.

Madrid was the site for the day's most anticipated qualifier as France came to town to face 2010 FIFA World Cup champions Spain.  Spain had the upper hand   The twenty-fifth minute was a rollercoaster of emotion for Spain center back Sergio Ramos.  Ramos had a free header that hit the post.  As Ramos held his head in his hands in disbelief, the ball magically returned to him, so he put it into the roof of the net for the Spanish opener.  Ramos celebrated his good fortune with a magnificent tumbling routine.  France nearly got the goal back nine minutes later.  Karim Benzema was on a breakaway when he fired low at the Spanish goal; however, Iker Casillas, his club teammate at Real Madrid was there in goal to make the save.  Benzema thought he had an assist two minutes on from the save when his header at the far post on a free kick allowed Jeremy Menez to head home at the near post and in, but Menez was deemed to be offside.  France center back Laurent Koscielny absolutely destroyed Pedro Rodriguez inside the penalty area a couple minutes on, but his goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a diving save of the resulting Cesc Fabregas penalty kick to keep France close.  Lloris had a double save on Rodriguez and Fabregas in the final minute of the half as well.  Spain led 1-0 after the first forty-five.

From then on, France rose into the ascendancy.  Benzema was again the danger man, this time sending in a chest-high cross to substitute Moussa Sissoko, who could not bring his shot below the level of the crossbar. In stoppage time, Sissoko made good when he started the game-tying fast break.  He slotted the ball off to Franck Ribery once France were in the attacking zone.  Ribery sent a ball to a spot eight yards from goal from where Olivier Giroud header to the far corner for the equalizer.  The match ends 1-1 with the two teams tied atop Group I.

Spain 7 pts +5
France 7 pts +3
Georgia 4 pts -2
Belarus 3 pts -5
Finland 1 pts -1

Goals
Belarus
Renan Bardini Bressan 6
Stanislav Dragun 28

Spain
Sergio Ramos 25

France
Olivier Giroud 90+4

Match Reports:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=index.html
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/espnfcunited/id/1142?cc=5901&updated
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sid_lowe/10/17/spain-france-olivier-giroud/index.html?sct=sc_bf3_a3
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1785825/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uscNOVx6jog (Belarus v. Georgia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj9FjjtXV0U&feature=related (Spain v. France)

Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHS6YtFcqg (Belarus v. Georgia: first half)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlfZBIXWTjM (Belarus v. Georgia: second half)

Spain 4 - Belarus 0; Georgia 1 - Finland 1

Helsinki was the site for the match between hosts Finland and Georgia.  The first half was rather subdued as neither team made serious inroads toward the other's goal.  The half ended without goals.

The opening quarter hour after the restart contained all the action of the match.  Georgia took a surprising lead when Guram Kashia headed a ball in at the near post off a corner kick.  Finland went down to ten men for the final half hour just two minutes after the Georgia goal when Alexei Eremenko took a second yellow card in minute 59.  Eremenko jumped for a cross and then tried to bat it into the goal with two hands, earning his marching orders in the process.  Finland nevertheless found an equalizer four minutes after the sending off.  Kasper Hamalainen drove by his defender on the left flank and then slotted millimeters around an oncoming goalkeeper to equalize the match.

Spain continued their road journey to begin their 2014 FIFA World Cup with a sojourn to Minsk to face Belarus.  After just five minutes, Spain had already blown two chances at goal.  The first chance was kneed onto the crossbar by a Belarus defender, but the second was golden.  Xavi had lofted a ball into the box to the feet of David Silva, who had beaten an offside trap and had acres of space.  Silva somehow missed the target completely with only the goalkeeper to beat.  Left back Jordi Alba made up for Spain's poor early finishing when he beat an offside trap by being a yard offside (not a typo) and then calmly dribbled around the goalkeeper before finishing into an open net.  Belarus did not take the hint that their high line was a vulnerability against a slick-passing side, so Spain made this painfully apparently when Silva curled a through ball into space for Pedro Rodriguez, who then dribbled toward the goalkeeper and neatly chipped him for the second La Roja goal.

In the second period, Rodriguez continued to punish the Belarusian goal.  With twenty minutes and change left to play, Rodriguez ran up the middle of the pitch before chipping two trailing defenders and the goalkeeper into the far side netting for his second chipped goal of the night.  Three minutes later, Cesc Fabregas stole a ball and then slotted into open space for an onrushing Rodriguez, who then chipped the goalkeeper for the third time!  Rodriguez chipped the ball about one half-meter in the air while jumping over the goalkeeper and then half-volleyed the resulting rebound into the vacated net.  David Villa nearly made it five for Spain, but his effort smashed the crossbar, and the rebound attempt was missed by Rodriguez.  Spain win 4-0 before a Rodriguez hat trick of chipped goals.

Spain 6 pts +5
France 6 pts +3
Georgia 4 pts 0
Finland 1 pts -1
Belarus 0 pts -7

Goals
Georgia
Guram Kashia 56

Finland
Kasper Hamalainen 63

Spain
Jordi Alba 12
Pedro Rodriguez 21, 69, 72

Match Reports:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1783810/index.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/12/belarus-spain-world-cup-qualifier?newsfeed=true
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1784133/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_FJPDm5bnQ (Georgia v. Finland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdZ_alR9Yvo (Spain v. Belarus)

France 3 - Belarus 1; Spain 1 - Georgia 0

Tbilisi was were Spain began their journey to defend the FIFA World Cup began as they visited Georgia in their opener.  Spain were the last of the thirty-two finalists from South Africa 2010 to begin their journey to Brasil 2014.  Spain were the only team that caused any danger offensively in the match, but Georgia proved a tough nut to crack.  Two minutes before the half hour hit, David Silva fired a shot off the far post.  The minute before the half ended saw a Xavi Hernandez shot tipped over by Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria.  One minute later in stoppage time, Loria saved a one-on-one against Roberto Soldado.  Somehow, the half ended with no goals having been scored.

Georgia nearly stole a lead when defender Aleksandr Amisulashvili curled a shot with the inside of his foot onto Spain's far post.  Loria took a heavy blow to his head midway through the period and had to be substituted off the field after several minutes of suffering.  Spain finally capitalized on one of their many chances with only four minutes remaining in regulation when a Cesc Fabregas pass was one-timed into the net by Soldado. Georgia refused to roll over and forced a last-gasp block from Sergio Ramos (pictured, red #15) to preserve Spanish victory.  Spain win 1-0.

Saint-Denis was the site of France's home opener with Belarus looking to crash the party.  The opening half demanded that Belarus play on their back foot the entire time, but luckily their goalkeeper Sergei Veremko was up to the task.  France defender Mamadou Sakho will not be inviting Veremko to any parties after he was denied on two occasions from scoring for France.  The half ended scoreless.

Belarus finally found an offense at the resumption of play, but France goalkeeper Hugo Llloris was up to the challenge.  Etienne Capoue scored his first international goal for France two minutes after his goalkeeper had been called into action.  Franck Ribery had picked up a weak poke from a seated Belarusian defender and then slotted into space for an onrushing Capoue who did the rest to make it 1-0.  Christophe Jallet scored his first goal for Les Bleus on a misfired cross twenty minutes after their opener.  Right back Jallet was looking to find the head of his teammate, but his cross was hit seven yards too far to the right and ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar for a lucky 2-0 lead.  Four minutes after Jallet's good fortune, Belarus had revived hope when Mapou Yanga tripped up his man in the box.  Sergei Kornilenko stepped up to take the penalty.  Lloris saved his effort low and to the right, but the rebound was knocked home through the legs of Lloris, pulling Belarus to within one goal at 2-1.  With ten minutes remaining, Karim Benzema set up Ribery for a chipped goal over an oncoming Veremko for a stylish third goal.  France win 3-1.

France 6 pts +3
Spain 3 pts +1
Georgia 3 pts 0
Finland 0 pts -1
Belarus 0 pts -3

Goals
Spain
Roberto Soldado 86

France
Etienne Capoue 49
Christophe Jallet 68
Franck Ribery 80

Belarus
Anton Putilo 72

Match Reports:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1699502/index.html
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1699972/index.html
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/80705/georgia-vs-spain/report
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1699923/index.html
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/soccer/general/view/20220912france_beats_belarus_3-1_in_world_cup_qualifier/

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mVyYbft3O0 (Spain v. Georgia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjYjwmohv4I (France v. Belarus)

France 1 - Finland 0; Georgia 1 - Belarus 0

Georgia welcomed Belarus to Tbilisi for the opener of Group I play.  The first half was controlled by Belarus, but Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria produced two key saves to deny first Sergey Kornilenko and then Anton Putsila.  0-0 was the halftime score.

Seven minutes after the resumption of play, a slow Belarus attack broke down and gave way to a quick counterattack for Georgia.  The ball was stripped and then slotted to Tornike Okriashvili, who ran twenty-four yards before shaking two Belarus defenders to the ground.  He then spun and finished to the far post as a third defender desperately tried to apply pressure.  Loria shut the down from thereon out, denying Belarus on two more occasions to secure a 1-0 win for Georgia.

France made a trip to Helsinki to face Finland in each team's first fixture in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  Abou Diaby (pictured, blue) made his return to Les Bleus after a year of injury.  Karim Benzema rewarded him midway through the opening half with a through ball directly down the middle of the pitch that allowed Diaby to latch on and swing wide to his right before finishing far post to give France a 1-0 lead that would hold through the first half.

In the second period, France pushed forward for a second goal to kill the game, but they nearly paid the price by allowing a Finnish counterattack to nip an equalizer.  Nevertheless, France escape with a 1-0 win to keep the pressure on Group I favorites Spain.

Goals
Georgia
Tornike Okriashvili 52

France
Abou Diaby 20

Match Reports:
http://www.espnstar.com/football/world-cup/news/detail/item852504/Grp-I:-Georgia-1-0-Belarus/
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/soccer/story/France-wins-10-at-Finland-in-World-Cup-qualifier-99121980
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1697161/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di9_ki3LDoA (Georgia v. Belarus)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JB6JXCVMtI (France v. Finland)

UEFA Group I Fixtures

The fixture list was decided upon at a meeting in Paris on 23 September 2011. Group I consists of five teams, and they are listed from highest seed to lowest seed: Spain, France, Belarus, Georgia, and Finland.

7 September 2012

Belarus at Georgia

France at Finland

11 September 2012

Belarus at France

Spain at Georgia

12 October 2012

Spain at Belarus

Georgia at Finland

16 October 2012

France at Spain

Georgia at Belarus

22 March 2013

Georgia at France

Finland at Spain

26 March 2013

Spain at France

7 June 2013

Belarus at Finland

11 June 2013

Finland at Belarus

6 September 2013

France at Georgia

Spain at Finland

10 September 2013

France at Belarus

Finland at Georgia

11 October 2013

Belarus at Spain

15 October 2013

Georgia at Spain

Finland at France