2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group G

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The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group G was one of the nine UEFA groups for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. The group consisted of six teams: Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, Macedonia, and Liechtenstein.

Contents

The draw for the first round (group stage) was held as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw on 25 July 2015, starting 18:00 MSK (UTC+3), at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia. [1] [2]

The group winners, Spain, qualified directly for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The group runners-up, Italy, advanced to the play-offs as one of the best eight runners-up.

Standings

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tiebreakers
In league format, the ranking of teams in each group was based on the following criteria (regulations Articles 20.6 and 20.7): [3]
  1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss)
  2. Overall goal difference
  3. Overall goals scored
  4. Points in matches between tied teams
  5. Goal difference in matches between tied teams
  6. Goals scored in matches between tied teams
  7. Away goals scored in matches between tied teams (if the tie was only between two teams in home-and-away league format)
  8. Fair play points
    • first yellow card: minus 1 point
    • indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points
    • direct red card: minus 4 points
    • yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points
  9. Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationFlag of Spain.svgFlag of Italy.svgFlag of Albania.svgFlag of Israel.svgFlag of North Macedonia.svgFlag of Liechtenstein.svg
1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 10910363+3328Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup 3–0 3–0 4–1 4–0 8–0
2Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 10721218+1323Advance to second round 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 5–0
3Flag of Albania.svg  Albania 104151013313 0–2 0–1 0–3 2–1 2–0
4Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 104061015512 0–1 1–3 0–3 0–1 2–1
5Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia 103251515011 1–2 2–3 1–1 1–2 4–0
6Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein 100010139380 0–8 0–4 0–2 0–1 0–3
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers

Matches

The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 26 July 2015, the day following the draw. [1] [4] Times are CET/CEST, [note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times are in parentheses). [5]

Albania  Flag of Albania.svg2–1 [note 2] Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia
  • Sadiku Soccerball shade.svg9'
  • Balaj Soccerball shade.svg89'
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Report (MacedonianFootball)
Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër
Attendance: 14,667
Referee: Hüseyin Göçek (Turkey)
Israel  Flag of Israel.svg1–3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa
Attendance: 29,300
Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia)
Spain  Flag of Spain.svg8–0Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Estadio Reino de León, León
Attendance: 12,139
Referee: Simon Lee Evans (Wales)

Italy  Flag of Italy.svg1–1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Attendance: 38,470
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)
Liechtenstein  Flag of Liechtenstein.svg0–2Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz
Attendance: 5,864
Referee: Tamás Bognar (Hungary)
Macedonia  Flag of North Macedonia.svg1–2Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Report (MacedonianFootball)
Philip II Arena, Skopje
Attendance: 6,500
Referee: Andre Marriner (England)

Israel  Flag of Israel.svg2–1Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Clayton Pisani (Malta)
Albania  Flag of Albania.svg0–2Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër
Attendance: 15,245
Referee: Bas Nijhuis (Netherlands)
Macedonia  Flag of North Macedonia.svg2–3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Philip II Arena, Skopje
Attendance: 19,195
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)

Albania  Flag of Albania.svg0–3Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Elbasan Arena, Elbasan [note 3]
Attendance: 7,600
Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany)
Liechtenstein  Flag of Liechtenstein.svg0–4Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz
Attendance: 5,864
Referee: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)
Spain  Flag of Spain.svg4–0Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]

Italy  Flag of Italy.svg2–0Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo
Attendance: 33,136
Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
Liechtenstein  Flag of Liechtenstein.svg0–3Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz
Attendance: 4,517
Referee: Jonathan Lardot (Belgium)
Spain  Flag of Spain.svg4–1Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
El Molinón, Gijón
Attendance: 20,321
Referee: Michael Oliver (England)

Israel  Flag of Israel.svg0–3Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa
Attendance: 15,150
Referee: Aleksei Kulbakov (Belarus)
Italy  Flag of Italy.svg5–0Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Stadio Friuli, Udine
Attendance: 20,514
Referee: Kevin Clancy (Scotland)
Macedonia  Flag of North Macedonia.svg1–2Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Philip II Arena, Skopje
Attendance: 20,675
Referee: Paweł Gil (Poland)

Albania  Flag of Albania.svg2–0Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Elbasan Arena, Elbasan
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Sergey Lapochkin (Russia)
Israel  Flag of Israel.svg0–1Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa
Attendance: 11,350
Referee: Aleksei Eskov (Russia)
Spain  Flag of Spain.svg3–0Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
Attendance: 73,628
Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)

Italy  Flag of Italy.svg1–0Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Liechtenstein  Flag of Liechtenstein.svg0–8Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz
Attendance: 5,864
Referee: Ivaylo Stoyanov (Bulgaria)
Macedonia  Flag of North Macedonia.svg1–1Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Stadion Mladost, Strumica
Attendance: 3,493
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)

Italy  Flag of Italy.svg1–1Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Liechtenstein  Flag of Liechtenstein.svg0–1Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Spain  Flag of Spain.svg3–0Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]

Albania  Flag of Albania.svg0–1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër
Attendance: 14,718
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)
Israel  Flag of Israel.svg0–1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem
Attendance: 28,700
Referee: Craig Thomson (Scotland)
Macedonia  Flag of North Macedonia.svg4–0Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA) [ dead link ]
Stadion Mladost, Strumica
Attendance: 4,518
Referee: Laurent Kopriwa (Luxembourg)

Goalscorers

There were 93 goals scored in 30 matches, for an average of 3.1 goals per match.

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Discipline

A player was automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences: [9]

The following suspensions were served during the qualifying matches:

PlayerTeamOffence(s)Suspended for match(es)
Giorgio Chiellini Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Yellow card.svg Yellow-red card.svg vs Israel (5 September 2016)vs Spain (6 October 2016)
Eytan Tibi Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Red card.svg vs Macedonia (6 October 2016)vs Liechtenstein (9 October 2016)
Marco Parolo Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Yellow card.svg vs Spain (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (9 October 2016)
vs Liechtenstein (12 November 2016)
Nicolas Hasler Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein Yellow card.svg vs Spain (5 September 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Israel (9 October 2016)
vs Italy (12 November 2016)
Etrit Berisha Flag of Albania.svg  Albania Red card.svg vs Israel (12 November 2016)vs Italy (24 March 2017)
vs Israel (11 June 2017)
Berat Djimsiti vs Italy (24 March 2017)
David Goresh Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Albania (12 November 2016)
vs Spain (24 March 2017)
Daniel Kaufmann Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein Yellow card.svg vs Spain (5 September 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (12 November 2016)
vs Macedonia (24 March 2017)
Yves Oehri Yellow card.svg vs Albania (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (12 November 2016)
Ezgjan Alioski Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia Yellow card.svg vs Italy (9 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Spain (12 November 2016)
vs Liechtenstein (24 March 2017)
Ansi Agolli Flag of Albania.svg  Albania Yellow card.svg vs Spain (9 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (24 March 2017)
vs Israel (11 June 2017)
Michele Polverino Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein Yellow card.svg vs Spain (5 September 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (11 June 2017)
vs Albania (2 September 2017)
Leonardo Bonucci Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Yellow card.svg vs Spain (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Spain (2 September 2017)
vs Israel (5 September 2017)
Eljif Elmas Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia Yellow card.svg vs Spain (11 June 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Israel (2 September 2017)
vs Albania (5 September 2017)
Burim Kukeli Flag of Albania.svg  Albania Yellow card.svg vs Italy (24 March 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (5 September 2017)
vs Spain (6 October 2017)
Mërgim Mavraj Yellow card.svg vs Spain (9 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (5 September 2017)
Odise Roshi Yellow card.svg vs Italy (24 March 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (5 September 2017)
Almog Cohen Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (5 September 2017)
vs Liechtenstein (6 October 2017)
Kire Ristevski Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia Yellow card.svg vs Spain (11 June 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Albania (5 September 2017)
vs Italy (6 October 2017)
Sergio Busquets Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Yellow card.svg vs Italy (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Liechtenstein (5 September 2017)
vs Albania (6 October 2017)
Azdren Llullaku Flag of Albania.svg  Albania Yellow card.svg vs Israel (12 November 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Spain (6 October 2017)
vs Italy (9 October 2017)
Taulant Xhaka
Marcel Büchel Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein Yellow card.svg vs Israel (9 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Israel (6 October 2017)
vs Macedonia (9 October 2017)
Franz Burgmeier Yellow card.svg vs Albania (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Israel (6 October 2017)
Nicolas HaslerYellow card.svg vs Macedonia (24 March 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Israel (6 October 2017)
Stefan Spirovski Flag of North Macedonia.svg  Macedonia Yellow card.svg vs Italy (9 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Italy (6 October 2017)
vs Liechtenstein (9 October 2017)
Gerard Piqué Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Yellow card.svg vs Italy (6 October 2016)
Yellow card.svg vs Albania (6 October 2017)
vs Israel (9 October 2017)
David Silva Yellow card.svg vs Macedonia (11 June 2017)
Yellow card.svg vs Albania (6 October 2017)

Notes

  1. CET (UTC+1) for matches on 12 November 2016 and 24 March 2017, and CEST (UTC+2) for all other matches.
  2. The Albania v Macedonia match was suspended after 76 minutes due to adverse weather conditions, with the score 1–1 at the time. The match was resumed on 6 September 2016, 14:00 UTC+2. [6]
  3. The venue of the Albania v Israel match was moved from Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër to Elbasan Arena, Elbasan due to a planned terrorist attack. [7] [8]

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA World Cup qualifying draw format". UEFA. 16 June 2015. Archived from the original on 26 June 2016.
  2. "European teams learn World Cup qualifying fate". UEFA. 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  3. "Regulations – 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016.
  4. "World Cup European Qualifiers fixtures confirmed". UEFA. 26 July 2015. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016.
  5. "Fixture List – 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition" (PDF). UEFA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 August 2015.
  6. "Rain stops Albania v Macedonia with score at 1-1". BBC Sport. 5 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016.
  7. "Albania's World Cup qualifier against Israel moved for 'security reasons'". ESPN FC. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016.
  8. "Kosovo arrests 19 in Islamic State plot to attack Israel soccer match". The Times of Israel. 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  9. "Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2014-16" (PDF). UEFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2013.