WORLD soccer governing body FIFA yesterday readjusted its 2010 World Cup standings, confirming that Uganda is in third, and not second place in Group 3.
FIFA’s website www.fifa.com at 10.00am yesterday adjusted the standings in Group 3 and Group 7, that had seemed to imply that head-to-head tie breakers were being used instead of goal difference, in the qualifiers. The change follows a querry from The New Vision and Infostrada Sports.
Infostrada, the worldwide provider of comprehensive sports statistics are also FIFA’s main source of data for the 2010 World Cup. They provide live updates on www.fifa.com.
“FIFA (has) confirmed! Good the ranking rules are clear now,” said Wouter Smak, Project Manager of Infostrada Sports yesterday.
“The exact tie breaker is: Points in group; Best Goal difference in group; Most goals scored in group; Most points “against each other”, i.e. Head-to-head; Best positive goal difference “against each other” i.e. Head-to-head; Most goals scored “against each other”, i.e. Head-to-head,” Smak said.
“This means Uganda is third at the moment and needs a better goal difference than Angola in case both teams win their last match, to become second.”
Uganda was going by the standard World Cup qualifying rules, placed in third place after being hammered 3-1 by Niger.
But, the 2010 qualifiers are unique as they also lead to the Nations Cup in Angola. Head-to-head is used to determine Nations Cup tie-breakers.
After local soccer govering body FUFA asked for clarification two weeks back, the table on www.fifa.com was changed, placing Uganda second.
On Sunday, the FIFA Competitions Committee then wrote to the federation Chief Executive Officer Charles Masembe attaching the table— with Uganda on top of Angola in the Group 3 standings—promising to offer an explanation later.
Meanwhile, FUFA said they expect coach Robert Williamson to return today to prepare for the Benin game. Uganda can now only be second if they beat Benin and Angola fails to beat Niger.
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