Samoa win through: Samoa 1 American Samoa 0

26^th November 2011
Oceania World Cup Qualifying Round 1
J.S. Blatter Stadium, Apia, Samoa

Samoa 1 – 0 American Samoa

Samoa won the battle of the two Samoas, and also the Oceania World Cup Round One group, with a last minute Silao Malo goal to win 1-0.

It was also of course an almost unprecedented meeting of two current bottom ranked nations, although both had done plenty in their previous two matches to ensure neither of them are bottom any more.

More Samoan Joy – Samoa 1 Tonga 1

24^th November 2011
Oceania World Cup Qualifying Round 1
J.S. Blatter Stadium, Apia, Samoa

Samoa 1 – 1 Tonga

Samoa still top the Oceania Round One group after a 1-1 draw with Tonga which has eliminated their opponents and the Cook Islands and set up a humdinger of a final match against American Samoa to decide qualification to the next round.

More Success! – American Samoa 1 Cook Islands 1

24^th November 2011
Oceania World Cup Qualifying Round 1
J.S. Blatter Stadium, Apia, Samoa

American Samoa 1 – 1 Cook Islands

After the historic first ever win a couple of days ago, American Samoa have followed that up with a 1-1 draw against Cook Islands.

Shalom Luani scored for the second match in succession during the first half to give American Samoa a deserved lead. It was one that they looked certain to at least hold on to or even extend. But sadly an own goal after an hour from Tala Luvu, looping a header of Nicky Salapu in goal, brought Cook Islands level.

New FIFA Rankings

The latest FIFA World Rankings were released today, and thanks to the vagaries of international time zones, this was all updated prior to the results of the Oceania World Cup wins for American Samoa and Samoa.  The significance of that?  Their wins aren’t yet reflected in the rankings, and they both remain firmly rooted to the bottom.

Another win for a World’s Worst: Samoa 3 Cook Islands 2

22^nd November 2011
Oceania World Cup Qualifying Round 1
J.S. Blatter Stadium, Apia, Samoa

Samoa 3-2 Cook Islands

Samoa may not have been at the foot of the world rankings for anything like as long as American Samoa have, but at the foot they currently are.  That will soon be changing thanks to an incredible day of Worst in the World action in Apia, Samoa.

An Historic Win! – American Samoa 2 Tonga 1

22^nd November 2011
Oceania World Cup Qualifying Round
J.S. Blatter Stadium, Apia, Samoa

American Samoa 2–1 Tonga

American Samoa, long- standing (joint) worst in the world nation, without a win or even a draw in their entire FIFA affiliated history finally broke their duck last night after 30 consecutive losses with a truly historic win over Tonga.

The Samoans took the lead just before half-time thanks to a long range shot from Ramin Ott, and doubled it midway through the second half when Shalom Luani chipped the Tongan keeper after being put through on goal.

World’s Worst Big Match Preview: Oceania Match Day 1

Tuesday 22^nd November is a big day of Worst in the World action as two of our basement dwellers are in action in the South Pacific.

It’s the first day of the Oceania zone World Cup Qualification first round group with 4 teams battling it out in Apia, Samoa, at the horrendously named J.S. Blatter Stadium.

The hosts, and their near neighbours and fellow Worst in the World, American Samoa take on Tonga, Cook Islands and each other in a four way tussle for the one qualifying place in the next round, to take place in Fiji in June next year.

Oceania World Cup Qualifying: Samoa

The second of our Worst in the World taking part in the Oceania World Cup round one group next week, and indeed hosting it, is Samoa – not to be confused with American Samoa who we looked at last time.

Samoa have only recently sunk to the murky depths of the foot of the world rankings, and have so far clocked up only 2 months in that position thanks to results from a few years ago disappearing from the rankings reckoning.

Oceania World Cup Qualifying: American Samoa

Ahead of the Oceania World Cup qualifying group later this month in Apia, Samoa, featuring not just one but two of our reigning Worst in the World, we’ll take a look at the nations hogging our attention in the tournament.

Today the focus is on American Samoa, long-standing Worst in the World regulars who have taken basement dwelling to new heights depths along with their Caribbean cousins from the island of Montserrat.

Worst in the World Archives – The day Montserrat opened the World Cup

Sporting glory days don’t include Montserrat too often, but earlier this year our record breaking long serving worst in the world nation had the honour of playing in the very first match of the qualifying competition for the 2014 World Cup, against the relative super power of Belize. 

Unfortunately for our volcanic island friends they couldn’t actually host the match themselves since Montserrat is without a stadium of suitable quality and so both teams had to troop on down to Port of Spain, Trinidad to a near empty Ato Boldon Stadium on June 15th for this first leg match in the CONCACAF qualifying first round.