Day 743

• And this is going to shockwave through the world soccer situation:  Italy OUT of the 2022 World Cup.  The European power was stunned today at home in the one-game semifinal playoff, 0-1 to North Macedonia, who can now qualify for the World Cup, but they now have to beat Portugal to do it.   A goal by Alexandar Trajkovski in 2nd half stoppage time puts Italy out for the first loss in sixty World Cup qualifiers at home for Italy.
• Wales, Sweden, and Portugal join Poland on that list as well.  A potential Ukranian match with Scotland has been postponed.  That pod will potentially be played in June.
• Poland and Sweden play next week, as do Portugal and North Macedonia, both on the 29th.  Wales will await the situation with Ukraine and Scotland in June.
• As such, Scotland and Poland actually played a benefit friendly today, where 10 British pounds of every ticket were sent for Ukranian relief charities.
• And tonight, a pivotal CONCACAF match, as second-placed USA go to third-placed Mexico with Panama breathing down both their necks, as the final international window of non-playoff CONCACAF qualifiers begins.
  
• US has a tricky final window for a short-handed team.  Azteca tonight, where they've never won, then fourth-place Panama and at fifth-place Costa Rica.  Too many results go wrong (with three automatic spots and a playoff spot next week), and...
• Seventeen of the thirty-two teams for the final tournament are set.  The ten group winners in UEFA, the hosts in Qatar, the four automatic qualifiers in Asia, and Brazil and Argentina as the top two teams in South America.
• Africa will name it's five teams next week, with two-legged playoffs determining them tomorrow and on the 29th.  World Cup stalwarts Ivory Coast went out early, as did former host South Africa.
• Oceania is holding it's tournament in Qatar this week, and, on the 30th, will name the one team which will face the 4th-placed CONCACAF team (could be anyone from USA or Mexico to Panama or Costa Rica) in a playoff there.
• A victory by Canada tonight, or a loss by Panama qualifies Canada.  It would be Canada's second World Cup appearance, and first since 1986.
• The NIT is leaving Madison Square Garden after this season.  An 85 year tradition, the secondary men's collegiate basketball tournament has hosted it's final in MSG since the 1930's.  It appears that it will now start looking for more glamorous climes.
• In fact, for the first forty tournaments, the entire thing was held at MSG.
• Logistical problems are now plaguing the World of Warcraft Race to World First, as the two top teams are scrambling as the raid now hits Day 17 with the final boss still not downed.  The main American team has lost it's main tank player due to commitments, and the team has had to relocate hotels.  It has apparently been in Boston since preparations began for this a month ago!