Big Movers of 2013
The top two of USA and Germany maintained their positions while Norway moved up 10 places into 4th after a good run of results that took them to the final of the Euros in Sweden. New Zealand also moved into the top 10 after punching above their weight in friendly matches and winning the Valais Cup in Switzerland.
Jordan held their Vietnamese hosts to a 1-1 draw in a friendly match, but their most amazing moment came in front of their home crowd when they put 4 past Uzbekistan in an Asian qualifier.
Malta enjoyed a 1-1 draw with Albania and thrashed Luxembourg 6-0 on their way to winning the preliminary qualifying group, played on their own soil, for the 2015 World Cup.
Bosnia & Herzegovinaeased past Slovakia 4-1 in the Croatia Cup and were 3-0 winners in a friendly on Slovenian soil while in World Cup qualifiers they lost by a single goal to nil at home to Sweden and drew 0-0 in Norther Ireland.
Nicaraguareached the final of the Central American Cup, where they lost to hosts Costa Rica, after 3-1 and 2-1 wins over El Salvador and Guatemala respectively.
Congo continued to slip down the rankings, having not kicked a ball for 4 years.
Moldova also moved down due to a 4-year barren spell.
Uzbekistanwere embarrassed 4-0 by their Jordanian hosts in a World Cup qualifier.
The most surprising result of the year was Jordan's 4-0 win over Uzbekistan followed by Slovenia's 3-1 victory away to Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier. Other big shocks were Iceland's 2-0 home defeat to Switzerland and Serbia's 3-1 loss in Israel, both in World Cup qualifiers.
The highest score of the year was Jordan's 21-0 annihilation of Kuwait in an Asian Cup qualifier played in Amman.
There were 3 new teams in the rankings with Albania moving into the 61st place followed by Montenegroin 71st and Cyprus in 127th place.
|