Mathematically, Armenia still has a chance of securing second place in Group B, and with it, the coveted playoff berth. Simple arithmetic tells us that there are 4 games remaining in the campaign and a total of 12 points on offer, with Armenia sitting only 4 points adrift of second place. The probability of Armenia making a surge and turning things around, however, is quite definitely slim to none.
Group B table
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Italy | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 14 |
| Bulgaria | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 10 |
| Czech Republic | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 9 |
| Armenia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 6 |
| Denmark | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 6 |
| Malta | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 14 | −13 | 3 |
The current standings have yet to reflect the full effects of Armenia’s inexplicable loss to Malta in Yerevan during the last round of qualifiers. That was a crippling blow to Armenia’s chances in the Group, and effectively the death knell for their current campaign. With the campaign just over half way complete and a healthy four matches remaining, it is not premature to call it as it is. Armenia has dug itself a hole that is simply too big to recover from.
Pundits and fans alike can look to each of Armenia’s four losses and analyze and dissect every aspect of those performances. But the fact remains, Malta took three points that Armenia was banking on. It is extremely unlikely that those very Group B minnows, Malta, will take any points from their remaining four matches, none of which are versus Armenia. That means an additional three points to all of Armenia’s rivals for that second spot in the table and with that being said, Armenia is effectively seven points adrift and not four.
To add to the pessimism, Armenia enters these matches off the back of another disappointingly inept performance in an international friendly. Last time out, Armenia simply made up the numbers in an away fixture versus Albania and ultimately fell to a 2:0 defeat. During first-half play in particular, Armenia was outclassed in midfield and was made to look very ordinary if not unorganized, as it looked like another one of Minasyan’s failed experiments.
It’s clear that something hasn’t been quite right with the team’s setup during the current campaign. Perhaps it has been injuries, perhaps a youthful defense that is in flux. Armenia’s 4:0 away win versus Denmark shows the team’s potential when things go right, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. A win such as the dominating performance in Copenhagen merely papers over the cracks of a team that is nowhere near the consistency it strives for.
It may feel like it’s all doom and gloom at the moment for Armenia, but are there any points of optimism that can be clung to at this late stage in the proceedings? Perhaps, but they are fleeting ones. Group B has had more than its fair share of draws, with all teams taking points from each other. As the number of remaining matches gets fewer, a time when teams find themselves needing results, a more desperate, attacking brand of soccer comes to the fore. This is a brand of soccer that plays into Armenia’s strength as a counter-attacking side.
A prime example of this was Armenia’s win in Copenhagen. The Danish team found itself behind its own expected pace in Group B and was required to come out aggressively in an attempt to secure a home win in front of an expectant crowd. They failed. Armenia succeeded in picking them off on the counter attack time and again. Armenia scored early, and scored often. This might be the situation in their final four matches as the campaign comes to a close, but even if it is, and even if Armenia can capitalize, it is probably too little, too late.
Armenia’s upcoming fixtures in September:
Sept. 6, 2013—Prague, Czech Republic vs. Armenia
Sept. 10, 2013—Yerevan, Armenia vs. Denmark