Only the Texas Rangers, losers of the last two World Series, are assured of qualifying.

FORBES: Highest Spending Baseball Teams Could Miss Playoffs, Including Yankees

And with five games yet to be played in the qualifying series, an appearance at the 2006 World Cup finals is a dream that is not beyond Adebayor and his colleagues.

BBC: SPORT | Football | African | Adebayor: New kid on the block

Briers won the last of his 18 caps in the 2007 World Cup qualifying defeat to Lebanon but he has been picked for Wales' five-game autumn series.

BBC: Warrington star Lee Briers in line for Wales comeback