The calculations alone are enough to boggle the mind but the consequences of failing to reach the World Cup in this week’s final qualification round games are too horrible to even think about. It’s crunch time in the race for Germany 2006 and some countries are dragging themselves to the finish line. The World Cup qualifiers, which could decide the fate of as many as 23 teams, began again on Saturday. Ten countries, including Germany — the hosts — and reigning world champions Brazil are already guaranteed a starting place at the finals next summer. It was a bumper day of World Cup action as nearly 40 matches took place all over the globe followed by another full round in Europe, South America and CONCACAF, the North American and Caribbean zone, next Wednesday. At the end of the nerve-wracking week, 27 of the 32 finalists should be known with the five outstanding berths to be filled in November’s play-offs. For some, the pressure is already off: Italy, England, the Netherlands and Portugal qualified on Saturday, along with Paraguay, Ecuador and Costa Rica in South America and Togo, Ghana, Tunesia, Angola and Cote d’Ivoire in Africa. For others, it will be…