Gold Cup, non USMNT

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
Mexico only up 2-1 on Martinique in 62 minute. Martinique tied it at 1, but Mexico immediately scored to retake lead.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Martinique scored a nice goal at 83' to make it 3-2 Mexico. Lots of tension in the stadium. This is a VERY physical game. CONCACAF on steriods. Bodies flying everywhere.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
Would we be melting down if the US was only up 3-2 on Martinique?
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
Would we be melting down if the US was only up 3-2 on Martinique?
For sure, but Mexico is missing a ton of their top players:
  • Carlos Vela
  • Chicharito
  • Miguel Layun
  • Hector Herrera
  • Jesus Corona
  • Chucky Lozano
  • Javier Aquino
 

Stanley Steamer

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 11, 2012
1,436
Rossland, BC
How about Canada? I know it was just Cuba, but they too gave Mexico a fight, and they are looking better than I've seen in years. A WC berth may not be out of the question.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
Canada is suddenly in a strong position because a bunch of talent has emerged in the midfield and attack, and because Honduras and Costa Rica are getting worse.

The USMNT would kill for a guy like Alphonso Davies. When was the last time an American teen was sold to Bayern for eight figures? Jonathan David looks good too. Mark-Anthony Kaye emerged from the USL to be a revelation for LAFC under Bob Bradley. GK/defense talent is shaky for them, but they are going to score a lot of goals.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
Haiti converts a PK and is now level with Costa Rica in 58th minute. Winner wins the group and avoids Mexico.

Haiti is #101 in FIFA rankings, Costa Rica is #39.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,755
Pittsburgh, PA
and Haiti wins it. It'll be Haiti vs Canada, Mexico vs Costa Rica in the QFs.

Gotta be the biggest win in their history, Haiti.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,460
Chicharito isn't a top player anymore
Just last year in the world cup he played more minutes than any other attacking player for Mexico, tied for team lead in goals and assists. He's also, while not an every week starter, a Premier League player who scored 7 times in 1339 minutes in the league, one of the better records outside the top 6 in terms of minutes per goal. He's not what he was, but he's still one of Mexico's best and one of the best in CONCACAF.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
Since the Hex format was adopted for the 1998 WCQ, only 10 teams have ever made it. Few outside the 10 have a real shot at ever doing it (hypothetically, the 48 team WCs will probably ruin it), but I think Haiti does. Their problem has always been poverty: Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere by a fair margin.

Also, I've said this before but the Ticos aren't what they were five years ago. Their core is getting old and the next generation guys like Joel Campbell aren't as good. They're starting Alvaro Saborio in this GC, who is so old now that he's the honorary Carlos Ruiz/Blas Perez how-is-that-guy-still-around award recipient.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
CR and Honduras are both post-peak, but CR's peak was higher. CR isn't as scary as they were, but they aren't a total dumpster fire like Honduras right now.
 

prizminferno

New Member
Jul 12, 2005
355
Canada has certainly passed them and we'll see how Jamaica looks in these knock out rounds. The friendly against the US was pretty fake but they could make a statement. Never know what to think about Panama.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,755
Pittsburgh, PA
CR and Honduras are both post-peak, but CR's peak was higher. CR isn't as scary as they were, but they aren't a total dumpster fire like Honduras right now.
that dumpster fire was an intercontinental playoff with Australia away from a World Cup Finals berth 18 months ago.

hard to believe CRC was in the WCF quarter-finals, though, too. You're not wrong, it's just hard to see the wheel turning much in the soccer world, with enormous money disparities keeping things in the club scene so incredibly static.
 

prizminferno

New Member
Jul 12, 2005
355
CRC and Honduras type countries are very likely to miss generations. Canada has missed like 20 years of players even, until now. The CONCACAF "wheel" turning to Mexico, USA, Canada, Jamaica, Panama, Haiti as the top teams or something is pretty awesome to see. Canada having two good players and potentially being good is nice.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
Curacao just scored in the 93rd minute to tie Jamaica. WOW.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
Holy crap, they just missed another.

Curacao will advance if Honduras beats El Salvador by 2.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
A screamer nearly misses on the last kick of the game.

If Honduras beats El Salvador, then Curacao advances to the knockout round.
If Honduras wins 1-0 Curacao is through. If it's by 2 goals Curacao is through.

If it's a 1 goal win and El Salvador scores at least 1 goal, they will advance (2-1, 3-2, etc.).
 

Mr. Wednesday

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 27, 2007
1,590
Eastern MA
And another for Honduras, which doesn't really change anything (a goal for El Sal still puts them through as 2 - 1 loser).
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,840
A 2-1 Honduras win would take it to fair play points, wouldn't it?
No. Fair Play was like the 6th tiebreaker.

1-Goal difference
2-Goals scored
3-Head to head
4-Goal difference in all games against teams in question (2 teams, so this wouldn't matter--only gets here if head to head was draw)
5-Goals scored in all games against teams in question (2 teams, so this wouldn't matter-only gets here if head to head was draw)
6-Fair Play points

A 2-1 loss by El Salvador last night would have left them even with Curacao on #1 (0 GD) and #2 (2 goals scored) so it would progress to the head to head, which El Salvador won.
 

Mr. Wednesday

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 27, 2007
1,590
Eastern MA
Guyana just went up 1 - 0 on T&T on a fabulous strike... maybe they're actually better than the Toboggans in this tournament and the relative results for the U.S. weren't a fluke?
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
Trapp-Roldan-Mihailovic seems like a soft midfield to me. The game could swing on how well they stack up to the CONCACAFiness of Panama.
 

McBride11

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
22,109
Durham, NC
1) Does the West Coast score much higher ratings for USMNT soccer matches compared to the East? Game is in KC, why not start it at 8 est (7 in KC?) I know TnT v Guyana was on earlier, but oh no if they move that juggernaut match up an hour. Just trying to understand the reasoning (if any besides that's just the way the schedule is).

2) Every time I hear Sean Johnson - I think of Shawn Johnson gymnast and laugh a little at the thought of the 4'11" person trying to cover the soccer net.
 

McBride11

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
22,109
Durham, NC
The answer is neither Jozy or Zardes, you have to put that at least on net. Tho Zardes probably boots it over the end line on his first touch not his 3rd.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,755
Pittsburgh, PA
The answer is neither Jozy or Zardes, you have to put that at least on net. Tho Zardes probably boots it over the end line on his first touch not his 3rd.
Zardes doesn't even get a shot off. Jozys first touch was very smooth, he just didn't aim the shot.
 

McBride11

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
22,109
Durham, NC
Zardes doesn't even get a shot off. Jozys first touch was very smooth, he just didn't aim the shot.
Ya, that's what I mean, Zardes first touch just goes off his foot 10 yards upfield.. But when you're 8 yards out and just wide of the post, not aiming or missing or whatever is pretty poor.

Morris continues to make things happen on the field.