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2018 Concacaf World Cup Qualification


flukeshot

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US begins its journey to the 2018 World Cup with a qualifier against St. Vincent and the Grenadines (band name?). This is actually the fourth round of qualifying in Concacaf this year, but the first one that the region's big teams will be involved in. There are three groups of four, you play every team in your group home and away, top two teams advance to the final round of qualification (the "Hex").

 

The groups are:

 

Group A

-----------

Mexico

Honduras

El Salvador

Canada

 

Group B

-----------

Costa Rica

Panama

Haiti

Jamaica

 

Group C

-----------

United States

Trinidad & Tobago

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Guatemala

 

Thankfully the US got about as easy a group as they could've. If Guatemala were swapped out with Jamaica then things would get pretty dicey with the way we've playing of late. Still playing Guat in Guat could be tough and I expect T&T's athleticism to give us trouble.

 

Looks like it's Klinsmann's show until 2018 or until we crash out of the qualifiers.

 

We play St. Vince tomorrow in St. Louis (11/13) and T&T away on Tuesday (11/17) and then the next games aren't until March, with the round finally wrapping up with games next September.

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US was held to a scoreless draw at T&T. Had a little shaky start to the match but the US seemed to get stronger and stronger as it went on, and in some ways we dominated the second half. That domination didn't really result in a lot of chances though (unfortunately that's become the defining characteristic of the Klinsmann era), but we did manage to create a point blank header chance for Gyasi Zardes at the top of the six yard box in each half (first one he whiffed, second he clanged off the crossbar).

 

Group standings are:

 

US 4

T&T 4

Guat 3

St Vince 0

 

Next matches are in March, with the US playing at Guatemala on 3/25 and then turning around and hosting the Guats on 3/29.

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I had a tough time watching the qualifiers due to the recent events but I won't let human ignorance spoil football, my thoughts for the US are that we drastically need to improve in the hex, one positive is that Wood, Yedlin, Morris, and Nagbe seem to have a very bright future with the USMNT.

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  • 4 months later...

Same score at the half. Both of Guat's goals were garbage. A corner (given away by a sloppy back pass) headed off Diskerud's back and into the net. Then Carlos Ruiz scored after somehow being played through directly off a friggin' goal kick.

 

US could've had one themselves. A perfectly timed, lofted pass by Dempsey had Bedoya one on one with the Guat keeper, but unfortunately he banged his shot right off the guy's knee. In the end though, as usual, we just can't generate many chances.

 

Not sure I can watch another 45 minutes of this garbage. Not saying they can't turn it around in the second half, although two goals down, you're going to get every time wasting and probably dirty tactic Guatemala's got. Just watching this rudderless, heartless team play is so depressing. I'm sure Tim Howard will be pumping sunshine up our skirts again after the game about how great Klinsmann is.

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And we lost 2-0. Our first loss to Guat since 1984, and our first ever in a meaningful competition.

 

T&T 7

Guat 6

US 4

St. Vince 0

 

Next game is back home Tuesday against the these selfsame Guatemalans. Suffice it to say, we have to win that one.

 

I pray Klinsmann's reign is nearly at its end.

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Oh, thank sweet merciful heaven. Order is at least temporarily restored as the US smashed Guat 4-0 in the return match, while T&T rocked St. Vincent 6-0.

 

TT 10

US 7

Guat 6

St. Vince 0

 

US is at St. Vince on September 2, before returning home to face T&T in the final qualifier on the 6th. Just need to beat St. V and hope T&T knocks off Guatemala at home, which they should do, and we'll be through to the Hex.

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T&T might lose on purpose to the Guatimalans just so the U.S. would have to defeat them in their matchup. Hahaha... very doubtful but ya never know these days what teams r thinking.. Just need for the U.S. to come out and win their gms at least and that would take care of any weird scenarios!!!!!!

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T&T might lose on purpose to the Guatimalans just so the U.S. would have to defeat them in their matchup. Hahaha... very doubtful but ya never know these days what teams r thinking..

 

Nah, they wouldn't do that, it would leave them in danger of missing out with a loss to us. They could play for a draw as that would be enough to get them to the next round, but even if they did that if we just beat the stuffing out of St. Vince we'd be three up on Guat with a commanding lead in goal differential (first tiebreaker), so we'd still be in great shape.

 

I'm breathing a lot easier now. Still ready for another coach though.

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  • 4 months later...

Final two matches of this round of qualifying are coming up this Friday and then four days later on Tuesday.

 

Friday sees the US take on St. Vincent & the Grenadines at St. Vince while Guatemala is at Trinidad & Tobago. A US win combined with a Guat loss will put us into the Hex. If Guat manages a draw then we just to need to run up the score on Vince to give ourselves a commanding lead in goal differential and take some of the pressure off that last match. God help us if Guat wins, it'll be fingernail chewing time on Tuesday.

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US begins its journey to the 2018 World Cup with a qualifier against St. Vincent and the Grenadines (band name?). This is actually the fourth round of qualifying in Concacaf this year, but the first one that the region's big teams will be involved in. There are three groups of four, you play every team in your group home and away, top two teams advance to the final round of qualification (the "Hex").

 

The groups are:

 

Group A

-----------

Mexico

Honduras

El Salvador

Canada

 

Group B

-----------

Costa Rica

Panama

Haiti

Jamaica

 

Group C

-----------

United States

Trinidad & Tobago

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Guatemala

 

Thankfully the US got about as easy a group as they could've. If Guatemala were swapped out with Jamaica then things would get pretty dicey with the way we've playing of late. Still playing Guat in Guat could be tough and I expect T&T's athleticism to give us trouble.

 

Looks like it's Klinsmann's show until 2018 or until we crash out of the qualifiers.

 

We play St. Vince tomorrow in St. Louis (11/13) and T&T away on Tuesday (11/17) and then the next games aren't until March, with the round finally wrapping up with games next September.

 

US should coast into bracket play at 3-0... but gosh, we couldn't even qualify for the Olympics......

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Guatemala scored late to salvage a 2-2 draw with T&T. Sigh.

 

T&T 11

US 10

Guat 7

St. Vince 0

 

US just needs a draw against T&T to advance to the Hex. On the off chance they lose and finish level with Guat in the final standings, the first tiebreaker is goal differential. US is currently at +13 while Guat is +1, so we are very comfortable in that regard, but it would've been so much better if T&T had just held on for the damned win.

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So here's the Hex:

 

Costa Rica

Honduras

Mexico

Panama

Trinidad & Tobago

United States

 

All teams play every other team home and away. Top 3 finishers qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the fourth place team advances to a two-legged playoff with the 5th place team from the Asian confederation.

 

First games are on the 11th and 15th of November. The United States will host Mexico in Columbus and then go on the road to Costa Rica on those two dates respectively.

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So here's the Hex:

 

Costa Rica

Honduras

Mexico

Panama

Trinidad & Tobago

United States

 

All teams play every other team home and away. Top 3 finishers qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the fourth place team advances to a two-legged playoff with the 5th place team from the Asian confederation.

 

First games are on the 11th and 15th of November. The United States will host Mexico in Columbus and then go on the road to Costa Rica on those two dates respectively.

 

I am afraid Mexico may crush us.

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