DC United @ Cruz Azul, Tuesday 10/21, 10pm ET

[Bootsy Collins]

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/m/mx@dca).gif

OK, OK, I know. The situation being what it is, everyone's main concern is on the match against Cowlumbus next weekend. But Tuesday night, down in Mexico City, 11-14 players representing DC United will take the field in a tough place to play, a long way from home. It'll almost certainly be a reserve lineup; since Tommy got a red card at Saprissa, Chad Ashton will be the one coaching them. They'll be playing under hard conditions in a situation where everyone has given up on them. And they're representing DC United. They need our support.

[DocAnaheim]

VIVA LA BENCHWARRIORS !!! You did it with Saprissa !!! You can
make MUDPIES Out of the Cement Cowboys!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

YOU MAKE US PROUD!!!!

UNITED WE STAND !!!

[TowsonDad]

Time: 10 PM Eastern
TV: FSC and Telefutura

Finn's?

[Rjbatzler]

Have we been officially eliminated from the champions league yet?

[Bootsy Collins]

Have we been officially eliminated from the champions league yet?
Technically, no. We can't take first or second undisputedly by points: if we won out, we'd have 7 points, and currently the other three teams all have 7 points. But if we win out, and Saprissa wins out, we would end up tied on points with Cruz Azul and Marathon for the second slot. I don't know what the tiebreakers (and their order) are; but in the scenario above, our head-to-head records with Cruz Azul and Marathon would be equal, and so presumably it'd go to goal differential. Right now, we're at -5 and they're both at +4, so their losing their two games, and our winning our two games, would have to make that up. So we'd need to win our next two games by comfortable margins, and Saprissa would have to win their next two games by comfortable margins. All in all, a teensy tiny miniscule chance. But mathematically not zero.

[greekchampion04]

tommy better throw the towel in on this one.... i swear to god if one of our starters picks up an injury i will go apeshit

[La Barra Blonde]

Watch, our reserves will pull it out and win, Chad will be a hero, and we'll advance to the next stage. :D

[DocAnaheim]

Stranger things have happened

[bigredfutbol]

tommy better throw the towel in on this one.... i swear to god if one of our starters picks up an injury i will go apeshit

How much more towel-throwing can he do (by proxy this time) than the lineup he fielded in CR last week?

[La Barra Blonde]

How much more towel-throwing can he do (by proxy this time) than the lineup he fielded in CR last week?

He'll start Thorpe. :D

[DocAnaheim]

He'll start Thorpe. :D


' Bout time Thorpe gets his day in the Sun. Chad give him his
chance. Never know it just might be the shot in the arm we
all need for this. A Bench full of Hungry Warriors hell bent on
pounding the dust out of the "Cement Cowboys"!



CLINK...CLINK... CLINK BENCHWARRIORS !!!
COME OUT AND PLAYYYY!!!

[greekchampion04]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/Superman3252/Replacements.jpg

this begs for photoshoping

[Saltenya94]

He'll start Thorpe. :D
Can we bring out Wells and Thorpe at the same time? :o

[Q*bert Jones III]

This game does not exist.

[cleazer]

Technically, no. We can't take first or second undisputedly by points: if we won out, we'd have 7 points, and currently the other three teams all have 7 points. But if we win out, and Saprissa wins out, we would end up tied on points with Cruz Azul and Marathon for the second slot. I don't know what the tiebreakers (and their order) are; but in the scenario above, our head-to-head records with Cruz Azul and Marathon would be equal, and so presumably it'd go to goal differential. According to this document from Concacaf (http://www.concacaf.com/graphics/stats-regs/pdf/Regulations%20CONCACAF%20Champions%20Leaguev10.pdf), the first tie-breaker would be "greater number of points earned in matches between the teams concerned". (Page 6, Section 2.3, Phase 2: Group Stage)

In other words, head-to-head points between Marathon, Cruz Azul, and DC. Which I believe would eliminate DC.



On the other hand, this article (http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4470) from Concacaf.com claims that DC still has a chance of making the quarterfinals.

I suspect that the article is wrong, since it doesn't even bother to spell out the specific chances for any teams and doesn't seem terribly thorough, but you never know I suppose.

[The Cold Sea]

Fight fiercely, United! The element of surprise is on your side, boys.

[Bootsy Collins]

According to this document from Concacaf (http://www.concacaf.com/graphics/stats-regs/pdf/Regulations%20CONCACAF%20Champions%20Leaguev10.pdf), the first tie-breaker would be "greater number of points earned in matches between the teams concerned". (Page 6, Section 2.3, Phase 2: Group Stage)

In other words, head-to-head points between Marathon, Cruz Azul, and DC. Which I believe would eliminate DC.

So in other words, in the scenario I describe which would leave all three teams tied at 7, you'd look at points from games that don't involve Saprissa. That would (in this unlikely scenario) give DC 6, Cruz Azul 4, and Marathon 7, so Marathon would advance. Gotcha.


On the other hand, this article (http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4470) from Concacaf.com claims that DC still has a chance of making the quarterfinals.

I suspect that the article is wrong, since it doesn't even bother to spell out the specific chances for any teams and doesn't seem terribly thorough, but you never know I suppose.
Certainly where Jack Warner is involved.

[DCU1996]

Yes, this could be another historical moment in the history of DCU and MLS.

Beating a Mexican team on Mexican soil in a real match.

[dcchelseafc]

With Reserves! :)

[Vasco]

we are DC and we are a proud team, we will win out.

after all we need to get back to 500.