I was a little bit off in my prediction from March. Mexico, Costa Rica, and the U.S. all got draws that I didn't expect so MEX and CRC are a couple of points lower while the U.S. is one point higher. Panama and Honduras are about where I thought they would be on points. The next games: MEX - PAN, @ CRC CRC - @USA, MEX USA - CRC, @HON ------------------------- PAN - @MEX, TRI -------------------------- HON - @TRI, USA TRI - HON, @PAN I hesitate to even predict these outcomes. The top 3 each have a tough pair of games. Mexico and Costa Rica have solid leads in the standings so they will stay in the top 3. The US would have gain 3 points on CRC to catch them. That is possible with a win at home on September 1 so I'll keep those 3 in the top zone. Panama is only 1 point behind the US but 3 is the most they can really hope from from their two games. Honduras probably has the best chance to pick up 6 points which would put them right in the thick of things. T&T play the weakest opponents but they are not likely to make much of a move. The U.S. games are really pivotal. A win against Costa Rica and the U.S. is in much better shape but if they follow that up with a loss at Honduras things will probably get really tight for 2nd through 5th.
You had it right that MX and CR would continue to pull away, the situation is really more dynamic behind them. ESPN has probably the best table for quali, broken down Home and Away. What pops out rapidly is the 3 highest teams in the table right now are the ones with 2 home wins. Panama might be a better road squad than the US and as good as CR, but they DON'T WIN AT HOME. 3 draws including against us (last pair) and the Honduras game (this pair). Worse, both those games they trailed and had to chase the point all night. You may remember how we came back on them away and took away their quali chance last time. They were minutes (seconds?) from eliminating Mexico and couldn't beat or even tie us. They haven't fixed that glitch even though winning your home games should be job 1. Honduras and TnT are mediocre at home and horrific on the road, one point between them there. Panama has respectable GD on the road and even at home. I felt like the US was underrated if you straightlined the first two games or even the first four because we aren't that bad. We are now getting back to home wins with huge GD and evensies on the road. There aren't really any gimmes at this stage this cycle and they will have to play the games and get the results. But that's true for everyone. There is no El Salvador to feast upon. But based on their record breakdowns and GDs, it should be roughly as currently tabled, top 3 a cut above, Panama in 4th on road form and consistently getting points, even though the home ties in competition are costing them. Honduras and TnT then out based on atrocious road form. That being said, there are fewer and fewer games left and the only team we have a multigame gap from is TnT. Same is true for CR relative to us, or Panama relative to Honduras. One upset and everything flips and in Panama's case in particular, the ability to get road points makes a team interesting when they need results to make it. Only team I am counting out is Trinidad.
What are you saying here? Weve been relying on dual nationals for decades, sometimes very shamelessly (see 98 WC). Klinsi did little to nothing revolutionary there.
I found it interesting all these new players are pool-available (or will be soon). Fair enough on Klinsmann, there is a history going back to the 90s teams, but he was known for it and yet there's going to be about a half dozen new players either on the team or available to Arena. I think Arena was the one who made the Germans comment, wasn't he?
I prefer players that have a very intense desire to win for our Flag! That makes them Americans in my book, wherever they were born! Shocking I know.
I suspect CONCACAF is going down to MD 10. Unless the USA wins their next three, they may well need to win at T&T to avoid the inter-confederation playoff. 2 home wins and 2 away draws will do the trick nicely, but drop any home points to PAN and things will get awfully tense.
I don't care where they are from so much as can they play and what's their effort level. The Mexico 11 showed up to play and executed a game plan (as did Arena's first two games back). The first TnT half and some of the big games the past 2 years, defense was swiss cheese and the offense was too frenetic to carry out tired late in a game when they see you coming. I also prefer the Mexico-style game where I see a tactical game plan being implemented by 11 men. I think we are potentially top notch as a counter punch team. Counter-punch style does not prevent you from having skilled players like Pulisic executing the counter. I think we are second rate passing the ball around and with more undisciplined defense. I think we are a generation or more away from having enough Pulisics to play an open toe to toe game like Klinsmann wanted to do and I see it as important that a coach deploys tactics suited to the present day team. I think Klinsmann meant well and I would love to see us become more technical but we weren't yet technical enough to pick it as a style.
klinsmans style was to throw crap against the wall and instead of seeing what sticks would yell at it to run harder and throw again. repeat ad nauseum.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...l&utm_content=TwimHero&utm_campaign=08172017& Kind of a telling document re the 2026 NAm bid-in-progress. Longlist of potential stadia has 37 US stadia in 34 cities, 9 stadia in 7 Canadian cities, 3 Mexican stadia total. Bunch of football stadia, even the Canadian ones which are CFL locations mostly (including BMO, which hosts the Argonauts now). Only the Mexican stadia and perhaps Saputo are really soccer first. Interesting thing after the SSS obsession.
ASIA Round 3 Matchday 9 & 10 Tuesday, August 29 United Arab Emirates v. Saudi Arabia 11:30 am Thursday, August 31 Japan v. Australia 5:30 am Syria v. Qatar 7:00 am South Korea v. Iran 7:00 am China v. Uzbekistan 7:00 am Thailand v. Iraq 7:00 am Tuesday, September 5 Iraq v. United Arab Emirates 4:00 am Australia v. Thailand 4:00 am Iran v. Syria 10:00 am Qatar v. China 10:00 am Uzbekistan v. South Korea 10:00 am Saudi Arabia v. Japan 12:30 pm Standings after 8 matches: Group A 1. IRN 20 pts +8 2. KOR 13 pts +1 ------------------ 3. UZB 12 pts +0 ------------------ 4. SYR 9 pts -1 5. QAT 7 pts -4 6. CHI 6 pts -4 Group B 1. JPN 17 pts +9 2. KSA 16 pts +7 ------------------- 3. AUS 16 pts +6 ------------------- 4. UAE 10 pts -3 5. IRQ 5 pts -3 6. THA 2 pts -16
CAF Round 3 Matchday 3 & 4 Thursday, August 31 Uganda v. Egypt 8:00 am Guinea v. Libya 12:00 pm Friday, September 1 Ghana v. Congo 10:30 am Nigeria v. Cameroon 11:00 am Cape Verde Islands v. South Africa 1:30 pm Morocco v. Mali 3:00 pm Tunisia v. Congo DR 3:00 pm Saturday, September 2 Zambia v. Algeria 8:00 am Gabon v. Cote D'Ivoire 11:00 am Senegal v. Burkina Faso 3:00 pm Monday, September 4 Cameroon v. Nigeria 12:00 pm Libya v. Guinea 2:00 pm Tuesday, September 5 Congo v. Ghana 9:30 am South Africa v. Cape Verde Islands 12:00 pm Cote D'Ivoire v. Gabon 12:30 pm Congo DR v. Tunisia 12:30 pm Burkina Faso v. Senegal 1:00 pm Egypt v. Uganda 1:00 pm Mali v. Morocco 2:00 pm Algeria v. Zambia 2:30 pm Group Leaders A: Congo DR B: Nigeria C: Cote d'Ivoire D: Burkina Faso E: Egypt
CONMEBOL Matchdays 15 & 16 Thursday, August 31 Venezuela v. Colombia 4:00 pm Chile v. Paraguay 5:30 pm Uruguay v. Argentina 6:00 pm Brazil v. Ecuador 7:45 pm Peru v. Bolivia 9:15 pm Tuesday, September 5 Bolivia v. Chile 3:00 pm Colombia v. Brazil 3:30 pm Ecuador v. Peru 4:00 pm Paraguay v. Uruguay 6:00 pm Argentina v. Venezuela 6:30 pm Standings after 14 of 18 games: 1. Brazil 33 pts +25 2. Colombia 24 pts +3 3. Uruguay 23 pts +9 4. Chile 23 pts +5 ------------------------ 5. Argentina 22 pts +1 ------------------------ 6. Ecuador 20 pts +3 7. Peru 18 pts -1 8. Paraguay 18 pts -8 9. Bolivia 10 pts -20 10. Venezuela 6 pts -17
UEFA Matchday 7 & 8: Thursday, August 31 Portugal v. Faroe Islands 12:45 pm Switzerland v. Andorra 1:45 pm Belgium v. Gibraltar 1:45 pm Cyprus v. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2:45 pm Greece v. Estonia 2:45 pm Hungary v. Latvia 2:45 pm France v. Netherlands 2:45 pm Luxembourg v. Belarus 2:45 pm Bulgaria v. Sweden 2:45 pm Friday, September 1 Kazakhstan v. Montenegro 11:00 am Malta v. England 1:45 pm Lithuania v. Scotland 1:45 pm San Marino v. Northern Ireland 1:45 pm Norway v. Azerbaijan 1:45 pm Czech Republic v. Germany 1:45 pm Slovakia v. Slovenia 1:45 pm Denmark v. Poland 1:45 pm Romania v. Armenia 1:45 pm Saturday, September 2 Albania v. Liechtenstein 11:00 am Georgia v. Ireland 11:00 am Serbia v. Moldova 11:00 am Finland v. Iceland 11:00 am Ukraine v. Turkey 1:45 pm Israel v. Macedonia 1:45 pm Spain v. Italy 1:45 pm Wales v. Austria 2:45 pm Croatia v. Kosovo 2:45 pm Sunday, September 3 Belarus v. Sweden 11:00 am Netherlands v. Bulgaria 11:00 am Faroe Islands v. Andorra 11:00 am Estonia v. Cyprus 11:00 am Gibraltar v. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1:45 pm Latvia v. Switzerland 1:45 pm France v. Luxembourg 1:45 pm Hungary v. Portugal 2:45 pm Greece v. Belgium 2:45 pm Monday, September 4 Armenia v. Denmark 11:00 am Azerbaijan v. San Marino 11:00 am Northern Ireland v. Czech Republic 1:45 pm Germany v. Norway 1:45 pm Montenegro v. Romania 1:45 pm Poland v. Kazakhstan 1:45 pm England v. Slovakia 1:45 pm Slovenia v. Lithuania 1:45 pm Scotland v. Malta 1:45 pm Tuesday, September 5 Moldova v. Wales 1:45 pm Macedonia v. Albania 1:45 pm Italy v. Israel 1:45 pm Kosovo v. Finland 1:45 pm Iceland v. Ukraine 1:45 pm Turkey v. Croatia 1:45 pm Austria v. Georgia 2:45 pm Ireland v. Serbia 2:45 pm Liechtenstein v. Spain 2:45 pm Current Standings: Group Leaders A: Sweden B: Switzerland C: Germany D: Serbia E: Poland F: England G: Spain H: Belgium I: Croatia 2nd place teams G: Italy C: Northern Ireland A: France I: Iceland B: Portugal F: Slovakia H: Greece D: Ireland ----------- E: Montenegro
CONCACAF Round 5 Matchdays 7 & 8. Friday, September 1 USA v. Costa Rica 6:00 pm Trinidad and Tobago v. Honduras 7:00 pm Mexico v. Panama 8:30 pm Tuesday, September 5 Honduras v. USA 4:30 pm Costa Rica v. Mexico 9:00 pm Panama v. Trinidad and Tobago 9:00 pm Standings after 6 games: 1. Mexico 14 pts +7 2. Costa Rica 11 pts +5 3. USA 8 pts +3 ----------------------- 4. Panama 7 pts +0 ----------------------- 5. Honduras 5 pts -8 6. Trinidad and Tobago 3 pts -7
Oceania Round 4 Friday, September 1 New Zealand v. Solomon Islands 1:30 am Monday, September 4 Solomon Islands v. New Zealand 10:00 pm The winner of this series will face the 5th place team from CONMEBOL in the inter-confederations playoffs in November.
A few mouthwatering WCQ there from around the world, Nigeria vs. super arch rival Cameroon. Japan hosts Australia in an old meeting of none friends. Spain vs. Italy and Czech Rep. vs. Germany. Uruguay vs. Argentina and USA vs. Costa Rica up in NJ.
ASIA Round 3 Matchday 9 results: Tuesday, August 29 United Arab Emirates 2-1 Saudi Arabia Thursday, August 31 Japan 2-0 Australia Syria 3-1 Qatar South Korea 0-0 Iran China 1-0 Uzbekistan Thailand 1-2 Iraq Tuesday, September 5 Iraq v. United Arab Emirates 4:00 am Australia v. Thailand 4:00 am Iran v. Syria 10:00 am Qatar v. China 10:00 am Uzbekistan v. South Korea 10:00 am Saudi Arabia v. Japan 12:30 pm Standings after 9 matches: Group A 1. IRN 21 pts +8 2. KOR 14 pts +1 ------------------ 3. SYR 12 pts +1 ------------------ 4. UZB 12 pts -1 5. CHI 9 pts -3 6. QAT 7 pts -6 Group B 1. JPN 20 pts +11 2. KSA 16 pts +6 ------------------- 3. AUS 16 pts +4 ------------------- 4. UAE 13 pts -2 5. IRQ 8 pts -2 6. THA 2 pts -17
CONMEBOL Matchdays 15 results: Thursday, August 31 Venezuela 0-0 Colombia Chile 0-3 Paraguay Uruguay 0-0 Argentina Brazil 2-0 Ecuador Peru 2-1 Bolivia Tuesday, September 5 Bolivia v. Chile 3:00 pm Colombia v. Brazil 3:30 pm Ecuador v. Peru 4:00 pm Paraguay v. Uruguay 6:00 pm Argentina v. Venezuela 6:30 pm Standings after 15 of 18 games: 1. Brazil 36 pts +27 2. Colombia 25 pts +3 3. Uruguay 24 pts +9 4. Chile 23 pts +2 ------------------------ 5. Argentina 23 pts +1 ------------------------ 6. Peru 21 pts +0 7. Paraguay 21 pts -5 8. Ecuador 20 pts +1 9. Bolivia 10 pts -21 10. Venezuela 7 pts -17
Oceania Round 4 Friday, September 1 New Zealand 6-1 Solomon Islands Monday, September 4 Solomon Islands v. New Zealand 10:00 pm The winner of this series will face the 5th place team from CONMEBOL in the inter-confederations playoffs in November.
so is the USA kickoff actually at 6? USSF says 530 but their recent pattern has been to give when the pregame show is on. I set the dvr accordingly but if I don't need to leave work early I'd rather avoid it.
As far as I can tell kickoff is at 5:55 pm CDT. That is an odd time but it seems like that is what is happening. Univision's coverage also starts at 5:30 CDT and ends at 8 pm which seems consistent with a game starting right around 6 pm.
CONCACAF Round 5 Matchdays 7 & 8. Friday, September 1 USA 0-2 Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago 1-2 Honduras Mexico 1-0 Panama Tuesday, September 5 Honduras v. USA 4:30 pm Costa Rica v. Mexico 9:00 pm Panama v. Trinidad and Tobago 9:00 pm Standings after 6 games: 1. Mexico 17 pts +8 2. Costa Rica 14 pts +7 3. USA 8 pts +1 ----------------------- 4. Honduras 8 pts -7 ----------------------- 5. Panama 7 pts -1 6. Trinidad and Tobago 3 pts -8
UEFA Matchday 7 results: Thursday, August 31 Portugal 5-1 Faroe Islands Switzerland 3-0 Andorra Belgium 9-0 Gibraltar Cyprus 3-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina Greece 0-0 Estonia Hungary 3-1 Latvia France 4-0 Netherlands Luxembourg 1-0 Belarus Bulgaria 3-2 Sweden Friday, September 1 Kazakhstan 0-3 Montenegro Malta 0-4 England Lithuania 0-3 Scotland San Marino 0-3 Northern Ireland Norway 2-0 Azerbaijan Czech Republic 1-2 Germany Slovakia 1-0 Slovenia Denmark 4-0 Poland Romania 1-0 Armenia Saturday, September 2 Albania 2-0 Liechtenstein Georgia 1-1 Ireland Serbia 3-0 Moldova Finland 1-0 Iceland Ukraine 2-0 Turkey Israel 0-1 Macedonia Spain 3-0 Italy Wales 1-0 Austria Croatia v. Kosovo PPD Sunday, September 3 Belarus v. Sweden 11:00 am Netherlands v. Bulgaria 11:00 am Faroe Islands v. Andorra 11:00 am Estonia v. Cyprus 11:00 am Gibraltar v. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1:45 pm Latvia v. Switzerland 1:45 pm France v. Luxembourg 1:45 pm Hungary v. Portugal 2:45 pm Greece v. Belgium 2:45 pm Monday, September 4 Armenia v. Denmark 11:00 am Azerbaijan v. San Marino 11:00 am Northern Ireland v. Czech Republic 1:45 pm Germany v. Norway 1:45 pm Montenegro v. Romania 1:45 pm Poland v. Kazakhstan 1:45 pm England v. Slovakia 1:45 pm Slovenia v. Lithuania 1:45 pm Scotland v. Malta 1:45 pm Tuesday, September 5 Moldova v. Wales 1:45 pm Macedonia v. Albania 1:45 pm Italy v. Israel 1:45 pm Kosovo v. Finland 1:45 pm Iceland v. Ukraine 1:45 pm Turkey v. Croatia 1:45 pm Austria v. Georgia 2:45 pm Ireland v. Serbia 2:45 pm Liechtenstein v. Spain 2:45 pm Current Standings: Group Leaders A: France B: Switzerland C: Germany D: Serbia E: Poland F: England G: Spain H: Belgium I: Ukraine 2nd place teams B: Portugal F: Slovakia A: Sweden C: Northern Ireland H: Greece I: Croatia G: Italy D: Ireland ----------- E: Montenegro
CAF Round 3 Matchday 3 & 4 Thursday, August 31 Uganda 1-0 Egypt Guinea 3-2 Libya Friday, September 1 Ghana 1-1 Congo Nigeria 4-0 Cameroon Cape Verde Islands 2-1 South Africa Morocco 6-0 Mali Tunisia 2-1 Congo DR Saturday, September 2 Zambia 3-1 Algeria Gabon 0-3 Cote D'Ivoire Senegal 0-0 Burkina Faso Monday, September 4 Cameroon v. Nigeria 12:00 pm Libya v. Guinea 2:00 pm Tuesday, September 5 Congo v. Ghana 9:30 am South Africa v. Cape Verde Islands 12:00 pm Cote D'Ivoire v. Gabon 12:30 pm Congo DR v. Tunisia 12:30 pm Burkina Faso v. Senegal 1:00 pm Egypt v. Uganda 1:00 pm Mali v. Morocco 2:00 pm Algeria v. Zambia 2:30 pm Group Leaders A: Tunisia B: Nigeria C: Cote d'Ivoire D: Burkina Faso E: Uganda