I decided to go ahead and make a separate thread for this tournament. Kofi Sarkodie is playing for the USA U23 men in this tournament. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals. The semifinal winners advance to the 2012 Olympics this summer in London. Group A Schedule: All of these games are in Nashville, TN Thursday, March 22 ESL 0-0 CAN USA 6-0 CUB Saturday, March 24 Cuba v. El Salvador 3:30 pm United States v. Canada 6:00 pm Universal Sports/mun2 Monday, March 26 Canada v. Cuba 5:30 pm United States v. El Salvador 8:00 pm Universal Sports/mun2 Standings: USA 1 g.p. 3 pts +6 SLV 1 g.p. 1 pt +0 CAN 1 g.p. 1 pt +0 CUB 1 g.p. o pts -6 Group B schedule: All of these games are being played in Carson, CA Friday, March 23 Honduras v. Panama 8:00 pm Trinidad and Tobago v. Mexico 10:30 pm Sunday, March 25 Panama v. Trinidad and Tobago 3:30 pm Mexico v. Honduras 6:00 pm Tuesday, March 27 Honduras v. Trinidad and Tobago 8:30 Mexico v. Panama 10:30 pm Standings: MEX 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 PAN 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 HON 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 TRI 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 Knockout Stage: All of these games are in Kansas City, KS Semifinals Saturday, March 31 B1 v. A2 5:00 pm Telemundo A1 v. B2 8:00 pm NBCSN/Telemundo Final Monday, April 2 Semifinal winners 7:00 pm Telemundo
I edited the TV coverage for the Semis and Final. From the NBCSN listings it looks like they are only showing the USA semifinal game.
Cuba did a nice job of making our guys look like super stars out there. Normaly I am cheering for players from Cuba to defect but I hope every player gets back on the boat when this tourny is done. Is Joe Corona really that good?
Corona's quick reaction to chest trap that redirect and immediately finish with a side footed full volley was sublime. Bagging a hat trick, in an international, is always a sign of a pretty talented forward. I will admit it was against 10 men, yet still. He looks class.
Saturday results. Group A Schedule: All of these games are in Nashville, TN Thursday, March 22 ESL 0-0 CAN USA 6-0 CUB Saturday, March 24 Cuba 0-4 El Salvador USA 0-2 CAN Monday, March 26 Canada v. Cuba 5:30 pm United States v. El Salvador 8:00 pm Universal Sports/mun2 Standings: SLV 2 g.p. 4 pts +4 CAN 2 g.p. 4 pt +2 USA 2 g.p. 3 pts +4 CUB 2 g.p. 0 pts -10 Group B schedule: All of these games are being played in Carson, CA Friday, March 23 Honduras v. Panama 8:00 pm Trinidad and Tobago v. Mexico 10:30 pm Sunday, March 25 Panama v. Trinidad and Tobago 3:30 pm Mexico v. Honduras 6:00 pm Tuesday, March 27 Honduras v. Trinidad and Tobago 8:30 Mexico v. Panama 10:30 pm Standings: MEX 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 PAN 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 HON 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 TRI 0 g.p. 0 pts +0 Knockout Stage: All of these games are in Kansas City, KS Semifinals Saturday, March 31 B1 v. A2 5:00 pm Telemundo A1 v. B2 8:00 pm NBCSN/Telemundo Final Monday, April 2 Semifinal winners 7:00 pm Telemundo
Porter resting starters shows two important things, one, it shows him to be a college coach who doesn't know group stage concept and sez he's outta his depth and two, our bench are half wits cuz if you do get to start, losing to Canada on home soil ain't something you put on a resume.
Reading his post-game comments, he's going with the "remain calm, all is well!!!" approach with silly things like "it's abnormal to be on 6 points thru two group games", yeah maybe in the World Cup, but CONCACAF qualifying with our group . . . uh, no. Even a draw would have gotten us what we need. And he's missing the bigger picture that winning the group generally means avoiding Mexico in the semis, which is really the money round in this deal.
Catching up on Group B. Group A Schedule: All of these games are in Nashville, TN Thursday, March 22 ESL 0-0 CAN USA 6-0 CUB Saturday, March 24 Cuba 0-4 El Salvador USA 0-2 CAN Monday, March 26 Canada v. Cuba 5:30 pm United States v. El Salvador 8:00 pm Universal Sports/mun2 Standings: SLV 2 g.p. 4 pts +4 CAN 2 g.p. 4 pt +2 ---------------------- USA 2 g.p. 3 pts +4 CUB 2 g.p. 0 pts -10 Group B schedule: All of these games are being played in Carson, CA Friday, March 23 Honduras 3-1 Panama Trinidad and Tobago 1-7 Mexico Sunday, March 25 Panama 1-1 Trinidad and Tobago Mexico 3-0 Honduras Tuesday, March 27 Honduras v. Trinidad and Tobago 8:30 Mexico v. Panama 10:30 pm Standings: MEX 2 g.p. 6 pts +9 HON 2 g.p. 3 pts -1 --------------------- PAN 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 TRI 2 g.p. 1 pts -6 Knockout Stage: All of these games are in Kansas City, KS Semifinals Saturday, March 31 B1 v. A2 5:00 pm Telemundo A1 v. B2 8:00 pm NBCSN/Telemundo Final Monday, April 2 Semifinal winners 7:00 pm Telemundo
Well, the games today are showing up on mun2 (channel 410 on Directv) on my receiver's guide... but while the channel itself does not look blacked out (unlike many of the other Spanish language stations in the 400s range that are "faded out" to denote that they are not part of my service package) the show currently playing on that channel (a musical from 1961 entitled "Pepe") is. I set my DVR to record them both here... but I'm not expecting to get anything other than a black screen and the "This program is not available in your area" (727) message. The USA game at 8pm is listed as showing on Universal Sports (channel 625 on Directv) which I do get... no idea if it will be in HD or not on this channel though.
I really figured the US team would be doing better. Did anyone else have the same thought? It's going to make for exciting footy tonight though because it's do or die.
Goal for Cuba in the 90' minute!!!!!!! CAN 1-1 CUB, 90' If Cuba can hang on then the USA can still win the Group.
CAN 1-1 CUB, final. Canada advances but they cannot win the Group. El Salvador takes the group with a win. If the USA and El Salvador tie, then El Salvador wins the group on goal difference. The USA wins the group with a victory over El Salvador.
Thx Whole team looks like shit. No consistency, no flow. Just looks like a bunch of individual play. Hope they can get it going.
Wow, just WOW. Can't believe the US Salvador game. El Ruso Andrés Flores... can we steal his passport and have him play for us?
Yikes, just turned it on. Caleb Porter's star is dimming as we speak. This would be a Mexico 2008 Olympic-style disaster.