Even crazier when you remember Bolillo qualified on a goal that never happened... Fluked his way into that one.
All four Toronto games for me. I didn't go to Hamilton because, honestly, I felt that the game was likely going to be played in an empty stadium and didn't want to make plans for nothing.
I live in rural BC and made the Honduras game in Toronto and Costa Rica in Edmonton. I attended all three of Canada's games in Mexico in 1986 as a young man and put in a leave from work for next November and December, because as many of us longtime die-hards know too well, you never know when it's going to happen again.
https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/me...-fifa-world-cup-qualifying-preview-march-2022 is titled "Canada on the cusp as Mexico-USA takes top billing."
So, it doesn't look like Draft Kings has this anymore. Does anyone know a bookie that has whether the US will qualify? And other Concacaf teams too?
Jamaica 1-1 El Salvador: El Salvador scored first, but needed a win and help to remain alive and were eliminated before the other games. Panama 1-1 Honduras: Panama scored first. I read that Honduras didn't call up their best players, but they still equalized. Mexico 0-0 USA: Both teams had chances. It was an entertaining scoreless game, as opposed to El Salvador 0-0 USA on Matchday 1 where neither team threatened. Costa Rica 1-0 Canada: Canada's Mark-Anthony Kaye got two cards in the first half, and Costa Rica scored the only goal in first half stoppage time. Canada defended well to only allow 1 goal while down a man for that long in an away game, but it wasn't enough to qualify yet. The standings are: Canada: 25 points, +13 USA: 22 points, +9 Mexico: 22 points, +6 Costa Rica: 19 points, +2 (passed Panama) Panama: 18 points, +1 El Salvador: 10 points, -7 Jamaica: 8 points, -7 Honduras: 4 points, -17 USA knew before yesterday that beating Panama would be enough to clinch over Panama, and now drawing with Panama would be enough to clinch over Panama. Costa Rica has won 3-0 hosting USA before, and they could go into the last game with Costa Rica needing to win by multiple goals to pass USA for third. If USA and Costa Rica win by the same amount, Costa Rica would need to win by 4 to pass USA. Costa Rica is at El Salvador on Sunday, when every game has one of the top four against one of the bottom four, and USA qualifies if they get more points than Costa Rica. Canada hosts Jamaica, and Canada qualifies unless they lose and Costa Rica wins. Even in that case, Costa Rica doesn't have a realistic chance at making up 11 goal differential in 2 games for each team, but goal differential cannot be clinched before the last game. In my prediction contest, the average gap between first and fifth was 16.75, and now it is 7 with 2 games left, so it cannot finish higher than 12.
Canada defended well, that’s funny. After Costa Rica got their goal, Canada dominated the second half a man down and controlled the game. Hit the post a few times and had several chances to score. They had Costa Rica pinned back for majority of the second half.
https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...-lifts-costa-rica-to-crucial-win-over-canada/ is titled "Borges goal lifts Costa Rica to crucial win over Canada." https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...as-share-spoils-in-central-american-thriller/ is titled "Panama, Honduras share spoils in Central American thriller." https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...-late-to-earn-jamaica-point-with-el-salvador/ is titled "Gray strikes late to earn Jamaica point with El Salvador." https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...nd-tall-as-mexico-u-s-play-to-scoreless-draw/ is titled "Defenses stand tall as Mexico, U.S. play to scoreless draw." https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...choa-borges-headline-wcq-matchday-12-best-xi/ is titled "Ochoa, Borges headline WCQ Matchday 12 Best XI." Costa Rica led with three players, and USA is the only team not represented. https://www.concacaf.com/world-cup-...-out-to-keep-momentum-going-as-wcq-continues/ is titled "Costa Rica out to keep momentum going as WCQ continues."
The US is essentially qualified for Qatar! 6-0 Costa Rica is not happening with Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, Adams, Mussah, and JEDI all available to play. 5-1 in a must-win game is pretty good. If you added Weah, McKennie, Dest, and started Reyna from the opening whistle this might have been 8-0.
I was just thinking, the 2026 World Cup is going to be great for the US. Playing at home. If these guys can all continue to develop and be healthy in 2026, this group would have a chance of winning a World Cup at home. It's not likely, obviously, but they'd be reasonable longshots given home field advantage.
They lost 4-0 last time but yea based on current form, can’t see 6-0 happening, but gotta get through the game first.
In the US forum there have been plenty of thoughts about having the toughest window as the last window. However, the US is so far having its best window. I think the key is that they have been playing teams that need the win more than they do. If Mexico were qualified already or if Panama had gotten three points on the first match we would have seen tougher games for the US. The final two corollaries are that a fast start is key to a team's aspirations and a bad start can be an early grave.
Looking at social media, I am extremely disappointed in the number of people who don't understand goal differential.
I'm excited to see Reyna, Pulisic, and Weah hopefully all go 70 minutes or more in vs. Costa Rica. We're qualified, but they've been balling. Reyna has been fabulous in those two cameos.
Will CONCACAF send a debutant to the 2026 World Cup? If you believe so please visit the following thread and vote for your choice. Thanks. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/t...-at-the-2026-world-cup.2126983/#post-41597252