Looks like Concacaf will indeed be using the Feb. 6, 2013 Friendly date to begin the Hex. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2012/10/17/united-states-3-guatemala-1/ Interesting choice to not fully used the "four dates" of the June 7-11 and June 14-18 International match days on FIFA's calendar, but rather to use the Friendly date in early Feb for an official WCQ matchdate. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/calendar/events.html
And yellows carry over from the semifinal round...ugh! From the Washington Post link above... *Yellow cards do carry over from the semifinal round to the hexagonal, which means Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi, Fabian Johnson and Maurice Edu face suspension with their next caution. I'd imagine we'll lose most of those players for one match at some point in the Hex. 16 matches seems like an awfully long tournament in which to maintain the standard caution rule.
Ahh yes, the "random draw". Will it, for the third time in four qualification rounds, put Mexico in Columbus in February? Not that I'd complain . . .
Using the FIFA February friendly date for a Hex match also lessens the opportunity for friendly prep matches. Friendlies scheduled thus far, per FIFA.com ... USA - @ Russia (11/14) {we need to find a useful opponent (or two) for January} Mexico - no friendlies scheduled {yet, but be confident they will} Jamaica - v Paraguay (11/14) Costa Rica - v Belize (1/18); v Nicaragua (1/20); v Guatemala (1/22) Panama - v Spain (11/14); @ El Salvador (1/20); @ Honduras (1/22) Honduras - v El Salvador (1/18); v Panama (1/22)
Yes, the January camp and any friendlies arranged there may very well be key to getting the Hex off to a good start. (Not that JK, or any NT coach, will have access to most of his preferred players.) I would suspect that Canada might be an available (and perhaps) useful opponent that likely will wind up on US Soccer's January "non-FIFA date" calendar. If the US is shopping for friendly opponents for January outside of CONCACAF, they'll likely face only a B-team (or lower) as most players will be with their clubs.
I don't think there's been any documentation to indicate that the Hex draw would be "random." http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tou...rocedures_northcentralamericacaribbean_en.pdf I do see that "the Organising Committee for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil" did miss their stated date for having "the draw date, location and procedure for Round Four" confirmed. I'm a fan of anything that may help the US get to the WC. (Of course we'll have to see how the draw plays out and where the US plays and who they face on that first Wednesday in Feb 2013.)
Yes. And that's the "same issue" for all teams in the Hex. Again, a very interesting choice by CONCACAF. Are any regions playing 4 WCQs per team from June 7-18? (I do not know if that is or would be the better approach.)
Yes, apparently -- 2012 USMNT Schedule [R] That looks to be the only "FIFA friendly date" (for which JK can call all players of his choice away from their clubs) on the calendar between now and the start of the Hex.
By the way, those fixtures for Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama (save the Spain one) aren't friendlies, but rather UNCAF Copa Centroamericana fixtures. It is the Central American championship and serves as Gold Cup qualification, with the top 5 out of 7 teams advancing. They also have semifinals and finals to crown the champion of Central America. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Copa_Centroamericana
Two further scheduling notes (with dates yet to be 100% finalized) ... The Confederations Cup (for Mexico ) is scheduled for June 15-30, 2013. The Gold Cup is scheduled for July 7-28, 2013.
Just a thought but perhaps they moved one of the June dates to February to accommodate Mexico for the Confederations Cup? The Confed Cup starts June 15th.
Thanks for clarifying that. I was on my way to check out the Gold Cup (and Confederations Cup) but work - okay, 'work' - called me away. The tight grouping of those CA matches did make me suspicious, of course.
yeah when I heard them say that during the game, I was shocked. They've played 6 games and now their expected to play another 10 and see nothing wrong with not resetting the cards?
Yes, but what doesn't make much sense is FIFA setting a Confed Cup schedule that overlaps (even slightly) with the calendar of days that they themselves likely specifically put aside for WCQ dates.
usa has more depth than anyone than mexico who esle is acrrying yellows demspey was sa dope for diving... still i think usa is well prepared for thehex edu at cb for russia omar in waiting i see goodson as thre 3rd cb gold cup HUGETRYOUT for cb if usa cant be 4th in yhis hex, fuggetaboiut it
I suppose we probably shouldn't. Completely agree. (Unless of course you are the MLS schedule maker. Although, I assume it actually won't be much of an issue to avoid the WCQ dates and MLS will likely and logically play concurrently with the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup.)
So what 6 stadiums get games and which? Mexico to Columbus? I think Kansas City and DC will likely get 1 each.
So what 6 stadiums get games and which? Mexico to Columbus? I think Kansas City and DC will likely get 1 each.
When the US was in the Confed Cup during the last Hexagonal, the date of one US match (at Costa Rica) was moved forward by a week while leaving the other matches of the round were played where they were originally scheduled. Round 5, USA at CRC - June 3, 2009 Round 4 matches - June 6, 2009 Round 5, other two matches - June 10, 2009 Opening USA Confed Cup match - June 15, 2009 I would assume, if the Confed Cup got in the way, they would probably just move the game affecting Mexico and not the whole round. My guess is CONCACAF probably didn't want to have so many qualifiers bunched up in Junewhen the Gold Cup is being played the following month.