2014 WC Brasil - CONCACAF WCQ opponents watch [all R's]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by TimB4Last, Mar 1, 2012.

  1. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Next up is Jamaica v Costa Rica - info/updates appreciated.
     
  2. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Costa Rica's Canal 6 was going to show the game, but apparently the feed from Kingston didn't work. :eek:

    Jermaine Taylor got himself a straight red, but so far the game's remained 0-0 (now in injury time).
     
  3. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That Jamaican team continues to improve. In the Gold Cup they played tentative, and they played scared. They will not play that way in Jamaica. Plus, their coach is no dope.

    They are no pushover. We should win, but they are no pushover. And that 10 man result helps show that.
     
  4. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, we have given T&T and Panama their first wins over us recently, so why not show the Reggae Boyz some love too? :D
     
  5. Dr. Gamera

    Dr. Gamera Member+

    Oct 13, 2005
    Wheaton, Maryland
    So apparently Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines played two friendlies in three days, both in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on 30 March 2012 and 1 April 2012. Sorry that this totally escaped my notice until now.

    Recall that St. Vincent and the Grenadines ended up in third place in Group E during the previous round of qualifying, including a home loss 0-2 to Belize and road draws with Belize and Grenada (and two losses to Guatemala, unsurprisingly).

    In the first match against Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines won 1-0. In the second match, Antigua and Barbuda got their revenge with a 2-1 victory.

    Soccerway links here:
    http://www.soccerway.com/matches/20...d-the-grenadines/antigua-and-barbuda/1276285/
    http://www.soccerway.com/matches/20...d-the-grenadines/antigua-and-barbuda/1276286/

    In other news, Costa Rica rallied for a 1-1 home draw in San José against Honduras in a friendly on 11 April 2012. Suazo in the 23rd minute, Vargas in the 49th. Link:
    http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2012/04/12/world/friendlies/costa-rica/honduras/1247575/
     
  6. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  7. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Too bad Bryan is injured though.
     
  8. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    I wouldn't be surprised if they make playing at the Estadio Saprissa a USA only kinda thing.
     
  9. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Really there should be no excuse to not get six points out of Antigua, and frankly it would be fairly surprising to see Antigua get any points out of Jamaica or Guatemala. We should assume that all three teams take six points. Anybody dropping points to Antigua likely will see their World Cup dreams ending.
     
  10. Dr. Gamera

    Dr. Gamera Member+

    Oct 13, 2005
    Wheaton, Maryland
    I frequently beat the drums of "caution" and "don't overconfidently underestimate our opponents"... but yeah, in this case, I pretty much agree.

    However, one thing I don't know is if there's a significant difference between the rosters for Antigua and Barbuda's friendlies, and their rosters for upcoming WCQ matches.
     
  11. Dr. Gamera

    Dr. Gamera Member+

    Oct 13, 2005
    Wheaton, Maryland
    You idiot, Grenada actually converted a penalty kick in the second game to briefly tie the score at 1-1. After two more USA goals, the aggregate lead only got up to 6-1.
     
  12. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No personal attacks Gamera. :mad:
     
  13. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Which is another way of saying it's an important match.

    Antigua is basically a USL club side (Antigua Barracuda) with a few English players (from Championship, League One and League Two) in their pool who have barely played with the national side yet but I assume will for the WCQs. Without having seen them play, I'll assume they're probably better than most sides of their talent level (USA 3rd division) simply because of the fact that with few exceptions they're a professional club side that trains and plays together regularly.

    That has to be the reason that a nation that tiny has gotten this far. And I'd venture that's a horrible team to have a bad, distracted, overconfident day against, especially in the away match.
     
  14. Dr. Gamera

    Dr. Gamera Member+

    Oct 13, 2005
    Wheaton, Maryland
    What surprised me is how memory can play tricks. I remembered the two Grenada goals happening in rapid succession. Instead it was the second Grenada goal happening shortly after the last USA goal, more or less directly from the kickoff.
     
  15. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Every USMNT player knows the importance of the World Cup.

    There will be no underestimating of A&B. I'm sure Klinsmann will hammer that into all of the players' heads every day leading up to the match.
     
  16. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    A lot of buzz has been going on recently about Jamaica's recent plans to call-up their uncapped UB40s (UK/Jamaicans). Some interesting names such as, Chris Humphreys, Darren Pratley, Jobi McAnuff, Nigel Neita, and Adrian Mariappa, among a GIGANTIC list of names that are eligible to represent JA.
     
  17. Dr. Gamera

    Dr. Gamera Member+

    Oct 13, 2005
    Wheaton, Maryland
    Is there significantly more buzz now than there was at the equivalent time during the last cycle? I seem to remember posts like this four years ago, and as we've recently established in this thread, my memory is infallible.
     
  18. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    Well they recently called-up Mariappa and Humphreys for the Guyana friendly (iirc).. and heard they are planning on calling up plenty more for the Panama friendly, but eh.. never know with these things.

    They did call-up Nigel Neita of Arsenal, but Arsenal didn't let him go.
     
  19. SamsArmySam

    SamsArmySam Member+

    Apr 13, 2001
    Minneapolis, MN
    UB40 buzz? Must be the red, red wine, doc.
     
  20. USOutlaw16

    USOutlaw16 Member+

    Green Bay Voyageurs
    United States
    Jan 22, 2011
    On the Gringo Wall of Shame
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Antigua & Barbuda Roster by Position

    GOALKEEPERS (3):
    Molvin James, Kieta de Castro, Alston Ford
    DEFENDERS (8):
    George Dublin, Luke Blakely, Troy Dublin, Ranja Christian, Justine Cochrane, Marvin McCoy, Marc Joseph, Joshua Parker
    MIDFIELDERS (9):
    Kim Alexander, Quinton Griffith, Kajana Mack, Randolph Burton, Lawson Robinson, Kerry Skepple, Akeem Thomas, Kieran Murtagh, Mikele Leigterwood
    FORWARDS (5):
    Peter Byers, Lloyd Jeremey, Stefan Smith, Tomarley Thomas, Dexter Blackstock

    Mostly domestic based players. I'm normally one not to be overconfident, but if we're not up by at least 4-0 at halftime vs. them, it's a disappointment. The real guy we would have to watch for however is Leigterwood. He scored the goal that took Reading back to the PL.
     
  21. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Really doubt 4-0 at halftime. Should be close first half and if the game gets broken open it will be in the second half.
     
  22. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    I'd watch out for Blackstock too. Has been topnotch for Nottingham.
     
  23. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm also very curious to see how the scoring plays out. Whether it will be a flurry of energy, or feeling the situation out.
     
  24. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Yeah, Leitgerwood with Reading and Blackstock with Forest are their two ringers from the Championship (Blackstock had 10 goals this season). The rest of the team is a mix of Antiguan players who play for Antigua Barracuda FC in the USL Pro (and some have played for other USL/US college teams), plus several other English-bred players from Leagues One and Two.

    Notably, the team is all professional, and about half play together on the same club full-time. For a team that's traditionally a true minnow, this side looks very good. Still a minnow, but a competent minnow. Better than that Barbados team from last cycle, which IIRC was Paul Ifill from Millwall and a bunch of semi-pro guys.
     
  25. drgonzo

    drgonzo Member+

    Jun 1, 2011
    Club:
    San Diego Flash
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    After the Gold Cup, I think it's best to not treat them like minnows.
     

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