The Cotton Bowl is still used for the Texas-Oklahoma game, usually on the 1st or 2nd Saturday in October. The stadium's proximity to the Texas State Fair makes it an attractive venue for the game. The Heart of Dallas Bowl, contested on New Year's Day this year, pitted UNLV against North Texas.
Final scores from Wednesday... Copa CentroAmericana in Washington. Costa Rica 3-0 Nicaragua Honduras 2-0 Belize El Salvador 1-2 Guatemala From the Caribbean Cup. Group 3 Suriname 0-0 Barbados Martinique 6-0 Bonaire Group 4 Grenada 1-1 French Guiana Puerto Rico 2-2 Curacao Group 5 Dominican Republic 0-1 St. Vincent & the Grenadines Antigua & Barbuda 6-0 Anguilla Group 6 Guyana 0-0 Dominica St. Kitts & Nevis 0-0 St. Lucia
For anyone wondering what Leroy Lewis was doing back in charge of Belize, the explanation can best be described as an "only in CONCACAF" story: As those of you who follow the CONCACAF Champions League know, Belizean champions Belmopan Bandits got tossed out of the current (2014-15) edition at the last minute because the FFB Stadium failed the second inspection in August, leaving no suitable venue within Belize. This was the Federation's fault; its President Ruperto Vicente admitted as much in a press conference, and suggested that the Bandits receive Belize's 2015-16 CCL berth as reparation. A brave soul within the crowd corrected him (paraphrased): "But shouldn't next year's champion qualify for next year's Champions League?" Thus, the FFB settled on letting the Bandits run the national team for this Copa Centroamericana, returning Bandits coach Lewis to the national post after he awkwardly left in 2013 between the Copa Centroamericana and the Gold Cup.
Heading into Day 2 of the Copa Centroamericana and Carribean Cup Qualifying, here are the unofficial standings from FIFA for CONCACAF Costa Rica 1026 Mexico 998 USA 937 Honduras 556 Panama 430 T & T 374 Guatemala 346 Jamaica 328 St Vincent 306 Haiti 262 Cuba 257 El Salvador 255 Antigua and Barbuda 235 Aruba 233 Dominican Republic 232 Canada 224 St Lucia 200 Grenada 187 Suriname 176 Guyana 149 St Kitts and Nevs 149 Barbados 113 Belize 103 Puerto Rico 102 Dominica 96 Curacao 91 Montserratt 86 Bermuda 83 Nicaragua 83 Turks and Caicos Islands 66 US Virgin Islands 28 Bahamas 26 Cayman Islands 21 British Virgin Islands 13 Anguilla 1 Big jump by Guatemala and St Vincent with their wins over El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. A&B on the cusp of a top 12 seed too! Has there been any confirmation on when cutoff is for the next WCQ cycling. I know last year was March before the Gold Cup. I do hope they hold off until after this next Gold Cup if at all possible
The qualifying draw will be in July 2015 and there could be two leg series before that. The seeding will be determined before the Gold Cup.
I knew Aruba were going down! They'll be lucky to stay in Pot 2 for the first group stage when it's all said and done. Oh yes, and: poor, poor Canada...
After Day 2 of the Caribbean Cup Qualifying Costa Rica 1026 Mexico 998 USA 937 Honduras 556 Panama 430 T & T 374 Guatemala 346 St Vincent & the Gren 333 Antigua and Barbuda 333 Jamaica 328 Haiti 262 Cuba 257 El Salvador 255 St Lucia 234 Aruba 233 Dominican Republic 232 Canada 224 St Kitts and Nevs 215 Grenada 187 Suriname 176 Curacao 167 Guyana 149 Barbados 113 Belize 103 Puerto Rico 102 Dominica 92 Montserratt 86 Bermuda 83 Nicaragua 83 Turks and Caicos Islands 66 US Virgin Islands 28 Bahamas 26 Cayman Islands 21 British Virgin Islands 13 Anguilla 1 El Salvador has dropped to pot 2 thanks to a big win by A&B. Big game coming this weekend between A&B and St. Vincent and the Grenadines
C/o Caribbean Footy (by far the best source for live scores from Caribbean games): St. Kitts and Nevis 5-0 Dominica Bonaire 3-2 Suriname Martinique 3-2 Barbados Puerto Rico 1-2 French Guiana Antigua and Barbuda 2-1 Dominican Republic St. Lucia 2-0 Guyana St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-0 Anguilla Curação 2-1 Grenada Current group standings (team / points / GD): Group 3 Martinique / 6 / +7 Bonaire / 3 / -5 Suriname / 1 / -1 Barbados / 1 / -1 Group 4 Curação / 4 / +1 French Guiana / 4 / +1 Puerto Rico / 1 / -1 Grenada / 1 / -1 Group 5 Antigua and Barbuda / 6 / +7 St. Vincent and the Grenadines / 6 / +5 Dominican Republic / 0 / -2 Anguilla / 0 / -10 Group 6 St. Kitts and Nevis / 4 / +5 St. Lucia / 4 / +2 Guyana / 1 / -2 Dominica / 1 / -5 Man, I love how competitive this tournament has become.
Friday night games in the Caribbean Cup First Round---Match Day 2 Group 3 Bonaire 3-2 Suriname (shocking result) Martinique 3-2 Barbados (Martinique with 3 second-half goals to erase a 2-0 halftime deficit) With 6 points in 2 games, Martinique progress to the Second Round. Group 4 Two stunning upsets as the favorite teams go down to bitter defeat. Curacao 2-1 Grenada French Guiana 2-1 Puerto Rico Both winning teams trailed 1-0 at halftime. French Guiana's game-winner came in the 89th minute. Group 5 St. Vincent & the Grenadines 4-0 Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda 2-1 Dominican Republic Like other victorious teams, Antigua & Barbuda rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit. St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Antigua & Barbuda have advanced to the Second Round as both teams have 6 points. Group 6 St. Lucia 2-0 Guyana (another shocker) St. Kitts & Nevis 5-0 Dominica Surprises so far: Bonaire, Curacao, French Guiana, St. Lucia Disappointments so far: Suriname, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guyana
I'd have to disagree on Curação and French Guiana in the first category: as a Haitian supporter, I remember all too well how much of a thorn in the side they can be (their 2-2 draw in Port-au-Prince set us up for the early elimination in A&B in the last World Cup), and French Guiana were one game away from qualifying for the last Gold Cup. As for Guyana: they must be going through a generational transition, because I don't see any of the star players from their last World Cup campaign on this roster.
From the perspective of Curacao being in its second competition with its own team (not Netherlands Antilles), I thought they rated as a surprise team. For French Guiana to sustain the success it had two years ago is a bit of surprise to me too, in the sense that prior to 2012, they had not competed in any CFU or CONCACAF competition for many, many years.
Tough break for the Dominican Republic. They were in the toughest group of the round, played their 2 hardest games first, and had 2 close losses. Now they are practically eliminated unless all the other teams 3rd and 4th place teams lose or draw. Since Puerto Rico plays Grenada, that game must in a draw for DR to stay alive.
They should be able to make it out of a group like that by now. It looked like they were making progress but they don't have much young talent coming up which is troubling
St. Vincent and the Grenadines got 5 points in the Second Round (First Group Stage) of World Cup Qualifying. Dominican Republic can't be that good if they lost to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Aaaand we have first team to qualify beside fixed North American berths. Costa Rica with late comeback secured top 4 finish at Copa Centroamericana.
well it looks like the DR will survive and advance thanks to a PR - Grenada draw and all other 3rd and 4th place teams not picking up the points they need to advance.
Here are the updated rankings after a busy day. Costa Rica 1003 Mexico 974 USA 937 Honduras 540 Panama 480 El Salvador 462 Antigua and Barbuda 420 Guatemala 412 T & T 374 Jamaica 328 St Vincent & the Gren 305 Dominican Republic 298 St Kitts and Nevs 281 Haiti 262 St Lucia 259 Cuba 257 Aruba 233 Canada 224 Grenada 209 Suriname 176 Curacao 167 Guyana 149 Puerto Rico 127 Barbados 113 Belize 103 Dominica 89 Montserratt 86 Bermuda 83 Nicaragua 83 Turks and Caicos Islands 66 US Virgin Islands 28 Bahamas 26 Cayman Islands 21 British Virgin Islands 13 Anguilla 1
Damn, Canada are screwed... To recap: in Central America, Costa Rica have qualified from the Gold Cup, but they'll need help from Nicaragua to reach the Copa Centroamericana final. Panama just need a draw to join them, while Nicaragua have to pull off an upset win to return to the continental stage after their maiden 2009 appearance. As for Group B, with the possibility of a triple tie on 3 points (if Honduras and El Salvador both lose) or on 6 (if they both win) after Matchday 3, we can't call anything yet. In the Caribbean, the first round of qualifying is wrapped up, and the second round is set: Group 7 Trinidad and Tobago Antigua and Barbuda St. Lucia Dominican Republic Group 8 Haiti St. Kitts and Nevis Barbados French Guiana Group 9 Guadeloupe Curação Martinique St. Vincent and the Grenadines
To re-cap the scores for Sunday's games: Caribbean Cup Group 3: Barbados 4-1 Bonaire Suriname 0-0 Martinique Group 4: Curacao 0-0 French Guiana Puerto Rico 2-2 Grenada Group 5: Dominican Republic 10-0 Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda 2-1 St. Vincent & the Grenadines Group 6: St. Lucia 2-1 Dominica St. Kitts & Nevis 2-0 Guyana Copa Centro Americana Group A: Panama 2-2 Costa Rica Group B: Guatemala 2-1 Belize El Salvador 1-0 Honduras
It was proposed in May of 2013 by CONCACAF that they wanted to get FIFA approval to expand the confederation by 5. French Guiana, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe, and Martinique were being pushed for full membership in the world-wide body. Are France and the Netherlands balking at the idea, or is FIFA membership for the five newbies still on the table? I haven't heard anything about it for quite some time.
French territories seem to have a problem getting full membership...French Guiana, Guadeloupe & Martinique would surpass many full member teams.