2026 WC USA (et al): Worldwide Opponents Watch [all R's]

It's a ********ing disaster. The Gold Cup is the last chance we have for competitive matches and probably close to half the total practice time Pochettino will have.

I'd tell FIFA if they allow this, I'm revoking the right to have the CWC in the US. Or at least call our common sponsors if we can't do that.

 

Yes but the coach of the national team is powerless against the money spinning games that are depriving him of his players.

 

FWIW that would cost Canada Davies and Eustaquio as well.

 

You mean the clubs that pay the salaries of the players?

We all get that this is a money grab. Then again, these clubs need the money. And they're the ones paying the players.

I always find it weird when these guys complain about fixture congestion. YOU'RE getting paid what you're getting paid because of the tv deals for Premier League, Champions League, CWC, etc.

Clubs just need to work with players on their load. And Pochettino did just that recently with Pulisic. Hopefully the Milan coaches do the same for us in return.

 

Panama took the first match 1-0 over Costa Rica in Costa Rica yesterday.

Today:

Suriname v Canada
Honduras v Mexico.

 

CONMEBOL scores from yesterday

Ecuador 4 Bolovia 0
Paraguay 2 Argentina 1
Venezuela 1 Brazil 1

Today

Uruguay v Colombia
Peru v Chile

Yes, Argentina lost on the road in Paraguay. They've got a substantial cushion in the standings, and will be fine.

............................Brazil is not playing well at all by their standards. Still 5 points clear of the continental playoff against

What we can say is these results by Paraguay and Venezuela continue to heap misery on Chile and Peru.

 

When we start to talk about what fans want to see, that's when the issues start. When fans buy tickets to go see a club, they want to see the Superstars play, not an 18-year-old who hasn't done much.
I want players to get paid as much as possible at the same time there must be a balance between how many games players play and how much they make.
Last Gold Cup was a Mickey Mouse tournament and this year's Euros was boring.

 

Anyone think Jamaica is in about the same level as Paraguay and Venezuela? Shows that even the great teams don't have an easy time on the road in games that count.

 

Panama and Canada both handle business away, but notably Mexico down 2-0 to Honduras late. Mexico did come back from this exact scenario last year (in very controversial fashion)

 

An example of why fans throwing shit on the field isn't a joke, though he's still shaking hands through it

 

At least he didn't roll in the grass. He took it like a man.

 

Honduras looked very dangerous on the attack. Neither did this appear a smash and grab in the stats.

 

If this happened in a game, CONCACAF officiating would just wave play on.

in all seriousness, this is disgusting. Terrible behavior. I’ll also say results like this are why many of us are happy with the 1-0 in Kingston even if it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing soccer.

 

Since this is Concacaf, teams resort to these antics because it's the only way they can win, as long as Concacaf's clown world officiating allows it.

 

He's shaking hands through it cuz he antagonized the crowd throughout the game, calling them son of a bítches and other obscenities, double flicking them off, and throwing ice towards fans up until the second goal. Am I justifying what happened to Vasco, absolutely not, I thought it was disgusting and feel embarrassed as a Honduran to witness that, but I also acknowledge he wasn't exactly a saint and it's very rare that other CONCACAF coaches do that to opposing fan bases, especially a notoriously hostile one...

 

Road soccer is hard in CONCACAF, or frankly in any federation.

The higher seeded road teams didn't light the world on fire.

Suriname 0 Canada 1
Costa Rica 0 Panama 1
Jamaica 0 United States 1
Honduras 2 Mexico 0

Obviously, Mexico is in the most trouble. Still, the underseeded teams left themselves with a shot to win in the second legs.

Of interest in Nations League group B is Haiti won their group. El Salvador and Dominican Republic on the brink of clinching their groups. The group winners get promoted back to Nations League A and are automatically qualified for the Gold Cup. So those nations are on track.

The notable group is still Curacao, St. Lucia, and Grenada fighting it out. Curacao and St. Lucia play next. Outright winner wins the group. 2nd place goes into a Gold Cup qualifier. All three still in contention.

Most disappointing team in Nations League B has been Antigua & Barbuda. Haven't won a game and have one game to rescue themselves from relegation to Nations League C.

 

Regarding the Mexico game. If Honduras scores just one goal, Mexico will have to score 4 goals. The first tiebreaker is away goals.

 

Honduras came alive in the second half. Mexico had most of the possession of the ball.
I would say, Honduras played a better game than Jamaica did against us.

 

AFCON 2025 qualifying.
What a disaster for Ghana.

Drew with Angola 1-1 yesterday

So, they have officially been eliminated from AFCCON qualification.

With one game to go............(top 2 qualify)

Angola 13
Sudan 7
Niger 4
Ghana 3

They were the 1 seed in their group, but they're the 12th ranked team in Africa right now.
This has sorta been coming. Down to 64 in the world before this.

 

Canada is strolling past Suriname with a 2-0 lead tonight and 3-0 on aggregate.

The main event, of course, is Mexico v Honduras later this evening.

 

Why did that goal for canada get called off at the end of the first half? Foul in the buildup?

 

Semifinal seeding situation with Honduras in Mexico holding onto a 2-0 aggregate lead:

CAN 6 pts +4 GD
USA 6 pts +3 GD
PAN 4 pts +1 GD

If Mexico comes back to advance, they have 3 points, or if Honduras advances with a loss on the night, they have 3 points, so it would be USA vs. PAN semifinal.

If Honduras advances with a draw, they move ahead of PAN and it's USA vs. HON.

If Honduras wins by 1 tonight (by 3 on aggregate) then the 2 and 3 slots are determined by goals scored, but either way it's USA vs. HON.

If Honduras wins by 2 tonight then the 1 seed is determined by goals scored or fair play points. USA drops to 3 and gets whoever loses the tiebreaker.

If Honduras wins by 3, they take the 1 seed and it's CAN vs. USA in the semifinal.

 

I have no idea how Mexico hasn't scored at least 1 through 37 minutes. Alvarez had one go off the crossbar (I think the Honduras keeper got some fingers on it) really early and has another glorious chance hooked wide. Mexico has Honduras under all kinds of pressure. I don't see how Honduras keeps them off the board. The question will be can they keep Mexico from getting two.

EDIT - The dam finally broke. Raul in the 41st.

 

Jinxed it.

 

Honduras will have to figure out some way to attack. They spent 44 of the 45+2 in that half defending. AR1 was essentially a second fourth official.