This group has to be the most challenging out of the concacaf groups. Costa Rica and Honduras are two dangerous teams that in my mind are equals. Guatemala is not far behind either, remember that Costa Rica had to go to a sudden death game with Guatemala to advance, and in the end they even made it to Japan. Canada is not cake either! I predict that C.R. will place first followed by Honduras or Guatemala. This will be entertaining to watch, but I hate to see my favorite teams in the same group. Maybe such competition will benefit the winners in the following round.
I think that with a group like this we might end up seeing some teams that we thought weren't gonna make it to Germany end up going and others that we did end up at home. This group is going to be very interesting. When does the group play start??
Semi-final round starts August 18, unless Costa Rica and Mexico get their first games moved up so there won't be any conflict with players going to the Olympics at the same time. See the above sticky for the semi-final round for schedule.
This isn't the group... yet. Each team still has to win their 2nd round aggregate to get to group play. And while those are the 4 favorites, there is nothing set in stone to guarentee all 4 will make it. Here are the 2nd round matchups: Costa Rica vs Cuba Guatemala vs Surinam Honduras vs Netherland Antillies Canada vs Belize
The only real chance of a upset would have Cuba beating C.R. Cuba has been playing well lately and CR does have awful games once in awhile. If Cuba can hold a close game away, they may have a chance Still, highly unlikely that Cuba will advance.
Canada has gone out on a limb and announced (gasp) that Edmonton will be the site for their 2nd home game against the Honduras/Neth.Antilles winner. The game will be on Sept. 4th. They announced it early to let organizers get a head start.
Edmonton Commonwealth vs. Honduras, Come and Get Us Bora! As long as we don't start setting matches for the hex before November!
What's the latest on Guatemala's ban? Have they been re-instated? Will they be in time for qualifying?
In February, FIFA announced that Guatemala was being "temporarily reinstated" (so everything is on) with the decision to be reviewed at the regular FIFA congress in Paris the week of May 14. I expect that the reinstatement will continue, as FIFA does not want any more black eyes. the word from Guatemala is that all is starting to flow smoothly. The ban started when the Guatemalan government started to be concerned about the corrupt shennanigans of Bladder's and Warner's buddies on the national Association, and FIFA slapped on the ban last fall to cover up, under the old guise of "no political interference with a national association" which is usually (but not always, especially in parts of Africa) fifaspeak for "let our mafia capas go on cutting up our pie". Things have apparently been smoothed over in Belize too.
I hope this group's matches are televized in the US--would Univision have them? This group is going to be a four-way knife fight in a phone booth. Everyone will take points off of everyone else. I can't see any team sweeping another. For Canada, it all comes down to the willingness of their top Euro guys (Radzinski, Stalteri) to participate--to make the games in Mazatenango and San Pedro Sula as well as in Toronto and Edmonton. Otherwise, toast, even with Yallop. Mexico and the US caught a break--not only because they don't have to play through a group of death like this, but because they are assured of having a weak T&T side in the Hex. I think any of these team would be stronger than T&T.
I said international competations I think the Eathquakes got beat by a Central American team last year in the CCC. Therefore, I will take Bora's international record.
This year is gautemala year to take a spot!! Guatemala, will finally make it to germany 06!! Just watch!! They still need to improve their midfield play, but having pescadito and el tanque up front. that make an unstopable tandum. Gautemala finally has a coach that has big game experience even though his team choke agaisnt mexico (honduras). bora is to defensive for a honduras stlye of play. Sampson is not like in costa rica they hate his stlye of defensive game. canada might be a sleeper, you don't know what to expect from the canadians. Finally gautemala has coach who like to attack but need to work on defense Gautemala need to bring those 2 defensive player that play in england!!!. bold prediction group 3 1.Guatemala 2.honduras 3.costa rica 4.canada
There is no way that Costa Rica doesn't qualify out of this group. Forget this group, they've been the best team in Concacaf over the last cycle (I'm saying this as a loyal US fan), and I think it will continue. Costa Rica won the series with Mexico last time, and split with the US. And I think that the US has a rougher time with CR than with Mex. I think Can and Hon will win qualification, but it will because Gua. takes 3 points off one of them. Hell, it's possible that the last 3 are all tied on points and it's goal diff. to decide. I'm watching every game of this group. Note: If CR does fail to qualify, how Sampson got treated by US is going to be a cake walk compared to the lynching that's going to happen in Saprissa.
As the mutual funds say, past performance is not an indication of future returns, but out of a sense of fun more than anything, I looked up Canada's WCQ record against the three teams they are with. Its actually pretty good, although they have only played 14 times over the past 2 decades or so. Although Canada, Honduras and Costa Rica are pretty frequent participants in the final round, its rare that they are together. 1985 was the only time all three were. Canada of course, missed the last one, Honduras the one prior to that and Costa Rica the one before that. Overall Canada is 7w4d3l, which breaks down as 5w1d0l at home and 1w3d3l away (one win vs. Guatamala came when the final was a tourney played in Mexico). By Country it is 1w2d1l vs. CR, 3w1d1l vs Honduras and 3w1d1l vs. Guatamala. Costa Rica has a friendly win in Canada, as does Canada in San Jose. Honduras also has a friendly win in Canada. Guatamala has never taken a point in Canada, friendlies included and is 1w2d6l overall against Canada in all competitions. Costa Rica has a slight edge on Canada overall 4w5d3l while Honduras and Canada are even with 5 wins apiece and a single draw. Of course, it all means nothing. Canada has only played Guatamala twice since 1988 (when the stinkers knocked us out of WCQ on the away goals rule). We have also only played Honduras twice in the last decade. The last WCQ matches were in 1993. And we have played Costa Rica once since splitting out games with them in the 1997 hex (A win for the Good Guys in the last Gold Cup). The upshot? I am looking forward to renewing some old rivalries. Here's to history repeating itself!
Is this the same Guatemala that got beat by the Rapids' B team last year? I agree Guatemala looks good on paper, but will they on the field? It doesn't matter what I say, because in this group, the truth will come out.