booted from the seeding thread (for obvious reasons), i thought id start the real discussion here. In november an asia team and a north or Central american team will have a playoff for the final world cup spot. as of now its down to AFC- Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Bahrain. Bahrain will be in the AFC playoff, along with the winner of the Uzbek, Kuwait game CONCACAF- looking more and more like a race between Guatemala, T&T and Panama (Panama playing very, very well since the return of Dely Valdes.) My personal opinion is that it will be either Panama or T&T qualifying over Bahrain. your thoughts?
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Hope that Trinidad & Tobago makes it. Gives Dwight Yorke one more shot at glory even thought they have no chance of winning it all.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Panama's game at Guatemala in August will be a big determinant of who goes on to face the Asian team. Panama's clearly playing better than Guatemala right now but they have to get a result (preferably a win) on the road or else their qualification chances are pretty much gone. Now, as for playing against Asia, I've seen all the CONCACAF teams play a bunch of times but have no idea about Bahrain, Kuwait, or Uzbekistan. So I really have no insight into this pick. But I'll pick Uzbekistan to grab a win at home against Kuwait, then lose to Bahrain. And while I like Panama a lot, I don't know if they'll be able to carry this run into the second round of the hex. Maybe Trinidad will get it done, they seem to be playing better recently. But because it's really what I hope happens, I'll Panama over Bahrain.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread I'm not sure Trinidad & Tobago have beaten a quality (top 60 FIFA ranking) side since beating Honduras in 2001. In the past four years, they have generally only beaten the smallest of minnows. I would not feel comfortable putting Concacaf's name on the line by having T&T as our 4th. I would have said Guatemala until seeing the Gold Cup. Now I'm hoping its Panama, but Panama actually could take 3rd, sending Costa Rica to the playoff. I don't know the first thing about Bahrain, Kuwait or Uzbekistan, so I'll just hope that the weakest of those three makes it. This was a rather unilluminating post. Sorry. Except to point out that T&T are overrated, barely top 10 in Concacaf if that.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread I think it's sad that the two confederations with least depth - aside from Oceania - are playing off against each other. FIFA politics shouldn't be allowed to rule commonsense.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread It seems to me like the playoff (once they allocated those half spots) should have been Oceania vs. Asia and CONCACAF vs. S. America
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread i think what happened was is Oceania was offered a full spot and S. AMerica lost theirs, so an asia playoff with concacaf was set. when FIFA backed out of the full spot to oceania, they just slid them to the S. American playoff...whatevers easiest for FIFA. i dont think that this last qualifier will do that badly at the world cup finals...especially Bahrain. Ive seen a few highlight of their asian games on FSC and they can play a bit...if they get a decent draw they wont embarass... not sure about the 4th concacaf though, they probably can match up well with the asian team, but i dunno about T&T...guatemala would at least stand a shot, they have Ruiz who can be a great striker. and Panama is quality with Medina, Tejada and the dely valdez's if i had to choose a team to hang around in the finals...id pick Panama
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread I'm with you on Panama. They'll be zooming in the next FIFA rankings, esp. if the unthinkable happens. Look what winning a regional tournament did for Greece! I'd like to see how a Central American all-star team could do on the world stage. Ruiz, Panamians Tejada and Medina, and Hondurans Nunez and Velasquez. Hmm, I guess that'd be a pretty attack-minded side. Until I start watching Football Asia on FSC, I have no knowledge at all about Bahrain or any other Asian team.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread yea, i can imagine the counterattacking at the world cup with Honduras or Guatemala. it would drive the euro teams nuts football asia is a great show, and make sure to watch the Fox Sports report from start to finish on the days asian qualifiers are played...they give pretty good highlights...thats where i saw some stuff on Bahrain, plus my father is from the mid-east, and he knows all about those teams
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Panama has not been playing that well: 1-0 vs Colombia. Very lucky to win this one. They were outplayed and Colombia should've scored several times but couldn't finish. 2-2 vs Trinidad. The Soca Warriors didn't get a win in three games, and they couldn't beat them. Let them equalize at the end. 0-1 vs Honduras. Kind of a meaningless game, didn't play well. 1-1 vs South Africa. Decent game, but South Africa probably was the better team. 3-2 vs Colombia. Best game of the tournament, and fully deserved to win. But it doesn't make up for the rest of the tournament.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Yeh, because of course no UEFA teams play a counterattacking style of play
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread thats not what i said...euro teams would still be supreme favorite....but the quickness and ferocity of some of the central american attackers may surprise a few stiff european defenses...they definately will be somewhat overlooked like the Korea team did to Italy....they just out ran them for 118 minutes, and got lucky.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread It's gonna be either Bahrain or Uzbecks form AFC and Panama or T&T or Guatamala from CONCACAF. Bahrain is a decent team, they have improved a lot. during qualies they tied Iran at home and lost 1-0 away. They lost in Tokyo on a late own goal (very unlucky own goal) 1-0, and at home they lost 2-1. so they can hang around. On the other hand, Uzbecks have been a total disappointment, they have a few goad players that play in Russia and Ukraine but they haven't performed up to the expectations if they do qualify I think they have a better chance to advance against CONCACAF team. I saw Panama's game against Columbia (won 3-2) and they were very impressive. very different from the Panama lost to USA 3-0 (I think back a few months ago), or even the Panama that tied USA again. Hard to tell if that was a fluke or they have improved. Overall, I think AFC has a better chance of advancing simply cuz the level of competition that a 5th Asian team has seen is much higher than that of CONCACAF 4th team, they would simply outlast in two matches and come thru w/ the result.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread It's an OK show, better than nothing. It's mostly financed by Persian Gulf Arab Sheiks and a few Japanese companies, so you get a very generous share of the program dedicated to some mediocre news about J-league or UAE league or Saudi league. It's better than nothing for North America.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Quote: I thought it was me who caused the trouble - thanks for acting so quickly Jay... I think the team will be T&T cause of the coaching. No disrespect to Maradiago from Guatemala, but I think Leo Beenhakker is the perfect coach in this situation. I think T&T can hang in there a lot better when they don't have a lot of games in a short time period, which a 4-team group presents. They just don't have the depth. If Guatemala does qualify, then Maradiaga will deserve some praise, cause the team did not look good in the Gold Cup, he will have to turn things around. I think Panama is already out of it. They are the most inconsistent team I've ever seen and I think the Gold Cup is going to cause them to chuck the balance of the WCQ games anyway, especially if they win on Sunday. It is going to come down to the Panama-T&T game in Panama on October 8th. Somehow, I see Leo finding a way to win this game on the road. I think the home game for T&T against the Mexicans will be a walk as the Tri will already have qualified, but I don't see the US losing at home against Panama, even if it means nothing (and especially if Panama wins on Sunday). Guatemala - Home with Panama, USA, CRC Away to T&T, Mexico (at the Azteca) Panama - Home with CRC, T&T Away to Guatemala, Mexico (at the Azteca), USA T&T - Home with Guatemala, Mexico Away to USA, CRC, Panama Team PTS Mexico 13 USA 12 Costa Rica 7 Guatemala 4 Trinidad & Tobago 4 Panama 2 And by that time, T&T will be ready to beat a 5th place from AFC. Just my two cents of course.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread i dont believe that is the case....im not sure that Korea, Japan and Iran and Saudi are as good as USA, Mexico or Costa Rica as a whole. In fact im sure. Bahrain may indeed qualify as they may be the best team, but its not because of better quality competition
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Given their recent form, I think Panama looks a good bet to advance through the playoff. They'll beat Bahrain.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread I meant it as the number of competitive games played cuz AFC has many sub-regional tournaments and of course few LG Cups, and more regional friendlies. But perhaps the quality is on par if not better if you insist so the 5th AFC team gets much more competition annually than the 4th CONCACAF team from their big powers in their respective confed.
Mod's note I've split off the last four posts in this thread as they were including some offensive language. Please keep on topic- no mention of suicide bombers or the like. Further attempts at such smack will result in me asking for you to be carded.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread AFC is lucky CONCACAF is down this year. if this was 02, that Honduras team would have absolutely mopped the floor with any of those potential AFC 4th place teams. They were an extremely dangerous attacking team with a striker (Pavon, I think?) that went on an absolute tear through qualifying. i would have liked that Honduras team to put 4 goals on Bahrain or Uzbekistan in the Tegucigalpa leg .... as it is this time, CONCACAF is REALLY down. honestly, I wouldn't pick any team outside of US and Mexico to dominate Bahrain/Uzb in the playoff. I will say though if Costa Rica somehow slips to 4th place, neither of those AFC teams stand a snowball's chance in hell at getting a point in Saprissa. so they better hope and pray CRC clinches the 3rd spot. Panama/TnT/Guatemala ... i put 'em all at even money or less against the AFC 4th place team.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread Concacaf has a seeded team (Mexico) which AFC doesn't! Also, Concacaf teams often get invited to Conmebol's Copa America. Plus, the Gold Cup is held every two years! Sounds like enough competitive games to me. I think Panama/Guatemala beat Bahrain/Kuwait.
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread ehh yeah i REALLY considered that game lucky but i do think we improved, we beat Germany 3 to 1 in late 2004 i believe
Re: CONCACAF vs AFC thread The only CONCACAF teams that get invited to Copa America are the top. I know the USA got invited and Mexico went, but I can't recall anybody else going this year. Given they're current positions, Mexico and the US are not a factor. I don't remember past tournaments though. If other CONCACAF teams have regularly competes in Copa America, correct me.