Looking at the result from today's Mexico-Guatemala game. The Winner of Group 2 loses 2-0 to a Mexican B team. Guatemala had a complete squad yet still looked pretty bad against a mexican team full of youngsters. Does this mean that group 2 was really group of death or just had that name because of reputation? Can anything be expected from the Guatemala and the other team that advances from this group in the Hex?
I was pretty disapointed also, I was expecting more out of Guatemala last night. I still think they will be the 3rd place team in the Hex and will qualify. As for group 2, I think Guatemala, Honduras, and C.R. are better than all of the other teams (except of course USA, Mex) in the semifinal round, with the possible exception of Jamaica which has been a disapointment also.
Number 1 If you compare group 2 with the other 2 gorups, it will defently be the Group of Death, or Do you still don´t realize that Mexico got the easiest posible group?? Number 2 If you are expecting guatemala to win over MEX and US on the second round, that will not happen. Honduras and CR are better than guatemala, we gotta be serious, guatemala is on the second round ´cause they won the first game @ Canada. BUT you can expect good games between US & Mexico versus HON/CR...LIKE THE 1-2 ASTECAZO by CR in the last WCQ, or did you forget that?it is really a shame that either CR or HON are gonna be out so early...CR and maybe HON are the only Central American teams that are able to play a "tu a tu" @ Mexico, Guatemala has no chance.
Number 1 If you compare group 2 with the other 2 gorups, it will defently be the Group of Death, or Do you still don´t realize that Mexico got the easiest posible group?? Trinidad and Tobago got the easiest group. Mexico would have advanced out of any of those groups. Number 2 If you are expecting guatemala to win over MEX and US on the second round, that will not happen. Honduras and CR are better than guatemala, we gotta be serious, guatemala is on the second round ´cause they won the first game @ Canada. BUT you can expect good games between US & Mexico versus HON/CR...LIKE THE 1-2 ASTECAZO by CR in the last WCQ, or did you forget that?it is really a shame that either CR or HON are gonna be out so early...CR and maybe HON are the only Central American teams that are able to play a "tu a tu" @ Mexico, Guatemala has no chance. regardless of how they got there, it is safe tio assume that some people used the term "group of death" real loosely
Don't forget that we also win against Costa Rica with a full Costa Rica squad in Guatemala. Friendly games don't mean nothing, when the games are to qualify you will see a totally diferent team. Like in group B, Guatemala only lost 1 game againts Costa Rica in Costa Rica, mean whyle Costa Rica has lost twice.
YOU got it all wrong, CR has always schooled GUAT. and thats a fact, specially on qualifiers...........
For me, it was the group of death. The 3 best CA teams are in this group, which made it the hardest to negotiate with difficult away games. Canada is not a pushover either, although we couldn't get the results.
Group two is without a doubt the most competitive group. Costa Rica and Honduras are on the same level when it comes down to talent and physical strength. Poor coaching and great coaching by Ramon Maradiaga is my explanation for the present standings. I remember watching Guatemala for the 2002 q's and thinking how pathetic they looked, they could barely control the ball. The only reason they were somewhat competitive was heart and Ruiz's consistency as a scorer. This time around, they've organized their play and have able players such as Ramirez, Pezzarossi, Rodriguez and Ruiz to cause some damage. Guatemala looks capable of taking on teams like the U.S. and Mexico, not to say they will classify ahead of them, but they can definately keep up with both powers. I predict Guatemala will come in 3rd or 4th and make it to Germany.
If any group were to be labeled the "Group of Death", I think that Group2 would be the one. It was pretty clear that Mexico and T&T would get out of their group. No surprises there. We were expected to make it out of our group. The fact that the Canaleros are going to make it out of the group may be a surprise to some, but I predicted it (of course, if we don't beat or tie Jamaica and Panama doesn't get it done against a restructured ES squad in Panama City then my prediction won't be worth jack and I won't look too smart). Group2 was the toughest. The Chapines, Catrachos, Ticos and a very disappointing Canuck side in the same group guaranteed that some great CA nation was gonna end up with their feelings hurt. Unlucky draw for all the teams involved. I think Group of Death still fits even after the young Aztecas B side dismantled GUA. Mexico seems to have Guatemala's number. I know that it was just a friendly but with all due respect to los hermanos chapines, I think that Guatemala plays better against the US than Mexico. The games seem closer.
I think Guatemala just had a bad game against mexico. Guat defeated Bolivia 1-0 and it could off been more but the goal keeper saved them. Bolivia had a full squad(except for Botero)
Guatemala is not as strong as either Mexico or the US but they will still be a tough opponent, particularly at Mateo Flores. They have been "punching above their weight" and knocking out other teams in their group that have better histories and deeper player pools. Still the Chapines are dangerous with Pescadito, el Tanque, el Pando, el Loco and el Chalo. And they've improved at goalkeeper since putting Klee back between the posts. Oftentimes when a team reaches a higher level after long years of mediocrity they succumb to stagefright and the burden of the fans expectations. But I think Maradiaga will have them well prepared, psychologically as well as physically. Guatemala has done well in qualifying early in what was, without a doubt, the toughest group. Mexico has looked good, too, but their opponents have been so weak that they could have had a "bye" awarded to them and gone directly to the Hex. One of Caribbean minnows (either St Kitts or St Vincent, Trinidad is strong enough not to be a minnow within CONCACAF) should have been switched with one of the teams in Group B. Then the CONCACAF 2nd round groups would have been fairly balanced.
Not on this round buddy... look who is playing for the last spot, Is it Guatemala? Ohhhh no no no no..... Guatemala is in already.... Gracias San Plata.. Brillaste mas que el oro con dos goles contra los presumidos Ticos.... Aguante Honduras que facil le hacen otros 5 a los Euro-Ticos.
I think facts change and GT showed both HN and CR how to do things in this round. After all they are in the next round, not to beat MX or US but merely to try and grasp the third or fourth spot. That's more than what one of the two other teams will make for sure. Now with respect to group 2 being the group of death it is obvious mexicans (especially the author of this thread) will never admit it but it is nice to have one of the top 2 Central American teams out early in the competition. I am not saying that MX would not make it to the WC otherwise, but the final round just got easier for them and everyone else, no doubt about it. A friendly game is the stupidest way of measuring the power of two teams so I don't see a good reason for this thread was started except to provoque CA and Central American fans. So this is my only post in this irrelevant thread.
Sorry sizzlechest but it IS nice to have one of the best CA teams out before the hex...duh! Why wouldnt I want it as easy as possible to make it to the WC??? I wasnt measuring anything...I was just asking a simple question to see what people thought...I didnt know that was illegal around here. I just found it interesting that the top team in the "group of death" lost with its top squad to another team using its B team. I mean if thats the case, then whos to say that Panama, ES, Jamaica or T&T couldnt have won that group?
1+5 = 6 2+0 = 2 ----------------- 6>2 ----------------- CR still teaches Soccer to Guatemala. Sad but true, BUDDY. San Plata? brillaste mas que el oro? i gotta say LOL.
->Your questions was fine....you are mexican...thats understandable. ->PAN, ES, JAM and T&T are not as good as HON and CR ->Dont get sensitive again... BY THE WAY... Why is everybody saying that Guatemala is the winner of this group??? As for me concerns, GUA has 10 points and CostaRica has 9, GUA is already qualified ,thats true; but if CR wins in HON, and the cannucks get a point in GUA, the winner will be CR as it was meant to be...that has a little chance to happen, but it can happen...
I'll post again since you've made a good point. Maybe you are right, but take out any team in group B and replace it with the teams listed above, and would it still be the group of death? They could win the group but it wouldn't be the group of death. The team that you would take out of group B would go into either MX's or US's group and the group of death title would be assigned by that group no doubt. In other words only moving MX or US into group B would still keep the group of death title within that group. Do you see the point?
I disagree with that. Take out Guatemala for T&T and "group of death" would be T&T's group. Lets just say that this was the most contested group of the 3.
Those of you talking crap about Guatemala, I can only tell you one thing Guate cant play for SHI* on artificial turf...that's why they lost 5-0 and 2-0 against Costa Rica and Mexico. When Guate plays in real natural grass ...watch out we can compete with anybody and that is a fact.
I'm not talking crap, just pointing out some simple facts... If you take out Guatemala from their group and insert T&T you have CR HON T&T Can If you put Guat in T&T group you get Mex Guat SKN St Vinc anyone can tell that the first group would be much more competitive.
Ok, mi hermano tico. You called it. You get your props. You did say it. Congrats on winning the group.
Yea but Guatemala was in going into the last game...they had nothing to gain or lose going into the last game...if you ask me who had the better of group play, it was guatemala not CR
If we analyze the overall performances in the semis, even though the Ticos went through I don't think you can describe their performances as overwhelming (gracias a Esteban S.). Nevertheless, they are through and seem to have gotten back on track since Esteban left. I think the Chapines were a bit of a surprise to advance; I was expecting the Catrachos. But Guatemala's advancing is less of a surprise than Panama's advancing. But I also agree that the 0-2 loss to a Mexico "B" team does not augur well for the Hex. Speaking of El Tri, putting aside that they advanced from a relatively easy group, I think that they've quietly gone about their business and are doing an excellent job in developing some new faces. I look for them to finish first in the Hex. The U.S. should go through, but will have a more difficult time than Mexico. On paper, the Ticos should also go through, but which team will show up? There's plenty of talent there, so at their best they could actually threaten to finish first, but I'm betting that they'll be a bit up and down, but in the end will go through. I'm not completely sold on Guatemala, and I think there may be some surprises here. Panama to Alemania, anyone?