The real Hex standings

actually, if CR loses to TT, we're in even if we lose both remaining games, as we have 16 points and CR has 12.

If TT and CR tie, then, we're practically qualified. If we lose @ Hon by 2 goals, and CR draw, then CR would have to beat us by 4 goals at Home to make up the GD (we're currently +5 and they're -4).

 

Does the spectre of needing a draw at home against the Ticos really scare you that much, particularly at this point? Granted, nothing is ever assured until it's assured, but looking at this Hex at the beginning, particularly after 3 or 4 matchdays it was pretty clear that this one was going to come down to the last match day barring a string of excellent results.

 

Not so sure the local hosts couldn't pull a SA on the visitors (per Egypt), keep them up late (wink wink, nod nod, [rolling eyes]), AND take their cash, ...

 

That was the implication in the first paragraph.

 

My logic is far superior to yours.

Not a chance? Really? The team that you dismissed as "not a threat to qualify" when you started this crap has a lot of momentum right now.

They're on 8 points right now. They steal a point at Azteca and beat Honduras at home, and they're on 12. That could be enough to finish fourth if Costa Rica's implosion continues.

 

Fair enough. Just thought I'd throw some realism to the people who want to vote Frankie Hejduk President for Life (not that I'd be entirely opposed to such an idea. . . ).

 

Tough guy? Well, when I'm wrong I'm man enough to admit it. If that makes me a "tough guy" so be it.

You've been wrong from the original post. You're still wrong. You're just too damned stubborn to admit it.

 

I'm not accusing you of stonewalling. I'm accusing you of having a distinct inabilty to say "whoops, sorry, I was wrong."

 

We are NOT going to wreck a 4-star thread!

 

You mean those games where we came back and won by the time the final whistle blew? Yeah, those really sucked. I wish I hadn't wasted my money to attend both of them.

 

Fair enough. I won't consider this one assured until it's assured either, particularly given a pretty poor pair of showings (but, still six points, even if against the minnows). But honestly, we're in very good shape. Had we taken all 3 points in El Salvador, we'd still be needing a draw out of the CR match if we don't manage to take a point off of Honduras anyhow.

EDIT: Scratch that, the 3 points would've all but mathematically seen us through at this point because CR's so far behind on GD that they'd need to beat us AND T&T pretty heavily, and we'd have to lose to Honduras pretty heavily to fall to 4th. Which still isn't that different a scenario.

 

Maybe we could get a whole bunch of people in here to rate it 1-star.

 

Glorious evening - bout as good as it could've gone for our beloved USMNT. Gonna retire and bask in it.

 

Yes. A loss @ HON doesn't hurt us at all - all we have to do is draw at home against CRC, and we clinch. Period. Any result @ HON just hastens it. But we control our own destiny no matter what happens @ HON. No pressure to get a result there at all.

BTW, even if we lose, if CRC draws to T&T, they have to beat us by NINE GOALS (less how ever many goals we lose to HON by) on matchday 10 to catch us on the tiebreaker. We could lose on matchday 9 and still virtually lock up a spot in SA.

So yeah - the pressure is off next week. Time to see if BB will get aggressive in chasing a win.

But THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON MATCHDAY 9. Ten? Yeah, a little, but you need to be able to hold serve at home if you expect to reach the World Cup without some help. Lucky for CRC, the US and HON play each other on matchday 9, ensuring at least one of them will be within striking distance on matchday 10 provided CRC beats T&T.

Short of actually having already qualified, matchday 9 is the lowest pressure situation I could imagine in World Cup Qualifying.

 

Lemme save you guys the headaches and calculations... Mexico will finish in first, after all the turmoil and horrible play early on.

 

It was beyond horrible early on, but kudos on finding your feet. Truly didn't think you'd be able to pull it off.

 

Judging by what I've read in your posts, you might want to reconsider quitting your day job and pursuing a career in sports betting.

 

Somebody is bad at math. If they beat us by 5, they gain 5 and we lose 5. That's a 10 goal swing. We lose out. Actually, they'd need to beat us by 5 - (the number we lose to against HON plus one and divided by two).

That said, it is certainly a low pressure situation. Low risk and high reward. My kind of match.

 

It's impossible to derail a thread that was never on track in the first place.


But keep trying.

And that refusal to say "I was wrong" is just so damned cute.

 

No, this was probably the best result, just because MEX's getting 6 points out of their last 2 games regardless (ES and TT). They'll finish on 21 points now, but a draw would have made it 20 and a loss would have made it 18, which would have put them top 3 anyway.

A draw for HON would have them only 2 points behind us, meaning that if we got a draw down there it wouldn't have helped us keep any significant distance. Right now if we draw @ HON, we keep a 3 point lead with HON going to ES on the last day.