So, the hex is going to be made up of: United States Panama Costa Rica Guatemala Mexico Trinidad & Tobago I'm just wondering when we are going to get the schedule and find out when the games are and what cities will get to host them. I'm sure Columbus will get at least one more for this qualifying campaign (and I'll be there for that! I've already been to the Grenada and Jamaica games this year), but I was wondering if there is any chance for Chicago to get one as well?
So, for the hex is 22 points the magic "automatic" advance number? I think my chicken scratch on paper has that figure right. I would probably take fewer, but I was looking for the guarentee number.
I would say 18 or 17 points are pretty much a lock to advance. Here are the standings of the last two hexes (there were 5 and 4 team final tourneys in 1990 and 1994 respectively). 1998 IN Mexico 18 USA 17 Jamaica 14 OUT Costa Rica 12 El Salvador 10 Canada 6 2002 IN Costa Rica 23 Mexico 17 USA 17 OUT Honduras 14 Jamaica 8 Trinidad and T 5
The dates are fixed and the schedule will be set on 11/30 http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=2833
Just another update: FIFA's website says that the draw will be at 13:00 local time. That's 7am Eastern time. So by the time I wake up, I can see which games I'm gonna try to make it to here in the US. http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/t/zone/ncc.html
Yes, 22 points is the highest number that third place could possibly be. Not that US fans necessarily want to be gunning for that fourth-place slot (the playoff slot), but the highest fourth place could possibly be would be 18. All that being said, I think NASL fan is right to say that 17 or 18 should be plenty.
Tomorrow we will find out the schedule and the dates of the Hex but when do you think we'll find out what US cities are hosting specific games so I can plan my travels.
http://concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=2863 2006 CONCACAF WORLD CUP QUALIFYING Draw Results #1 Panama #2 Guatemala #3 Costa Rica #4 Mexico #5 Trinidad & Tobago #6 USA 2005 Final Round Home Teams Listed First Match Day 1 – Wednesday, 9 February #1 Panama vs. #2 Guatemala #3 Costa Rica vs. #4 Mexico #5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. #6 USA Match Day 2 – Saturday/Sunday, 26/27 March #3 Costa Rica vs. #1 Panama #2 Guatemala vs. #5 Trinidad & Tobago #4 Mexico vs. #6 USA Match Day 3 – Wednesday, 30 March #1 Panama vs. #4 Mexico #6 USA vs. #2 Guatemala #5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. #3 Costa Rica Match Day 4 – Saturday/Sunday, 4/5 June #5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. #1 Panama #2 Guatemala vs. #4 Mexico #6 USA vs. #3 Costa Rica Match Day 5 – Wednesday, 8 June #1 Panama vs. #6 USA #3 Costa Rica vs. #2 Guatemala #4 Mexico vs. #5 Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 6 – Wednesday, 17 August #2 Guatemala vs. #1 Panama #4 Mexico vs. #3 Costa Rica #6 USA vs. #5 Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 7 – Saturday/Sunday, 3/4 September #1 Panama vs. #3 Costa Rica #5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. #2 Guatemala #6 USA vs. #4 Mexico Match Day 8 – Wednesday, 7 September #4 Mexico vs. #1 Panama #2 Guatemala vs. #6 USA #3 Costa Rica vs. #5 Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 9 – Saturday/Sunday, 8/9 October #1 Panama vs. #5 Trinidad & Tobago #4 Mexico vs. #2 Guatemala #3 Costa Rica vs. #6 USA Match Day 10 – Wednesday, 12 October #6 USA vs. #1 Panama #2 Guatemala vs. #3 Costa Rica #5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. #4 Mexico 4th Place Playoff Matches with Asia First-leg – Saturday/Sunday, 12/13 November Second-Leg – Wednesday, 16 November
The team with home field in the first leg has a huge advantage, they only have to make that long ass trip once. The road team in the first leg has to make it twice.
Good point; both travel prior to the second match, but only the vistitor for the first. One might think the better-performing team would receive that consideration, but it will be determined by drawing lots. IMO, even FIFA's dubious rankings provide a more reasonable method for granting that advantage. Somewhat better would be a comparison of the average ranking of each team's opposition during qualification.
My first thought initially. But given that their final confed game is a month before this game (at least with concacaf) the initial visiting team could arrive a week or more in advance and hopefully negate the travel fatigue factor. Also hosting the second game is imho an advantage. So I think it would it all evens out pretty well if that initial trip is taken well enough in advance.
"Because it was cold was not the reason we beat Mexico," Arena said. "The reason we beat Mexico was we played better."
We are home to Mexico Labor Day weekend. How does one spell "road trip" in Spanish? Where will this game be played? Boston?
I hope so! As much as I would love to see the game out here at HDC or the Rose Bowl (which I'm sure we could fill), I'd sacrifice that so its actually a home game for us, which I'm not sure we can guarantee against Mexico out here. I'll settle for T&T out here on Weds. August 17, as T&T is probably the only side in the Hex that can't create a pro-opponent environment in LA. It might be tempting to try to sell 100,000 tickets at the Rose Bowl, though.
Well Uruguay and Ireland are just a little bit better than Guatemala, Panama, Uzbekistian, or Bahrain.