Time to dust off your Hugo Perez jersey...it's World Cup Qualifying.
Qualifying for South Africa 2010 kicks off in earnest for the US on Wednesday (Aug 20) when they travel to Guatemala for the opening match of the semifinal round for CONCACAF (ESPN2, 10pm EST). In this round, there are three groups with four countries a piece. Each team plays every other team in their group twice (home and away) with the top two teams in each group advancing to the final round of qualifying.
Here are the four groups:
Group A
United States
Guatemala
Trinidad & Tobago
Cuba
Group B
Mexico
Canada
Jamaica
Honduras
Group C
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Haiti
Suriname
Group B is easily the roughest group and Group C is one of the most ridiculous groups ever created. The US is the heavy favorite to win its group but starting with two games on the road is tough. We dominate Guatemala at home but are only 1-4-4 at Guatemala with our one win coming in 1988. Thankfully, the weather looks more pleasant in Guatemala City than you'd expect for August. Regarding Cuba on Sep 6, you have no idea what sort of reception we'll receive in Havana. Then again seven U-23 Cuban players defected when they played in the Olympic qualifying tournament this spring. So, they may not be at full strength. If we take four points from those first two matches, we'll cruise through the rest and top our group.
Here's the schedule for the US matches:
Aug. 20........@ Guatemala..........Guatemala City, Guatemala
Sept. 6..........@ Cuba.................................Havana, Cuba
Sept. 10......vs. Trinidad & Tobago.......Bridgeview, Ill.
Oct. 11...........vs. Cuba.........................Washington, D.C.
Oct. 15........@ Trinidad & Tobago...Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Nov. 19..........vs. Guatemala......Commerce City, Colo.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
US v Guatemala | World Cup Qualifying
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2 comments:
Could US mens soccer also be titled "90 Minutes of Shit Finishing"? Please, please play Altidore. I've watched the other hacks flub enough chances so it's time to play the kids.
And there's not many things I like watching better than Argentina winning, but Argentina humiliating Brazil in the Olympic quarters is one of them. The beautiful game has clearly hopped the border south.
TK
Wow, the US stole one despite getting out played most of the night. Fortunately the Guatemalans are even bigger shitheads than we are and that cheap shot on Lewis completely changed the match (for more than one reason, Lewis was struggling).
TK
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