2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Trip to the CONFED CUP

[Stout]

Okay, I think I do want us to bounce from the Gold Cup. If we do, we will have absolutely NO CHOICE but to sack Bradley. If we win but lose the next game, Gulati can spew a bunch of excuses.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Mexico destroying Costa Rica, 4 goals in under 40 minutes. I'm shocked, I thought Costa Rica had a great team. Guardado has to be mvp of the tourney so far. 4 assists, 2 goals, including this one-timer:

I could never see a US striker score like that...

Great goal and sad at the same time.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Mexico is so much better than us right now.

Obviously the teams they have played help them, but I think they are a top 10 squad internationally right now.

 

[Shzm13]

Don't think we're that good, yet anyway. We've got some weaknesses in the defensive midfield, but Jonathan Dos Santos had a pretty good year in Barcelona B and should help out a bit. If they do let us replace those 5 suspended players, I'm hoping he will be one of them.

The first quarter final is set, Costa Rica - Honduras. I'm picking Costa Rica on this one, there's too much talent on that team for them not to advance.

 

[Shzm13]

Scenarios

The first two teams in each group will advance, as will the third-placed team, provided that it bests at least one number three from the two other groups in points or goal difference if points are equal.

For the U.S. to win the group: The U.S. has to beat Guadeloupe, Canada has to beat Panama, and the U.S. has to win the head-to-head goal difference tiebreaker with Panama and Canada.

For the U.S. to come second: The U.S. has to better Canada's result or match Canada's result if Canada or Guadeloupe do not make up their goal difference deficit to the U.S.

For the U.S. to come third: The U.S. ties or loses but stays ahead of either Guadeloupe or Canada. (Note: The two best third-placed teams in the three groups still advance. After Monday's action, El Salvador and Guatemala each have four points. If the U.S. advanced this way, it would play Mexico in the quarterfinals.)

For the U.S. to come last: Guadeloupe has to beat the U.S. by two goals or more if Canada wins or ties against Panama, or Guadeloupe has to beat the U.S. by three more goals than what Panama beats Canada by.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I can't believe I was watching the first two games on crappy internet streams instead of watching them live on CONCACAF.com

 

[Zeno]

I can't believe I was watching the first two games on crappy internet streams instead of watching them live on CONCACAF.com

I couldn't get CONCACAF to work, I went to a bar for the first US game but have watched all other Gold Cup games on Univision.com, their stream is crystal clear.

 

[Stout]

You guys don't get Fox Soccer Channel? Half of the Newcastle games that were televised were on FSC, so I already had it. I was getting ready to eliminate it until the start of the new EPL season, but am keeping it for the Gold Cup.

 

[Milgod]

Don't think we're that good, yet anyway. We've got some weaknesses in the defensive midfield, but Jonathan Dos Santos had a pretty good year in Barcelona B and should help out a bit. If they do let us replace those 5 suspended players, I'm hoping he will be one of them.

The first quarter final is set, Costa Rica - Honduras. I'm picking Costa Rica on this one, there's too much talent on that team for them not to advance.

What's up with you? You have made a few posts recently where you haven't sounded like a complete tool.

I think Costa Rica too. They at least had to face Mexico in the first round. Honduras had an easier path IMO.

 

[Zeno]

You guys don't get Fox Soccer Channel? Half of the Newcastle games that were televised were on FSC, so I already had it. I was getting ready to eliminate it until the start of the new EPL season, but am keeping it for the Gold Cup.

I get it at home but I am in Virginia for work right now and the apartment that work put me up in does not have it.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

You guys don't get Fox Soccer Channel? Half of the Newcastle games that were televised were on FSC, so I already had it. I was getting ready to eliminate it until the start of the new EPL season, but am keeping it for the Gold Cup.

nope cancelled DirecTV last year. Haven't looked back either.

 

[Shzm13]

U.S. lineup to face Guadeloupe: Howard; Cherundolo, Goodson, Bocanegra, Lichaj; Dempsey, Jones, Bradley, Donovan; Wondolowski, Altidore. Subs: Hahnemann, Onyewu, Bornstein, Edu, Kljestan, Bedoya, Agudelo. No Tim Ream.

PLEASE win today! I have a wedding to attend saturday and cannot miss Mex-USA should they tie

 

[dreamcastrocks]

That was a blast by Jozy. Easily the best goal I have seen him score. Dempsey has missed 2 or 3 point blank shots. He has to convert on those.

Good half overall.

 

[Mathew81]

1-0 at HT. Quite a strike from Jozy. Some missed chances should have put us up by more.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Should have won 5-0. Dempsey missed even more the 2nd half.

 

[Zeno]

USA against Jamaica at 3 ET Sunday in RFK. Works out perfect for me as I have to be at work at 10 and RFK is a ways away.

The US level of play has to improve or Jamaica will win. RFK is a good venue for the US though, always has a great crowd...an actual homefield advantage. Stadium sucks though...really is a dump.

 

[Shzm13]

Really impressive goal by Jozy tonight. I expected the score to be far more separated than it was, but the US clearly dominated the match. If they want to beat Jamaica, Dempsey is going to have to start putting away those opportunities. You called it when the tourney started, Zeno. Looks like Jamaica is poised to become a good team again.

Now we know the quarterfinals match ups for this weekend. Looks like we've got some pretty good games.

Saturday
Costa Rica - Honduras

Mexico - Guatemala

Sunday

Jamaica - USA
El Salvador - Panama

an update on the Mexican players who tested positive for doping:

The Mexican Football Federation have announced that the five Mexico players who were suspended from the country's CONCACAF Gold Cup squad after testing positive for clenbuterol have now returned negative tests for the banned substance.

soccernet

 

[Zeno]

This was my guess at the Quarterfinals matchup...

Quarterfinal matchups...

In New Jersey...
Costa Rica Vs Honduras
Mexico Vs Panama

In Washington DC...
Jamaica Vs Canada
US Vs Guatemala

I had 7 of 8 quarterfinalists...my mistake was Canada instead of El Salvador but I only had 1 matchup correct Costa Rica Vs Honduras.

I am going to be incredibly pessimistic and say that the US loses to Jamaica this weekend.

 

[Shzm13]

Me picking the US, Zeno picking against them. Never thought I'd see that happening. I don't think anyone expected the US' offense to come out so flat against inferior competition either though.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Me picking the US, Zeno picking against them. Never thought I'd see that happening. I don't think anyone expected the US' offense to come out so flat against inferior competition either though.

I did. The US offense has been flat since the World Cup.

This team just doesn't have any killer instinct AT ALL.

 

[Shzm13]

True, but against Panama and Guadeloupe?? These are the concacaf rag dolls. (Although Panama did win the Copa Centroamericana) but still, historically, they suck.

 

[Stout]

*sigh* Call me crazy, but I REALLY wanted us to blow this and not advance. Had we failed to advance in the Gold Cup on our own soil, against the group we had, we would have had NO CHOICE but to sack Bradley. Now, I guaran-damn-tee you that he'll get a free pass. He shouldn't. It's a disgrace the state of the team under his reign now, but he's perfectly safe. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[Mulli]

*sigh* Call me crazy, but I REALLY wanted us to blow this and not advance. Had we failed to advance in the Gold Cup on our own soil, against the group we had, we would have had NO CHOICE but to sack Bradley. Now, I guaran-damn-tee you that he'll get a free pass. He shouldn't. It's a disgrace the state of the team under his reign now, but he's perfectly safe. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Mulli will continue to be more interested in the teams of other countries. Countries who are interested in winning internationally.

 

[Shzm13]

Thought you were an Italy fan, Mulli?

 

[Mulli]

Thought you were an Italy fan, Mulli?

Yep! Forza Azurri!

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