World Cup qualifying- CONCACAF preview

[David Votoupal]

March 28-
Trinidad & Tobago v Honduras
Mexico v Costa Rica
El Salvador v USA

April 1-
USA v Trinidad & Tobago
Honduras v Mexico
Costa Rica v El Salvador

USA and Costa Rica got off to the perfect start, with El Salvador coming from behind to salvage a point. Mexico need to get their campaign off the mark now, while El Salvador could prove tricky for the USA. A harder group than one might imagine, except that the 4th-placed side will provide supposed cannon fodder for South America's 5th-placed side.

 

[fedelta]

Trinidad & Tobago v Honduras
massive game for both teams am looking forward to it

 

[David Votoupal]

Mexico 2 Costa Rica 0
Trinidad & Tobago 1 Honduras 1
El Salvador USA 2

Mexico get their first win of the stage, Honduras concede a last minute equaliser while El Salvador went 2-0 up before choking.

 

[Omni]

USA blew that though, they're miles ahead of everyone that isn't Mexico, and they're still better than Mexico, mind you that's the beauty of CONCACAF you can still blow a few games and advance, there's that many spots! Until the MLS has international breaks this will happen, seriously MLS starting your season before a world cup qualifier????

TNT are in a bit of trouble and the USA will be dissapointed at their dropping points, I think poor TNT could get pumped on Wednesday.

 

[David Votoupal]

CONCACAF is seen as a group that rewards mediocrity, since the USA, Mexico and Costa Rica are guaranteed a free ride in these days, and the 4th-placed side gets a double chance- although this time it's against a South American team, making it highly unlikely that a team like Trinidad & Tobago will repeat their '06 heroics.

That being said, there isn't much real difference between CONCACAF and Asia in terms of actual quality. Their performances at the last World Cup were no different. Kind of a glass houses thing when we go on about how many spots they get.

 

[northernspirit]

concacaf should have 2.5 spots really not 3.5
that extra spot should go to asia - for a continent with countries the populations of china, india, indonesia, japan and so on... the numbers are disproportionate, like COMNEBOL too - basically half of the teams competing can qualify for the w.c - where as asia has 3 qualifying sections for only 4.5 teams in total

 

[David Votoupal]

concacaf should have 2.5 spots really not 3.5
that extra spot should go to asia - for a continent with countries the populations of china, india, indonesia, japan and so on... the numbers are disproportionate, like COMNEBOL too - basically half of the teams competing can qualify for the w.c - where as asia has 3 qualifying sections for only 4.5 teams in total

With all due respect, for all the population of Asia, the continent is still weaker in footballing terms than most- no better than CONCACAF and not with the sheer depth of talent and competitive sides that Africa has.

CONCACAF has a long history and tradition. Mexico and most of Central America (Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama) have established football culture, passion and raw talent in abundance. Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago also have passion for the game and can call upon European-based professionals, and even the smaller island nations can tap into the gene pool of talent due to their British links- thus making them stronger than Oceania or even Asian minnows.

In Asia, the diversity and disparities of the confederation are reflected in the football, and the gap between the top sides of the region and the rest is still much bigger. It's improving, admittedly, but it's not at the level of Europe, South America or Africa where any team can go into games with a realistic chance of points.

That there's been some real shellackings in the ACL in the past few years- Gamba won 15-0 over a Vietnamese side- would drive that point home too.

 

[Omni]

I agree that CONCACAF have a much better tradition than Asia, however, AFC has more depth.

Keep in mind that in the AFC at least one of North Korea, South Korea, Iran & Saudia Arabia will miss out on qualification, however in CONCACAF at least one of Costa Rica, El Salvador, TNT & Honduras WILL qualify. It's what intregued me about the OFC debate, why was it always talk about taking a South American spot, surely a better pitch would have been for a CONCACAF spot. It's what makes this proposal about the USA wanting to move to CONMEBOL all the more bizzare, why would you give up such a sure thing?

The ACL example is a poor one - there's been some real thumpings in the UCL as well does that mean UEFA is rubbish?

 

[FFC Mariner]

Actually there are some really shit teams who regularly qualify for European competition.

 

[marinermick]

I agree that CONCACAF have a much better tradition than Asia, however, AFC has more depth.

Keep in mind that in the AFC at least one of North Korea, South Korea, Iran & Saudia Arabia will miss out on qualification, however in CONCACAF at least one of Costa Rica, El Salvador, TNT & Honduras WILL qualify. It's what intregued me about the OFC debate, why was it always talk about taking a South American spot, surely a better pitch would have been for a CONCACAF spot. It's what makes this proposal about the USA wanting to move to CONMEBOL all the more bizzare, why would you give up such a sure thing?

The ACL example is a poor one - there's been some real thumpings in the UCL as well does that mean UEFA is rubbish?

CONCACAF has one Jack Warner in their corner who is one of the biggest shaker and mover at FIFA.

 

[FFC Mariner]

and the US and 300 million potential viewers

 

[Omni]

The US would qualify if CONCACAF had 1.5 spots IMO, they've been all over Mexico in recent years. Jack Warner is certainly a much bigger reason, could be the clincher for a CONCACAF World Cup.

 

[marinermick]

and the US and 300 million potential viewers

don't forget mexico - massive football audience and the richest man in the world involved in football

 

[David Votoupal]

I agree that CONCACAF have a much better tradition than Asia, however, AFC has more depth.

Keep in mind that in the AFC at least one of North Korea, South Korea, Iran & Saudia Arabia will miss out on qualification, however in CONCACAF at least one of Costa Rica, El Salvador, TNT & Honduras WILL qualify. It's what intregued me about the OFC debate, why was it always talk about taking a South American spot, surely a better pitch would have been for a CONCACAF spot. It's what makes this proposal about the USA wanting to move to CONMEBOL all the more bizzare, why would you give up such a sure thing?

The ACL example is a poor one - there's been some real thumpings in the UCL as well does that mean UEFA is rubbish?

On the same scale as what Gamba and Kashima managed, as recently as last year? Even one of the Thai sides managed to put 9 past a Vietnamese side.

In Asia, the quality does drop off once you get past the best dozen or so teams, and you have many countries that are under-developed or almost undeveloped in a football sense with no chance at all of improvement. That from a 45 or so member confederation with an enormous population base.

If we look at World Cup performances in 2006:
- Japan, Iran and Saudi Arabia all finished bottom of their groups, and only Australia made it to the next round.
- USA, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago all finished bottom of their groups and only Mexico made it to the next round. However, T&T did hold Sweden to a 0-0 draw and held England off for 83 minutes... while the USA drew with the eventual champions.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Small sides giving England a run for their money at the WC is not a v reliable guage of their ability.

There is always a 1-0 or 0-0 against some tiny country before we make our traditional QF exit after extra time, penalties amid tears and heartbreak

 

[marinermick]

Small sides giving England a run for their money at the WC is not a v reliable guage of their ability.

There is always a 1-0 or 0-0 against some tiny country before we make our traditional QF exit after extra time, penalties amid tears and heartbreak

exactly, everyone knows that italy start their world cup campaign very slowly

 

[FFC Mariner]

And Ze Chermans too.

Thing is, those bastards more than likely will win it - going out in the QF's not good enough for them oh no

 

[Arabmariner]

We'd just like to reach a World Cup..................

 

[Omni]

I agree that CONCACAF have a much better tradition than Asia, however, AFC has more depth.

Keep in mind that in the AFC at least one of North Korea, South Korea, Iran & Saudia Arabia will miss out on qualification, however in CONCACAF at least one of Costa Rica, El Salvador, TNT & Honduras WILL qualify. It's what intregued me about the OFC debate, why was it always talk about taking a South American spot, surely a better pitch would have been for a CONCACAF spot. It's what makes this proposal about the USA wanting to move to CONMEBOL all the more bizzare, why would you give up such a sure thing?

The ACL example is a poor one - there's been some real thumpings in the UCL as well does that mean UEFA is rubbish?

On the same scale as what Gamba and Kashima managed, as recently as last year? Even one of the Thai sides managed to put 9 past a Vietnamese side.

In Asia, the quality does drop off once you get past the best dozen or so teams, and you have many countries that are under-developed or almost undeveloped in a football sense with no chance at all of improvement. That from a 45 or so member confederation with an enormous population base.

If we look at World Cup performances in 2006:
- Japan, Iran and Saudi Arabia all finished bottom of their groups, and only Australia made it to the next round.
- USA, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago all finished bottom of their groups and only Mexico made it to the next round. However, T&T did hold Sweden to a 0-0 draw and held England off for 83 minutes... while the USA drew with the eventual champions.

I don't understand how that shoots down my point. You say "AFC drops off after the first dozen" that only works if there are 13 good sides in CONCACAF, there's 2 USA & Mexico and then a BIG gap to Costa Rica where as in AFC you have Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran and an improving North Korea.

I'm not complaining about the US getting in so easily, given I'll be living there they'll no doubt become an NT I support, so whatever, the other really crazy thing about the CONCACAF is that the USA & Mexico both have to start at the 2nd stage and thump some poor nation over two legs that is completely stupid.

 

[Omni]

Honduras 3 Mexico 1!!!!!!

Mexico in 4th 1W 2L - at least they've already played the US once.