And then there were 12.
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying wrapped up second-round action and there were no surprises in the head-to-head phase of qualifying. The powerhouse countries we thought we would see advancing to the third round did just that (with Panama being the one team I was surprised to see knocked off) and now we can start looking to the third round of qualifying.
Here are the Groups for the next round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying:
Group 1
- USA
- Guatemala
- Cuba
- Trinidad & Tobago
Group 2
- Mexico
- Honduras
- Canada
- Jamaica
Group 3
- Costa Rica
- Haiti
- El Salvador
- Suriname
Group 2 is unmercifully brutal, with a dangerous Jamaica team as the weakest in a loaded field. When you compare that group to Group 3 it’s almost criminal the disparity in strength. I would argue that every team in Group 2 would advance out of Group 3.
I really thought Panama was going to be in the mix. They showed so much promise in the last Gold Cup and to go from that to losing to El Salvador is shocking. Panama’s departure makes it that much more likely that Costa Rica will advance out of a week group that includes Haiti, which looked mediocre at best in last summer’s World Cup, and El Salvador, which played spoiler to Panama.
As for the U.S. team’s group, none of those teams pose a real threat to the Americans, though Trinidad & Tobago does have serious talent if it ever gets its act together. Cuba won’t be a pushover and Guatamala will be the favorite to join the USA in the Hexagonal.
My pick for the six are USA, Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Haiti.
What do you think of the groups? What six teams do you see advancing to the Hex? Share your thoughts below
How many teams from the last six will qualify
Honduras is going to be super scary now that David Suazo is in the fold. I expect them to qualify for the World Cup.
IS Suriname any good
I just want to see Canada go through. They desrve it and it would be great for soccer in North America.
I pick USA, Guatemala, Canada, Mexico, Haiti, and El Salvador.
I have a feeling Carlos Ruiz will single handly lead Guatemala to the World Cup. I’ve no doubt. But the Canadians won’t be pushover as well, they havent been in 2decades, so they are hungry to qualify and they have some of their best players ever.
Eric if you know anything about Soccer history you should know that in group 3 the 4 team has been to a world cup before. Here are the Status 1)Mexico 13 times of course, 2)Honduras 1 time Spain 1982, 3) jamaica 1 time France 1998 and Canada 1 time in Mexico 1986 They all been to a world cup so please do your homework and that is why I keep saying that group 2 is the Group of Death…
Group 1 – USA, Guatemala
Group 2- Mexico, Canada (though T&T have a good chance as well)
Group 3- Costa Rice, El Salvador
To Canadian fans:
Sucky draw, but if they reseeded the groups, you would still get Honduras and you would probably get Guatemala, depending on how the groups are drawn.
I think Honduras is the better team right now and I don’t see Canada advancing.
USA
T&T
Mexico
Honduras
Costa Rica
El Salvador
I think that will be the hex. Canada, Jamaica and Guatemala are all probably better than El Salvador, and probably even with T&T and Costa Rica.
i Think el salvador is way better than panama and the best in group 3 other than costa rica i agre group 3 is week but it dosent suck
@eric
Jamaica played in France 98 and won a game (the US went 0-3 in France).
Canada made it in 1986 I think.
OK, so Panama’s choke job makes Group 3 look weaker. Swap Haiti with Jamaica and there isn’t much to complain about.
For all the group of death talk, I’m honestly curious when the last time any of these other 3 played in the World Cup.
Group 2 will decide which is the most incompetent Federation…Honduras, Canada or Jamaica? All three have great players and coaches…but the Federations managed to botch any progress.
i think all of you are underestamating group 3 El salvador got 3rd place in a group ginish last gold cup and costa rica has good futbol and haii always puts a good fight too
Thanks for laying it out for us, Ives. Can’t wait to see what our boys can do! And it’d be great to see 2 or more teams give Mexico a run for their qualification spot.
Any coincidence for the lack of posts between DuNord and TOR today?
When’s that “DP” arriving? June’s almost up!
No Americans are going to defect to Cuba. It’s more like several Cubans will defect to the US when they play at RFK. Why shouldn’t the US play Cuba? Because the US government has an issue with Fidel? That’s stupid. If we don’t play Cuba, we don’t make it to the WC. This is futbol, not politics. That’s what makes the game ugly. Politics mixing with sport. It’s a game. Shouldn’t matter if we’re playing the Republic of Mars, China or Cuba. You show up to the pitch and you play the game. Might actually help our dreadful image in the world by playing countries like Cuba. It would show we’re treating the game as a game and not a stupid political event. But I’m sure George W will say something about that (oops, I let politics sneak in when this should be about futbol, see how annoying that can be?) 😉
I got El Salvador (Haiti) and Honduras (Canada) as more likely Hexagonal teams. ES has better home advantage and Honduras has Suazo, Palacios and Co.
Hey Jeff, as you can tell by the date on Rennes’ website, the signing was only today announced officially. Before today, the signing was media speculation.
@H-Bomb
As president of CONCACAF I can tell you that you are correct. We REALLY DO have something against the Canadians. I mean, you have excellent seafood, lovely scenery and the finest in homegrown ganja (“BC Buzz,” anyone). But, you all say “Aboot” instead of “About” and so we put you in the toughest group on purpose.
But, if you’re willing to make a deposit into my numbered Swiss bank account, this situation can be corrected. Oh, stop feigning incredulity — everyone knows I’m corrupt!
Sorry for my Canadian neighbors. Really a tough situation. But look at it this way, in order for you to make it to the WC, you would need to finish above Honduras anyways (you do not want to be in 4th and have to beat a South American team to qualify). This just means you will have to stake your claim in the semifinal round rather than the final round.
Best of luck to you guys, I will be rooting for you!
Hey llya,
Try to stay with current events. Did you hear that Altidore is leaving the MLS?
How many Americans will defect to Cuba? Better yet, how many players will be let back into the US after their passports are stamped in Cuba? Stupid…..
I agree with H Bomb. Concacaf should have reseeded before this stage and grouped teams into pots based on FIFA rankings. Then they would do a draw and the groups would be more even. No wonder we are the worst footballing confederation.
Being Canadian I’m really starting to feel like Concacaf has something against us. How they can account for the difference in quality between group 2&3 is beyond me, especially looking at those teams Fifa rankings. Naturally if you want to make the WC you have to beat the best teams…but give me a break
Saturday morning, I caught a replay of the Canada/St. Vincent & Grenadines (“SVG”) game on Gol TV and came away suitably impressed with the Canadians. Admittedly, they were playing one of the minnows in our region, but SVG looked much betteer than Barbados. So, I hope the Canadians can make it through to the hex.
As to the USA, with two road games to start the next round, I hope BB plays a solid team with all our main players on defense.
Predictions for the final six: Mexico, Canada, USA, Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador.
Our captain, Mr. Bocanegra, will head into qualifying as a member of a Ligue 1 squad:
http://www.staderennais.com/index.php?id=AT4071
Great. Screw Carlos Ruiz, dad gommit.
ummm….I think suriname falls under the Caribbean part of our confederation.
I mean, why is Kazakhstan in UEFA? Australia in Asia?
Because…yeah…that’s what Suriname needs…home aways with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uraguay and etc.
They’d need half the dutch team to have a chance.
since its almost two months until the next USMNT qualifer, are there any friendlies scheduled before that? two months is a long time to wait for a real game.
well at least all of the qualifiers fall under FIFA internationals dates. Sometimes you never know with the half-ass CONCACAF. So all bradley has to deal with is the MLS whiners who won’t want to release players because they are fighting for playoff spots for the prestigious MLS Cup.
@James – Yes, Carlos Ruiz is on a mission to fall over, dive, and complain at the ref when the call doesn’t go his way. Oh, and if he has time between doing all that for 85 minutes, he might try staying on his feet to take a shot on goal.
Obviously Group 2 looks nasty… I know you all think it is unrealistic… but I can really see Mexico finishing in 2nd or 3rd in that group. Honduras has slowly been improving in all facets and I believe they have now passed Costa Rica, Candad etc… for the 3rd best team in CONCACAF. I think with guys like Suazo and Guevarra…they have can take the game to opponents. Just imagine if Suriname could use Suriname born foreign based players like all the other island nations try to do… They would be really tough.
Jamie –
There was seeding involved when the qualifying draw was done. CONCACAF’s way of doing things is too convaluted to try and explain with a short posting on this message board.
But, here is FIFA’s website’s explanation of the draw procedures for CONCACAF World Cup 2010 Qualifying.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/preldraw/2010%5ffwc%5fpreliminary%5fdrawinformation%5fnorth%5fcentral%5famerica%5fcaribbean%5fe%5f28448.pdf
Why is Suriname in CONCACAF? Shouldn’t it be in COMNEBOL?
What a way to start off the next qualifying round for the US! Ouch.
I hope Bob has everyone up for that – a slip up here or there could be very costly. We can’t go into any of those games as unfocused as we did against the Czech Republic in 2006.
I think you’ll see Guatemala and Honduras make it through rather than T&T and Canada. I’d love to be surprised about Canada, but Honduras has ability and experience that Canada does not. And Carlos Ruiz is, once again, on a mission for his country.
I’m with you Jerry and that is why I said that group 2 is the Group of Death.
There are some who are unaware that the schedule is already set for the next round of play.
It is:
08/20/2008 – USMNT at Guatemala
09/06/2008 – USMNT at Cuba
09/10/2008 – USMTN vs T&T @ Toyota Park
10/11/2008 – USMNT vs Cuba @ RFK
10/14/2008 – USMNT at T&T
11/19/2008 – USMNT vs Guatemala @ Dick’s Park
I think some of you are underestimating group 2 for one Canada almost eliminated USA in the last Gold Cup, if it werent for a horrible referee decision, Mexico is playing the worst football in recent times no to mention they have a brand new coach that will bring in a different playing style which they are not used too and will probably not be for who knows how long? Also I think some of you underestimate the Talent of Honduras ( who beat mexico in the last gold cup) and Jamaica who has qualified with now coach Rene Simoes in 1998. Sure Mexico is a favorite but the rest of the teams arent gonna be easy either just my opinion
Speaking of Cuba…should they even be allowed to play the USA. Everytime that team comes to the US at least 5 guys defect. Its kind of ridiculous to put them in the same group.
Having looked at group 3 I assume that these groups aren’t decided based on some kind of seeded placement the way they do qualifying in Europe and Asia. Kind of BS and its a shame because of that system some genuinely good teams will get knocked out of group 2.
Group B is brutal. You could argue four of the best five countries right now in CONCACAF are in that group. Honduras needs to get to the World Cup this time. They have too much quality to go home early again this time.
I like Haiti to get out of the weak group in second and think Guatemala gets a point and maybe three off the US, whereas T&T gets zilch from us and they advance along with us.
You guys are on crack….Group 1 is pretty much a joke with T&T being the biggest laugh of them all. USA and Guat should push through with ease. I can’t see Cuba putting up much of a fight in this round. I still can’t believe T&T just squeeked through on a sketchy goal. And I am not going to even get into group 3.
Take any team from Group 3 and put them in the other groups and they would have no chance. Costa Rica must be thrilled.
Hopefully we will play Cuba at home first. After half the team disappears from the hotel overnight, we’ll have one less away match to worry about.
Let’s be realistic – Mexico is a HUGE favorite in group two. everyone else is playing for second.
It’s unfortunate Canada got such a hard draw, but I guess if they can’t make it out of this group, they won’t go far anyways. I would agree that any two could come out of group 2, with Jamaica being the slight underdogs and Mexico being slight favourites. The U.S. should cruise. Will they play Cuba in Cuba? That will be interesting.
I’ll go with USA, T&T, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. As much fun as it would be to see Mexico eliminated before the final I think I’d rather see them in the hexagonal so that we get two more games against a good opponent before South Africa.
Group 2 is the most stacked. Any combination of two can come out of that. Group 1 is good too but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t USA and Guatemala to advance. Group 3 is a toss up. Costa Rica should make it but any of the other teams could be the second team.
As an aside, is this “DP” thing really going to happen in June or are we soon going to be seeing “DP coming July 2008” signs on the site?
My Pick for the two team to past in each group, group 3 it has to be Costa Rica & El Salvador after they elimitated the upcoming Panama. Goup 1 it should be of Course THE BIG US of A. and Guatemala the been playing pretty good Futball. And here is the Group of Death hard to pick one but I looking Foward Hondura & Mexico even tho I see it hard for Mexico to move foward if Canada, Hondura and Jamaica play and win at home and get a tied in Mexico, Say goodbye to the World Cup.
Group 1 is a deadly one! I would not bet a euro on anyone, too much uncertainty…