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CONCACAF World Cup qualifying Roundup: Whoa Canada

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Canada is in serious trouble.

There is no other way to put it after the Canadian national team dropped a 2-1 result against Honduras in Montreal on Saturday night. The loss left Canada with just one point from two home qualifiers in what is easily the toughest group in CONCACAF. Oh, and the Canadians must now travel to Mexico City Chiapas to face Mexico on Wednesday.

Ouch.

While the U.S. national team did enough to take three points from Cuba, Mexico continued on its path to the Hexagonal with a 3-0 thrashing of Jamaica. The win moved Mexico to six points, five ahead of Jamaica and Canada and three clear of Honduras.

Here is how the CONCACAF Qualifying standings look:

Group A

  1. USA (2-0)………………………6 pts
  2. Trinidad & Tobago (1-0-1)……..4 pts
  3. Guatemala (0-1-1)……………..1 pt
  4. Cuba (0-2)……………………..0 pts

Wednesday’s matches: Trinidad & Tobago at USA, Cuba at Guatemala

Group B

  1. Mexico (2-0)……………………6 pts
  2. Honduras (1-1)…………………3 pts
  3. Jamaica (0-1-1)………………..1 pt
  4. Canada (0-1-1)…………………1 pt

Wednesday’s matches: Jamaica at Honduras, Canada at Mexico

Group C

  1. Costa Rica (2-0)………………..6 pts
  2. El Salvador (1-1)……………….3 pts
  3. Haiti (0-1-1)……………………1 pt
  4. Suriname (0-1-1)……………….1 pt

Wednesday’s matches: El Salvador at Suriname, Costa Rica at Haiti

What do you think of the CONCACAF qualifiers so far? Think Canada is dead? What has surprised you? Impressed you? Disappointed you? Share your thoughts on CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. I can’t believe how disorganized the CSA is. It actually offends me.

    Of course, every Canadian sports oversight group is backwards, except for Hockey Canada (see also the Canadian Olympic Committee and their stellar showing in Beijing last month).

    Reply
  2. I’m not an expert on Honduras but they’re definitely a much better team than many of you could imagine. Who on Canada’s team can stop David Suazo? Hell, USA and Mexico will have a hard enough time trying to do it when we play them. A few players from Honduras whom you damn well better remember – David Suazo (Benfica; formerly of Inter before Mourinho decided he didn’t want him), Julio Cesar de Leon (Parma), Edgar Alvarez (Pisa), Milton Nunez (Marathon), Oscar Bonieck Garcia (Olimpia).

    Posted by: Al17 | September 08, 2008 at 10:57 PM

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    Bro, all of what you say is true. The catrachos are loaded with talent.

    Their main problem is that they choke during WC Qualification and that they are so sporadic in their play. One minute they look like CONCACAF giants (which they should be and can argue that they are in fact). But then, they play “down” to the level of inferior competition.

    Just look at the way that the millionares and high quality exports waiting to happen went to Puerto Rico for the second leg of the second round to play into this one–

    Historic result for Puerto Rico. They had Honduras on the ropes that game (you can’t let your foot off the gas just because you are killing a team on aggregate. The superstars got limited to a draw by 1 MLS starter (Velez), 1 MLS Reserve (Megaloudis), 5 USL1’ers (three of which don’t even start and now play for the Islanders Reserve side), an USL2 keeper (Boss-most recently training with RBNY), 2 NCAA1 guys and NCAA3 guy and a couple guys unattached to clubs…

    Seriously. That is Honduras’ problem. On paper, they should have waxed my boys but they didn’t.

    I hope that they qualify (not at the US’ expense) but until Honduras plays like the Aztec and Yank killers that they are sometimes, I wouldn’t bet my Fannie Mae stock on them qualifying.

    Reply
  3. Anyway, does anyone else think this is all a waste of time? It’s gonna be US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and maybe TnT again in the end..

    Posted by: Coach | September 08, 2008 at 03:33 PM

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    Coach, you my friend should know better than anyone: We play for the purpose of competing…

    Reply
  4. THE MEX-CANADA GAME IS IN CHIAPAS, not Mexico City, not Cancun.

    The heat and humidity of Montreal in the summer is about as bad as it is in southern Mexico. 😉

    I don’t think ppl are not giving Honduras their props, btw. It’s just that at this level, a national team should NOT lose at home, especially a team w/ Canada’s potential.

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  5. Quote – It’s difficult to muster sympathy for Canada. I’ve seen too many Canadians delight in US struggles in sports or elsewhere to care. End Q

    Very true. US fans care much more for Canada than Canadians do fot the US. No doubt about that.

    Still, it is amusing. The overrating of Canadian players is mind numbing.

    DeGuzman – That’s it.

    DeRO – On int’l level has produced little. Way overrated for that level. The rest of the guys are worker bees. Average ones at that.

    The US is just a higher class of worker bees.

    Canada isn’t that good. Neither is Jamaica, but US fans in general seem to have attached a liking for these teams because they play a less latin style. Less diving and showmanship which we don’t like here, so we riute for these teams and way overrate their talent in the process.

    I prayed for a Canadian upset of Honduras. Would have been fabatstic for the US. Unfortunately we get a very, very dangerous Hinduran team. Home or away. Beware. Very little fear of Canada or Jamaica. Limited to say the least.

    Reply
  6. It’s difficult to muster sympathy for Canada. I’ve seen too many Canadians delight in US struggles in sports or elsewhere to care.

    Reply

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