sstackho Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-worldcup-us&prov=ap&type=lgns U.S. receives first-round bye in World Cup qualifying August 24, 2007 ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- The United States was among 13 nations that will receive a first-round bye in soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. FIFA, soccer's governing body, said Friday it based the decision on its rankings from May, when the United States was second in the region, a position it also holds in the latest rankings. Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Canada, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines also received first-round byes. Twenty-two nations will be slotted into home-and-home pairings during the World Cup qualifying draw on Nov. 25 in Durban, South Africa. The 11 winners and St. Vincent will drawn against the top 12 seeds in the second round, which likely will be in June. The 12 second-round winners advance to the semifinals, which will retain the same format from 2006 qualifying, with three groups of four. The top two teams in each semifinal group advance to the six-nation regional finals. The top three teams in the finals qualify for the 32-nation field, and the No. 4 team meets the fifth-place team from South American in a home-and-home playoff for another berth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Basically, this is axactly the same as the previous format. what it is saying is that we dont play in those very early knowckout round. But we still have to play ( home and away) one of those sides that emeges from those matches in oder to qualify for the semifinal stage. In canada's case, it was belize, the US played Barbadoes, CRC played Cuba. The one big difference ( as we already knew) is that the 4th place finisher will be required to play the 5th place side in SA. Thats is quite different from what TNT having to go through by playing Asian side Bahrain. The opponent could be someone like Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador ( super high altiitude). Not every hospitable environments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Free kick Basically, this is axactly the same as the previous format. what it is saying is that we dont play in those very early knowckout round. But we still have to play ( home and away) one of those sides that emeges from those matches in oder to qualify for the semifinal stage. In canada's case, it was belize, the US played Barbadoes, CRC played Cuba. The good news is that Cuba is now seeded and the chances of meeting a dangerous opponent coming from the early knockouts rounds are reduced. El Salvador might be the only team I could see upsetting Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massive Attack Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 The article linked above is slightly confusing. St. Vincent, while getting a bye for the first round, will be one of the unseeded teams in the second round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack The article linked above is slightly confusing. St. Vincent, while getting a bye for the first round, will be one of the unseeded teams in the second round. Exactly. 12 seeded teams vs. 11 winners of the early round, plus St-Vincent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkhs Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by loyola 12 seeded teams vs. 11 winners of the early round, plus St-Vincent. In other words, St. Vincent is 13th of the 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massive Attack Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 According to this thread on BS - http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=589677 , the seeding is based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. This leaves Canada as the 11th seed. This may be bad for us if the semi-final round is drawn on the same day and is also based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. That would put us in the 4th (and worst) pot. I'm not sure what the procedure is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack According to this thread on BS - http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=589677 , the seeding is based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. This leaves Canada as the 11th seed. This may be bad for us if the semi-final round is drawn on the same day and is also based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. That would put us in the 4th (and worst) pot. I'm not sure what the procedure is though. So top seeded sides ( who would go in the same pot) would be US, Mex, CRC? Is that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack According to this thread on BS - http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=589677 , the seeding is based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. This leaves Canada as the 11th seed. This may be bad for us if the semi-final round is drawn on the same day and is also based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. That would put us in the 4th (and worst) pot. I'm not sure what the procedure is though. I'm also scared about that may FIFA ranking. Considering our Confederation championship was held in June it would make more sense to use the ranking from July or August, it gives a better picture because we are certainly not the 11th teams in CONCACAF. In the end, CONCACAF officials will look at which ranking is more advantageous for T&T and will use it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massive Attack Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Free kick So top seeded sides ( who would go in the same pot) would be US, Mex, CRC? Is that right? I'm only speculating, but the semi-final draw would look like this (assuming all seeded teams advance): Pot A Mexico USA Cost Rica Pot B Honduras Panama T&T Pot C Jamaica Cuba Haiti Pot D Guatemala Canada Guyana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by loyola Oh yes! I forgot about that. I hink that you have just answered the question as to why May 2007 ranking was used. How did TNT do at the GC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack I'm only speculating, but the semi-final draw would look like this (assuming all seeded teams advance): Pot A Mexico USA Cost Rica Pot B Honduras Panama T&T Pot C Jamaica Cuba Haiti Pot D Guatemala Canada Guyana So assuming that T & T will be given the easiest group, that means that threr will be one group with T & T, Guyana, Haiti and whoever amongst USA, CRC, and Mex is the easiest to bribe. Not likely to be the US. That leaves canada grouped with: Pan or Hon and Jam or Cuba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by loyola The good news is that Cuba is now seeded and the chances of meeting a dangerous opponent coming from the early knockouts rounds are reduced. Haiti as well, and agreed that El Salvador now becomes the biggest threat for a really premature knock-out after just two games, but not one that has me overly worried if it does happen. I still don't like the idea of the two-game preliminary round for the bigger teams in the regions - basically they (or should I say we) have nothing to gain from them - all they do is provide for the possibility of a fluke upset. Also agreed that is is a little bit stupid to base this on the May rankings on the eve of the regional championship taking place, which was obviously going to have a huge impact on the rankings. But I don't know that it will make much of a difference to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadasBest Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack I'm only speculating, but the semi-final draw would look like this (assuming all seeded teams advance): Pot A Mexico USA Cost Rica Pot B Honduras Panama T&T Pot C Jamaica Cuba Haiti Pot D Guatemala Canada Guyana It's only the first round done by rankings. The Semi Finals will be decided again by Pots unless i'm mistaken. Canada will be no worse than Pot C. Also Honduras will be in Pot C with Canada, and Guatemala in Pot B since they made the final. Pot A (Automatic Qualifiers for WC2006) USA Mexico Costa Rica Pot B (Teams who made the Final Round WC2006) Trinidad Guatemala Panama Pot C (Teams who made the Semi Final Round WC2006) Jamaica El Salvador Honduras Canada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Kitts and Nevis Pot D (etc.) Etc. Etc. Edit: Worst Case Scenario: USA, T&T, Honduras Best Case Scenario: Costa Rica, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack According to this thread on BS - http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=589677 , the seeding is based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. This leaves Canada as the 11th seed. This may be bad for us if the semi-final round is drawn on the same day and is also based on the May 2007 FIFA rankings. That would put us in the 4th (and worst) pot. I'm not sure what the procedure is though. If they are going to base things on the FIFA rankings for a draw in late November, it wouldn't make much sense to go back half a year to May's ranking. Of course, knowing FIFA they still might do that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Based on my understanding of the draw, I did a couple mock draws. They all basically come out about the same.. FWIW, the final draw looked like this: A Costa Rica T&T Haiti Guyana B Mexico Panama Jamaica Guatemala C USA Honduras Cuba Canada I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…we get through the semis, we qualify. We don’t get through the semis, we don’t deserve to qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 And, regardless of what the draw actually is...we are going to be in the Group of Death . Why? Because we are in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by gwallace76 I dont think so. The last time, the Tournament qualification draw for everything was layout from the start ( for all rounds). All that remained was to place the teams ( through the draw from pots) in slots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 St. Vincent, Barbados, Suriname, Bermuda, Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Bahamas, Nicaragua, Grenada, St. Lucia are the teams we will most likely play in the home and home. Whats different about this round is that last time the 12 semi finalists got a bye, where this time they did not (see el salvador, st kitts, st vincent) while Cuba and Haiti who did not make the semis last time are getting a bye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Of course, if we don't like it, we can always join Oceania. The top ranked team in that Confederation is currently #149 in the overall FIFA rankings........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy And, regardless of what the draw actually is...we are going to be in the Group of Death . Why? Because we are in it. Not necessarily. We were in a group of death the last time ( WCQ 2006); a so - so group in wcq 2002 and a mickey mouse group during wcq 1998. So we are now due for a mickey mouse This is the part where I have bone of contention with those who refer to WCQ 1998 as some sort of glory era because we made it to the hex. And we are led to beleive that it was all because we had the CSL rather than MLS/NASL. IMO the WCQ 1998 team was the weakest of the last twenty years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I think this time around we might see more even groups as Haiti and Cuba will be more difficult than st vincent and st kitts. (therefore more parity). Then again Guyana might be included as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Free kick [ So we are now due for a mickey mouse We're due for something, that's for sure. I guess the point I was making is that our position in pot C (or D?) all-but assures that we will have to beat one decent side along with one of Mexico, USA or Costa Rica. To me, the semi-finals are tougher than the Hex. In the Hex you can recover from a bad game as four of the six teams get something. In the semis it's much tougher. And I have a good feeling about this time. Seriously. Edited to add: And I want it to start yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy To me, the semi-finals are tougher than the Hex. In the Hex you can recover from a bad game as four of the six teams get something. In the semis it's much tougher. It's not just to you, I think just about everybody has the same view. It is one reason why the system is flawed. The room for error increases the further you go along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSamurai Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I think we can do it. I have faith. We finally have a real home for our players. A place that they can be glad to come home to and not feel like all the games that they are playing are away games. We have to win all our games at home. In turn we the fans must be the 12th man and help our boys and cheering them on and make it hell for the opposing teams. We have to make BMO Field a fortress. We all know winning away games won't be easy in hostile territory. So we have to play as well as we possibly can at home and hope for an upset or 2 (or a bunch of draws) for the away games. We KNOW we can beat any of those teams in CONCACAF (w/ the exception of Mexico) so we have the ability to go to SA. I dream of being w/ 1000 other Canadian supporters at the WC and singing the national anthem and finally ending our record of being a team w/o scoring a goal at the WQ. It all begins w/ the friendly against Costa Rica! WHOO!! I can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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