CONCACAF WC Qualifying - Round 1

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

LOL, I think you're the dumbass, LMS. Did I hurt your feelings there? Do you have a family member that works for Gol TV?

I'm not talking about Paul James here. I mean guys like Roy Hudson who call the matches from a monitor. I don't know what that has to do with promoting the game here. I find the match commentating lacking on Gol TV (except for the B1 matches though). There 2 main commentating teams suck. Sorry if that hurts your feelings.

I agree with you, I can't listen to Ray Hudson anymore....

On the bright side, I like watching when Lee and PJ are talking about canadian soccer related topics.

[tarnado1555362291]

Barbados go giant-hunting

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=677152.html#barbados+giant+hunting

They are trying to get Marlon Harewood and Emerson Boyce among others.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by tarnado

Fanz to coach Cuba free of charge

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=684393.html#fanz+coach+cuba+free+charge

(Reuters) Monday 4 February 2008

Cuba will not pay their new coach, Reinhold Fanz of Germany, as he takes on the daunting task of leading them to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

The Cuban Football Association said on Monday Fanz was loaned by German lower-league side Bonner SC. Cuba will only cover his living and travel expenses.

Fanz, 54, will start training Cuba in March. The former Fortuna Dusseldorf player has had spells coaching Bundesliga clubs Hannover 96 and Eintracht Frankfurt, but has never before coached a national team.

Cuba is 71 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola world ranking and has not reached the World finals since 1938, when they were ousted 8-0 by Sweden in the quarter-finals.

"Nothing is impossible," Cuban FA president Luis Hernandez said of the team's prospects at a news conference. "Cuba is as good as Trinidad and Tobago, which qualified for the last World Cup," Hernandez said.

"This has to be our opportunity," he added.

Fanz will take the Cuban team to train in Germany and Austria later this spring.

Past Cuban coaches included a Korean, a Hungarian and a Peruvian.

Given that he is free I guess he is a bargain but otherwise not a very impressive hire. He has coached some big teams but mostly when they were in lower divisions. He managed to get Hannover promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga from the 3rd division but then left for 1st Bundesliga Frankfurt where he only lasted 9 games. The rest of his coaching career has been in the 3rd and 4th divisions and not particularly successful. I would think he is coaching Cuba to make a name for himself. Maybe he will do well but he has certainly not shown himself to be one of the better German coaches so far.

[Gian-Luca]

I actually know a couple of people who watch Gol TV on mute when Hudson commentates on a match. He does seem to consistently have an orgasm whenever Messi or Riquelme touches the ball.

[BearcatSA]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

I agree with you, I can't listen to Ray Hudson anymore....

On the bright side, I like watching when Lee and PJ are talking about canadian soccer related topics.

I like the Cancon part of the network, too, especially now with The Score ditching PJ and Footy Show episodes for more poker, talk radio/tv dealing with sports betting, and UFC.

[BearcatSA]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

I agree with you, I can't listen to Ray Hudson anymore....

On the bright side, I like watching when Lee and PJ are talking about canadian soccer related topics.

I like the Cancon part of the network, too, especially now with The Score ditching PJ and Footy Show episodes for more poker, talk radio/tv dealing with sports betting, and UFC.

[Massive Attack]

The Extra Time show is pretty good. Its too bad that its only once a week. Although they probably don't have the content to make it daily. But Lee Godfrey is a good host and its always good to get analysis from Paul James.

[BearcatSA]

To be honest, I'm happy enough with a once a week, hour long show devoted to soccer. The big thing about Paul James is that though I don't agree with everything he states, I still have a lot of respect for what he says based on his experience as a former MNT player and U20 coach (regardless of what I or anybody else thought of his abilities in both capacities).

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

CONCACAF coverage is a blessing in any form with the amount of support has been shown. If they blackout/delay Canada's home leg coverage I wouldn't blame them. Get people to the game!

[tarnado1555362291]

Nicaragua leave nothing to chance

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=677975.html#nicaragua+leave+nothing+chance

[tarnado1555362291]

Minnows on their marks

(FIFA.com) Monday 4 February 2008

With Sunday's 1-1 draw between the underdog Cayman Islands and Bermuda serving to whet the appetite, six more South Africa 2010 qualifiers are slated for North, Central America and the Caribbean on Wednesday.

While the lion's share of the preliminary first-leg contests will see Caribbean minnows in action, Central America's lesser lights will also be dipping their feet in the waters. El Salvador and Nicaragua both play the role of hosts midweek as they take on Anquilla and the Netherlands Antilles respectively.

Ambitious Salvadoran boss Carlos de los Cobos is hoping to get his one-time regional competitors back in line for a third FIFA World Cup™ finals after a severe dip in form over the past two decades. At his disposal are the wildly talented youngsters Dennis Alas and Eliseo Quintanilla, both of whom are determined to give no quarter to the unfancied Anguillans.

Neighbours Nicaragua will also be hot favourites against the Dutch islanders when they meet in Diriamba. Coach Mauricio Cruz will soon find out if a recent training trip to Brazil was worth the effort against a tricky Antillean outfit, containing a handful of players with major Dutch clubs on their CV.

Profoundly unsuccessful Belize round out the Central American combatants for Wednesday's slate as they 'host' St. Kitts & Nevis in Guatemala City. Without an acceptable ground of their own, the English-speaking Belizeans will forgo home-field advantage against a tricky Caribbean side in high spirits and led by USA-based all-star striker Atiba Harris. "Without writing off Belize outright, I am confident we'll win this first leg," the Chivas USA powerhouse told FIFA.com.

Island dreaming

The preliminary home-away section of CONCACAF qualifying is dominated by tiny sun-splashed Caribbean islands.

Heavy favourites Barbados will travel to tiny Dominica with nothing less than outright victory on their minds. With a clutch of English Premiership stars such as like Marlon Harewood and Emerson Boyce available to him, Bajan boss Eyre Sealy is already looking past his first opponents and on to the next test: a date with the mighty USA. "We should really beat Dominica," the coach said with an air of authority. "And then why shouldn't we be able to get a result against the States."

Antigua and Barbuda will have far more realistic goals when they open their account on the road against Aruba. Hopes of success for the travelling side from the tiny dual-island nation will fall squarely on the shoulders of their three Trinidad-based professionals: Peter 'Big Pete' Byers, Gayson 'Bubbler' Gregory and George 'Sowa' Dublin.

The Turks and Caicos islands, on the other hand, make history win or lose. Their Wednesday first leg against St. Lucia will be the first-ever national team game played on the islands and the newly-built National Stadium is bound to be rocking, especially with MLS striker and TCI legend Gavin Glinton in confident mood.

The final first leg will be played on 26 March, just days before the crucial return encounters, between the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands. The winners from this preliminary round will move on to home-away series with the 12 top-ranked teams in the North, Central and Caribbean zone including the likes of Mexico, the USA, Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.

Three remaining preliminary qualifiers in the region will be played via a one-off format on 26 March. Much-improved Puerto Rico will take on neighbours Dominican Republic while the US Virgin Islands meet Grenada and Montserrat take on Surinam.

[jpg75]

quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

LOL, I think you're the dumbass, LMS. Did I hurt your feelings there? Do you have a family member that works for Gol TV?

I'm not talking about Paul James here. I mean guys like Roy Hudson who call the matches from a monitor. I don't know what that has to do with promoting the game here. I find the match commentating lacking on Gol TV (except for the B1 matches though). There 2 main commentating teams suck. Sorry if that hurts your feelings.

Rafael Unsein is their one shining light IMO, the guy actually knows what he's talking about. Other than that, you're right. Hudson is a fool, and there's one Spanish play-by-play guy who yo-yo's his voice up and down and sounds like his nose got cut off. He makes me want to rip my eyes out and stick them in my ears to block out his incessant nasal droning.

[Scottie]

Belize are up 3-1 on St. Kitts and Nevis in the second half, while Netherlands antilles lead Nicaragua 1-0 in the second. The four other matches to be played today haven't started yet.

[tarnado1555362291]

Wed Feb 6 WCQ Scores

1st leg

Dominica 1 - 1 Barbados

Aruba 0 - 3 Antigua and Barbuda

Belize 3 - 1 St. Kitts and Nevis

Nicaragua 0 - 1 Netherlands Antilles

Turks and Caicos 2 - 1 St. Lucia

El Salvador 12 - 0 Anguilla

[tarnado1555362291]

Friendlies

Jamaica 1 - 1 Costa Rica

Trinidad & Tobago 0 - 0 Guadeloupe

Venezuela 1 - 1 Haiti

Honduras 2 - 0 Paraguay

United States 2 - 2 Mexico

Argentina 5 - 0 Guatemala

[SthMelbRed]

Nothing overly encouraging or discouraging to take from those friendly results. Basically it confirms that our group will be tight and we have very little margin for error. We need to get ten points to get through.

[N-A]

C'mon you Turks and Caicos Islands

C'mon you Belize

[SthMelbRed]

I could've sworn that we were led to believe that St. Kitts and Nevis were the toughest potential draw out of the 'Carribbean Minnow' section of the CONCACAF draw. Losing to a Belize that we did 8-0 over two legs rubbishes that, I guess.

[N-A]

Note

The Belize win was the country's first win in WC qualifying history. Also the Turks And Caicos Islands win was there first WC Qualifying win.

[marktci]

Cross-posted from my comments in the thread in International:

Apparently St Lucia's goal came in extra-time, which could unfortunately end up hurting TCI.

A number of the members of the team are familiar to me, having played with them when I lived there, ten years ago. One of the unused subs was my former boss's 15 year-old son who was about 5 years old when I was there. Hard to picture him as a senior international now.

[tarnado1555362291]

2010 FIFA World Cup™ Qualification / Eliminatorias Copa Mundial FIFA

CONCACAF

Stage/Fase 1

Series 1

6.2.2008 Dominica - Barbados 1:1 (1:1) Roseau, DMA

26.3.2008 Barbados - Dominica 16:00 Bridgetown, BRB

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4091

Series 2

6.2.2008 Turks & Caicos Islands - St. Lucia 2:1 (1:0) Providenciales, TCA

26.3.2008 St. Lucia - Turks & Caicos Islands 15:00 Vieux Fort, LCA

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4093

Series 3

3.2.2008 Bermuda - Cayman Islands 1:1 (1:0) Hamilton, BER

30.3.2008 Cayman Islands - Bermuda 19:00 Grand Cayman, CAY

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4089

Series 4

6.2.2008 Aruba - Antigua & Barbuda 0:3 (0:3) Oranjestad, ARU

26.3.2008 Antigua & Barbuda - Aruba 16:15 St. Johns, ATG

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4091

Series 5

6.2.2008 Belize - St. Kitts & Nevis 3:1 (3:1) Ciudad de Guatemala, GUA

26.3.2008 St. Kitts & Nevis - Belize 19:00 Basseterre, SKN

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4090

Series 6

26.3.2008 Bahamas - British Virgin Islands 19:00 Nassau, BAH

30.3.2008 British Virgin Islands - Bahamas 15:00 Nassau, BAH

Series 7

26.3.2008 Puerto Rico - Dominican Republic 20:00 Bayamon, PUR

Series 8

26.3.2008 Grenada - US Virgin Islands 15:00 St. George's, GRN

Series 9

26.3.2008 Montserrat - Surinam 18:00 Macoya, TRI

Series 10

6.2.2008 El Salvador - Anguilla 12:0 (4:0) San Salvador, SLV

26.3.2008 Anguilla - El Salvador 20:00 Washington, D.C. USA

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4093

Series 11

6.2.2008 Nicaragua - Netherlands Antilles 0:1 (0:1) Diriamba, NCA

26.3.2008 Netherlands Antilles - Nicaragua 20:00 Willemstad, ANT

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=4090

Stage/Fase 2

First-leg/Partido de Ida 14-15.06.2008

Series 1: USA - Dominica/Barbados

Series 2: Guatemala - Turks & Caicos Islands/St. Lucia

Series 3: Trinidad & Tobago - Bermuda/Cayman Islands

Series 4: Aruba/Antigua & Barbuda - Cuba

Series 5: Belize/St. Kitts & Nevis - Mexico

Series 6: Jamaica - Bahamas/British Virgin Islands

Series 7: Honduras - Dominican Republic/Puerto Rico

Series 8: Canada - St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Series 9: US Virgin Islands/Grenada - Costa Rica

Series 10: Surinam/Montserrat - Guyana

Series 11: Panama - El Salvador/Anguilla

Series 12: Haiti - Nicaragua/Netherlands Antilles

Second-leg/Partido de Vuelta 21-22.06.2008

Series 1: Dominica/Barbados - USA

Series 2: Turks & Caicos Islands/St. Lucia - Guatemala

Series 3: Bermuda/Cayman Islands - Trinidad & Tobago

Series 4: Aruba/Antigua & Barbuda - Cuba

Series 5: Mexico - Belize/St. Kitts & Nevis

Series 6: Bahamas/British Virgin Islands - Jamaica

Series 7: Dominican Republic/Puerto Rico - Honduras

Series 8: St. Vincent & The Grenadines - Canada

Series 9: Costa Rica - US Virgin Islands/Grenada

Series 10: Guyana - Surinam/Montserrat

Series 11: El Salvador/Anguilla - Panama

Series 12: Nicaragua/Netherlands Antilles - Haiti

[tarnado1555362291]

Harewood keeps Barbados plans on backburner

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=507098&cc=5901

[tarnado1555362291]

No wins for big four

Wednesday 13 February 2008

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=690433.html#no+wins+four

CONCACAF's so-called minnows are already engaged in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, last week saw a return to action for the region's leading lights.

USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and the rest the elite all took to the pitch for friendly action. However, in what will be a troubling surprise to expectant fans, none of the four teams that qualified for Germany 2006 managed to achieve victory on Wednesday.

Clasico lives up

Mexico and USA battled, almost inevitably, to stalemate in Houston in what has become, hands-down, the hottest rivalry in the region. The tension was as evident as ever when, before over 70,000 fans, Chivas defender Jonny Magallon scored twice to equal strikes from Oguchi Onyewu and teenage sensation Jozy Altidore in a 2-2 thriller.

"It's an emotional rivalry," said US goalkeeper Tim Howard after a game that drew a frenzy of feedback from FIFA.com users. "It's always going to be an exciting game, no matter how well the teams play. We're still trying to find ourselves as a team a little bit before qualifying (for South Africa 2010), but we're getting results."

The youthful, somewhat experimental USA will be pleased to have kept their impressive home record alive against their Southern neighbours, and added to recent wins over Sweden, South Africa and Switzerland. It is now ten tries and nearly ten years since Mexico won on US soil, while the Americans have never won a game south of the Rio Grande - factors no doubt leading to another exciting instalment of the decades-long rivalry when qualifying begins.

Both USA and Mexico will surely be happier, though, than Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago, who both drew against unfancied opposition.

Tico and T&T trouble

Victor Nunez's 78th-minute effort against Jamaica in Kingston looked like earning Costa Rica victory, but the hosts roared back in the closing stages - largely thanks to the drive of captain Ricardo Gardner and a goal from Tyrone Marshall - to force a 1-1 draw.

The Ticos have qualified for the last two FIFA World Cups but are in the midst of a rocky patch. As Costa Rica boss Hernan Medford, who only days earlier saw his team draw with Iran, left the Jamaican capital with that old sinking feeling, his opposite number Rene Simoes was pleased with his Reggae Boyz. "The result is good for us," the Brazilian said, before urging patience for the younger players."We didn't play the best game, but we controlled it and can count that as a positive."

Island neighbours Trinidad and Tobago, on the other hand, had precious few positives to take away from their goalless draw with tiny Guadeloupe, who caused a sensation by reaching the semi-finals of last summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup. With the likes of Stern John, Densil Theobald and Sivio Sann in the team, the result was met with disbelief and shock in Port of Spain.

Francisco Maturana, who recently took over the T&T reins from Wim Rijsbergen, now knows the enormity of the task ahead of him. "I can't know all the problems in one day, but I am sure of one or two now," said Maturana, who admitted to being impressed only by big Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones. "The players did not acquit themselves and only played in parts."

Guatemala gloom

The Guatemalans, who only just missed out on qualifying for Germany 2006, would have been delighted if their 5-0 defeat by a young Argentina - their first-ever meeting with the Albiceleste - had ended in a goalless draw. Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain scored twice as a Juan Roman Riquelme-led (and largely under-23) squad overwhelmed the lethargic Chapines in Los Angeles, California.

The rout was too much for coach Hernan Dario Gomez, who promptly resigned upon returning to Guatemala City. "I've been here for two-and-a-half years without making any headway," said the former Colombia and Ecuador boss."My dreams have been shattered."

If Guatemala's fortunes are shrouded in gloom and self-doubt, neighbours Honduras are oozing sunshine and confidence after their 2-0 win over South American contenders Paraguay, who were admittedly without first-choice strikers such as Roque Santa Cruz. Captain Amado Guevara and Carlos Costly scored the goals early in the second half in San Pedro Sula as Honduras look to return to their first FIFA World Cup since 1982, when they made their debut in Spain.

In other action, surprise Caribbean champions Haiti looked lively and impressed with a 1-1 draw in Venezuela, just days after holding a resurgent El Salvador. Canada, meanwhile, did the expected and beat Martinique 1-0.

[tarnado1555362291]

quote:

Marshall earns Jamaica draw with Costa Rica

(Reuters) Thursday 7 February 2008

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=686802.html#marshall+earns+jamaica+draw+with+costa+rica

Tyrone Marshall scored an 88th-minute equaliser to earn Jamaica a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica in a friendly international at the National Stadium on Wednesday.

Following an uneventful first half, substitute William Sunsing put Costa Rica ahead against the run of play in the 78th minute when he pounced on a loose ball and fired past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

Jamaica striker Marlon King, who plays for Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League and home-based Demar Phillips, both missed several opportunities in the second half.

But with two minutes to go, the crowd of 30,000 erupted when DC United's Marshall rose above two defenders to head a King corner past Costa Rican goalie Ricardo Gonzales, who had produced a number of fine saves to keep the home side at bay.

"It was a good start to our campaign for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa," Jamaica's Brazilian coach Rene Simones said. "The boys played well and we could have won the game if we had taken those chances."

Jamaica's next match is a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago on 26 March, while Costa Rica play Peru on the same day.

Both sides will then enter the second round of the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

I didn't know Tyrone Marshall played for D.C. ??

[tarnado1555362291]

Mixed bag for New World minnows

Thursday 7 February 2008

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=686523.html#mixed+new+world+minnows

CONCACAF qualifying for South Africa 2010 began at the weekend with the Caymans' shock draw on the road Bermuda, and the six fixtures on Wednesday kept the excitement levels going in the New World.

The two early games saw a hopeful St. Kitts and Nevis get a lesson in efficiency from Belize, while the Netherlands Antilles pulled off an upset on the road.

St. Kitts, led by full-blooded Chivas USA striker Atiba Harris, dominated possession early on in Guatemala City against Belize. The practical-minded Central Americans, though, scored three goals from four shots as the first half wore on to put the contest beyond doubt. Dean McCauley grabbed a brace for the Belizeans in the straight-forward 3-1 win in which a scrambled goal from Gerard Williams proved the lone bright spot for the islanders.

The Netherlands Antilles flew the Caribbean flag with considerably more pride on the evening when, led by a clutch of players with experience in professional Dutch football, they hung on to a 15th-minute goal from Anton Jongsma of FC Zwolle to win out 1-0. The Nicaraguans, playing at home and with the benefit of a recent training trip to Brazil, now have their backs against the wall ahead of the return leg in Willemstad.

Tiny Dominica earned themselves an important point as they drew 1-1 at home against a heavily favoured Barbados side who were unable, finally, to secure the services of English Premiership stars Marlon Harewood and Emerson Boyce. Richard Pacquette began the scoring for the hosts after 20 minutes and Rashida Williams drew level for the Bajan Braves three minutes before the half.

Perhaps even more impressive was Turks and Caicos' win over St. Lucia. With goals from talismanic MLS striker Gavin Glinton and David Lawrie, the 2-1 win was the first ever victory for TCI on home soil. In fact, it was their first-ever game on home soil and the 2000-plus fans who turned out for the big night celebrated long and hard.

Antigua and Barbuda made light work of Aruba 3-0 on the road in Oranjestad. George Dublin and Gayson Gregory, two of only three professionals in the side, claimed a goal each with the third coming by way of an unfortunate Daryl Siera own goal.

Major mismatch

In the night's one true hiding, former CONCACAF giants El Salvador took a step toward renewing their past glories with a 12-0 whipping of outgunned Anguilla. Rudi Coralles scored five goals to move to the top of the region's scoring charts while aging ace Ronald Cerritos grabbed a hat-trick in what should effectively put an end to Anguilla's dream of reaching the next stage.

The one remaining first leg will pit the Bahamas against British Virgin Islands on 26 March, with the second leg just four days later.

The remainder of the second legs will also be played in late March, along with three one-off contests. Dominican Republic-Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands-Grenada and Surinam-Montserrat will all be played near the end of March with everything on the line.

The eleven winners from North, Central America and the Caribbean's first round will join St. Vincent and the Grenadines in another batch of home-away series against the twelve top-ranked teams in the region including the USA, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.