Jamaica in Toronto - Official

[CanadianTraveller]

quote:Originally posted by theaub

If Canada leaves for Chiapas with six points, they basically need a win + draw against anyone to move on (unless there's a 12/11/10 split or something). I think the first two games are the biggest ones.

But you can't find the third win on our schedule, unless you concede that Honduras will get two wins against Jamaica just like you're expecting Canada to. We're all pulling for Canada in Edmonton, but banking on a win against Mexico is asking for trouble.

That leaves stealing two points from Honduras in San Pedro Sula. Do that, and we are in very good position. All six points accomplishes in the first two games is to create a desperate Honduras at home against Jamaica, then at home against Canada. Worst-case...we both have six points, and Honduras plays Jamaica in Kingston and Mexico at home...just like Canada. And Honduras will have all the momentum.

Gotta get a result in Honduras, or else we're probably at the mercy of our competitors. Split 4-to-1 against Honduras, and that's 3</u> huge points we can play with. If I have to give up two to Jamaica (and there's no reason that we should) then we might still go through if Mexico plays strong against Honduras. Splitting 3-to-3 (or 1-to-1) against Honduras leaves us in serious jeopardy.

Just my thoughts...no question that if we lose momentum by dropping an "easy match" against Jamaica it will make it so much harder to win our next games. I just wish it was an easy match...Jamaica will not be a pushover.

From a schedule perspective, it'd be easier trying to beat out Mexico. That's not what most of us are thinking at the moment.

Where would I find the tie-breaker formula for CONCACAF qualifying? Is head-to-head first, or is it goal difference?

[Grizzly]

Just realized this game is on a Wednesday night. I will be there regardless but that may not be convenient for many Voyageurs in cities other than Toronto. I guess the flip side is that it also won't be good for Jamaicans travelling to Toronto.

[Bertuzzi44]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Start making your plans boys, this is a call to arms ! These tickets are going to go fast ! Here we come Toronto, from the Maritimes, through the Prairies and BC !!

I'll do my best to be there on Sept.6th! ... but Faaaaaak, I wish I could be at BMO for the game on the 20th!

[grigorio]

quote:Originally posted by fan75

A question to any Torontonians, how long a walk would it be from BMO to Union station? It seems the only GOTrains from Exhibition to Union leave at 21:00 and 22:00 and the last VIA train leaves at 22:00...

You take a street car from Union to Exhibition. It's about 20 minutes. Walking would take way too long

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by grigorio

You take a street car from Union to Exhibition. It's about 20 minutes. Walking would take way too long

You need to make sure that you get to Union station well in advance because the street car is as slow as molasses and has lousy run times. You wait for an eternity and it makes a gazillion stops and I have seen many people in line just give up and go grab a cab. I consider it psychological torture. Tried it a few times and never got to the game on time.

It is too far to walk for sure. The best option would be, if you could time it right, is to arrive in time at union station to catch one of the west bound GO trains. Six minutes, no stops and you are there. No stops and takes you right to the stadium. But i just checked the scheds and there is no stop at the EX in the early evening runs.

[Free kick]

I like the news that I have been reading here. if all the tickets can somehow be made available to us on our account manger and If we could somehow all get in section 104, that would be beautiful and stroke of genius. Its great being 113 but the vantage point from behind the net isn't great. If we can pull this off thats a big bonus.

[SilverSamurai]

I'm glad to see things are happening but I think I'll be in the south end with RPB to help there, well as mnuch as I can...

[Razcle]

Silver. Will you get the opportunity to get tickets off account manager?

[DontPanic]

If yesterdays game is a guide then there will be a lot of tickets available to snap up in 116-117. I have seasons in row 3 of 117 and normally I would recognize everyone around me, but yesterday almost everyone was new.

[Winnipeg Fury]

We will have plenty of tickets in the north end, so don't worry about it.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

You need to make sure that you get to Union station well in advance because the street car is as slow as molasses and has lousy run times. You wait for an eternity and it makes a gazillion stops and I have seen many people in line just give up and go grab a cab. I consider it psychological torture. Tried it a few times and never got to the game on time.

It is too far to walk for sure. The best option would be, if you could time it right, is to arrive in time at union station to catch one of the west bound GO trains. Six minutes, no stops and you are there. No stops and takes you right to the stadium. But i just checked the scheds and there is no stop at the EX in the early evening runs.

I don't know if it's really "way too long" to walk from Union Station to BMO but I did it in 2007 for the Chile game. It took me a good 40-45 minutes.

[lbrown]

E

[lbrown]

New voyageur long time lurker. Looking forward to the game on the 20th in Toronto. Brought out six friends to Costa Rica game and had a great time. I feel my job as a fan of the national team is to bring out at least 10 new people to this game(the six who came to the Costa Rica game are already sold). Hope a strong showing of support in Toronto changes some views to the location of games in the next stage of qualifying(knock on wood). Saving my loonies for 2010.

Liam

[Desigol]

Forgive me for using a cliche, but this game is a 6-Pointer.

[Ivan]

I control 8 TFC season tix (my 4 I split with a friend in 113 & 4 company seats in 121) which I will buy for this game for sure. I have been talking it up in our offices and am surprised by the interest! Hopefully I can get more at the north end in a presale when the time comes. My 8 are already spoken for and I haven't even talked to the "for sures" I know will go, yet.

[CanadianTraveller]

quote:Originally posted by lbrown

New voyageur long time lurker. Looking forward to the game on the 20th in Toronto. Brought out six friends to Costa Rica game and had a great time. I feel my job as a fan of the national team is to bring out at least 10 new people to this game(the six who came to the Costa Rica game are already sold). Hope a strong showing of support in Toronto changes some views to the location of games in the next stage of qualifying(knock on wood). Saving my loonies for 2010.

Liam

I don't know how strong the rivalry is between Toronto and Montreal, but one of the ways I would pitch this to people I don't know is to use the point you just made above.

"If you come out to the game and if Canada has more support than Jamaica, we're going to steal next year's games from Montreal. Canada's National Stadium should actually host Canada's National Team, eh?"

Of course the reverse is equally true for Montreal's support.

Great job getting people to come out. Make sure you get them on-line at 10:00 AM on July 14th! And glad to see another new name posting....

[CanadianTraveller]

quote:Originally posted by Desigol

Forgive me for using a cliche, but this game is a 6-Pointer.

I'll disagree (once more, then I'll stop). A 6-pointer comes against a team you expect to fight for a spot in the Hex. Maybe Jamaica should be taken seriously for 2nd place in the group, but I don't think that's what most people are thinking.

Equally, I don't think Mexico is going to finish 3rd, although it's more likely than Jamaica finishing in the top two IMO. Mexico is going to find a way to qualify, even if they come out of the gates slow.

So our 6-pointers are the games against Honduras, I'd think. What do you think?

[Bill Spiers]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

But i just checked the scheds and there is no stop at the EX in the early evening runs.

What schedules were you looking at FK? What I looked at shows trains leaving Union Station (and stopping at the Ex) at 4:43 p.m., 5:13 p.m., 5:43 p.m., 6:03 p.m. and 6:43 p.m. - all good for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off. (But make sure you stay away from the express trains that DON'T stop at the Ex).

Admittedly, getting back after the game is more of a problem, particulary someone looking for a connection to VIA Rail at Union. Trains leave the Ex station for Union on the hour. However, with the Exhibition on at the time (August 15th. to September 1st.), there should be frequent bus and street car service.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Bill Spiers

What schedules were you looking at FK? What I looked at shows trains leaving Union Station (and stopping at the Ex) at 4:43 p.m., 5:13 p.m., 5:43 p.m., 6:03 p.m. and 6:43 p.m. - all good for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off. (But make sure you stay away from the express trains that DON'T stop at the Ex).

Admittedly, getting back after the game is more of a problem, particulary someone looking for a connection to VIA Rail at Union. Trains leave the Ex station for Union on the hour. However, with the Exhibition on at the time (August 15th. to September 1st.), there should be frequent bus and street car service.

Yes, but do all those trains stop at the EX? Check the schedule again and see if there is a time listed for the stop at exhibition or if there is just an arrow. Yes, there are many lakeshore trains, but not all of them stop at the Ex.

Edit.: Opps your right Bill. I was initially looking at the AM schedules. forget the street car guys, get there by 6:43 PM and take the Go train. it will get you there in six minutes. as oppose to the one hour torture on the street car. You will have to pay a little extra but its minimal

[RS]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

Yes, but do all those trains stop at the EX? Check the schedule again and see if there is a time listed for the stop at exhibition or if there is just an arrow. Yes, there are many lakeshore trains, but not all of them stop at the Ex.

Edit.: Opps your right Bill. I was initially looking at the AM schedules. forget the street car guys, get there by 6:43 PM and take the Go train. it will get you there in six minutes. as oppose to the one hour torture on the street car. You will have to pay a little extra but its minimal

FK, the street car doesn't take an hour []

Especially now that the TTC has made streetcar-only tracks along Lakeshore.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Rudi

FK, the street car doesn't take an hour []

Especially now that the TTC has made streetcar-only tracks along Lakeshore.

OK 55 minutes then. I didn't time it. But what I do know is: the times that I have used that commuting option, I left in plenty time from home and got to Union station early enough and confident in the thought that I would get there with time to spare. But Instead, each time I arrived late for the game which never happens when I drive. And, each time, the thought had always crossed my mind that I would have gotten there quicker had I walked from Union station.

The last experience was the last ever for me. I got there in sufficient time to wait in line to board only to see three or four streetcars arrive before. In fact the car for the same other route arrived twice before the one that goes to the EX. each time it left with only a few riders while the practically the whole lineup is waiting to go to the game and have to sit there and watch your street car at the end of queue waiting for the others to leave. Its was so bad that some just got frustrated and left to take a cab. Once your on teh street car, there are something like 12-15 useless stops.

But in defense of the left wingers in city hall who are enamored with streetcars, I did take the street car from Bathurst station last year and it was a much better experience. That one is a express run ( for soccer games only ) from Bathurst station to the stadium. That has no stops and different tracks ( at the station) for different trains.

[jpg75]

quote:Originally posted by CanadianTraveller

I'll disagree (once more, then I'll stop). A 6-pointer comes against a team you expect to fight for a spot in the Hex. Maybe Jamaica should be taken seriously for 2nd place in the group, but I don't think that's what most people are thinking.

Equally, I don't think Mexico is going to finish 3rd, although it's more likely than Jamaica finishing in the top two IMO. Mexico is going to find a way to qualify, even if they come out of the gates slow.

So our 6-pointers are the games against Honduras, I'd think. What do you think?

I think conceding a spot to Mexico is a horrible idea, they have done nothing to warrant such a level of fear from us. They have a young team and no longer have the HFA that they used to have, they are ripe for the picking.

Aside from taking care of business ourselves and winning all 6 games, the keys for us in this group is to keep the Mexicans from clinching a spot until the last matchday and for the Jamaicans chances to be dashed asap. Mexico play 3 of their first 4 games at home, so it's going to be difficult. But, Jamaica has 3 of their first 4 games on the road and play Mexico twice in that same stretch so...that way when we play Jamaica in Kingston on MD6 we're hopefully playing a B team. And if Mexico have yet to clinch by then, the Hondurans will have a handful from El Tri on their last MD.

Also, any games in this group not involving us that end in a draw can only help us.

[CanadianTraveller]

quote:Originally posted by jpg75

I think conceding a spot to Mexico is a horrible idea, they have done nothing to warrant such a level of fear from us. They have a young team and no longer have the HFA that they used to have, they are ripe for the picking.

They haven't done anything, but if history is any guide then they will do something. It would be different if Mexico was going into qualifying overconfident, self-satisfied, complacent. Then you're hoping that in a short six-game series you can catch them napping and get enough points so that they can't catch up on the road at the end. Alas, Mexico lost one too many games this spring. They sacked the manager, put fear into the players that they will lose to Honduras again, and are even suggesting that Canada is good enough to compete with them. In other words, they know they're not good enough. With their talent, experience, and history at home, it's unlikely that they will take those home games for granted and give away points. It's also unlikely that they'll treat the road games as friendlies. Too bad, because I think Mexico could have been beaten too...might still be, but I wouldn't build a game theory strategy around it.

quote:

Aside from taking care of business ourselves and winning all 6 games, the keys for us in this group is to keep the Mexicans from clinching a spot until the last matchday and for the Jamaicans chances to be dashed asap. Mexico play 3 of their first 4 games at home, so it's going to be difficult.

That would be great - Mexico needing a result in San Pedro Sula would be a perfect scenario. But as you pointed out they believe they should have twelve points after four matches (their road game is against Jamaica and it's Game 2, early enough that they can't be complacent) and if they don't, they'll believe they can clinch against Canada. So as much as I'd love to see a draw against Honduras at Azteca, followed by a draw against Jamaica, and the dismissal of Sven-Goran throwing the entire team into disarray leading into the Canada match in Chiapas, I must put a low probability on that outcome.

So I'm focused on the high-probability scenario, and hoping to enhance it by asking Mexico to clinch early by winning all four games, three of which they already expect to win. Maybe Sven will send his players back to Europe if they clinch by beating Jamaica at home, and bring his 'B' team to Edmonton for our match? That'd be great for us. It would be just as unfortunate if he sent his 'B' team to Honduras, but I don't see how that can be avoided given the schedule. And at least we'll be in control of our own destiny in Kingston, needing to match whatever Honduras does in Game 6. Would have been nice to swap the Azteca game and the San Pedro Sula game - would have sorted out the group very quickly.

We'll know much more on July 23!

BTW - What if Mexico draws twice? They put all the pressure on themselves to win their next three games, assuming that they could lose/draw their final match. I don't need Mexico in must-win games when they play Canada. Now if you REALLY believe that Mexico can play three games, and have just three points to show for it, then I'm buying into your theory big-time.

[matthew]

I'm all booked up for Toronto and Montreal.

So we're looking at 104/105 for sure? I was hoping to be in the south end, but I'll rock the north end if that's how it goes. So North End Elite are 126/127ish?

Will we get a code before July 14? Or do we order July 14.

I should just wait for the official email, but I'm excited making plans.

cheers,

matthew

[Winnipeg Fury]

quote:Originally posted by matthew

I'm all booked up for Toronto and Montreal.

So we're looking at 104/105 for sure? I was hoping to be in the south end, but I'll rock the north end if that's how it goes. So North End Elite are 126/127ish?

Will we get a code before July 14? Or do we order July 14.

I should just wait for the official email, but I'm excited making plans.

cheers,

matthew

Nothing is confirmed yet.

I will be in contact with them every day over the next few days to see how things are shaping up.

Looks like me and my brother will be heading to Toronto for the Reggae Boyz.