Soccer/WC USA Thread

I know there are several soccer fans on this board and we had a pretty god thread going on this topic last summer. So with that in mind and the fact that the USA has a 2-0 lead on Panama in a WC Qualifying match right now, I though we could get it started again.

 

So far the US is looking like they will be heading to Brazil for the WC next summer, but Mexico is looking like they may not make it. So far they have one very unconvincing win, three 0-0 draws and a 2-2 draw for a total of seven points. Not looking good for Mexico! :D :D

Good Ole USA holds on for a 2-0 Romp and Stomp of Panama. BTW this Panama team may be the best in the entire history of Panama soccer. The crowd in Seattle was AMAZING (as always, yes I am biased as I'm a Sounders FC supporter) and had the Link rocking. I really think that if the US would use the Link in all of their WCQ games that it could become the Azteca of North America. Anyways good win for the US and they get all three points tonight! Just two wins away from a WC birth and five games to go including one against Mexico in Columbus Ohio.

 

USA! USA! USA!

Might be off-topic, but the FIFA U-20 World Cup starts next week in Turkey. USA vs Spain is scheduled in Istanbul next Friday, June 21. The match will be shown on ESPN2 and WatchESPN at 12:45 pm.

 

Here's a link to the ESPN schedule. All 52 matches will be shown.

 

http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/06/espn-networks-to-present-all-52-matches-of-2013-fifa-u-20-world-cup-from-turkey-june-21-july/

 

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Way off topic...

 

I've been in mourning because my Wigan Latics were relegated to the Champion's League from the Barclay's Premier League last month. I've been following them ever since I saw a Boxing Day (day after Christmas) match at Wigan's DW Stadium with my daughter and son-in-law a few years back. If one liked to root for the underdog, Wigan was the one to root for...first club to win the FA Cup and get relegated from the Premier League in the same year. They've been on the cusp of relegation for the last several years. Until this year, they always pulled the last minute rabbit out of the hat.

 

Not off topic at all. Anything and everything related to soccer/football either it be FIFA, MLS, EPL, Champions League, La Liga, CONCACAF, UEFA, ect. Everything is welcome on here.

 

I will defiantly be watching the U20 team over in Istanbul. And for those who look at us facing Spain in the first game, Spain just went two and out in the U21 UEFA in Israel.

 

Oh and by the way, GO ASTON VILLA FC! ;D

There a lot of things going on today in the world of soccer.

 

FIFA Confederation Cup gets kicked off today with Brazil vs. Japan- ESPN at 1:30

 

The MLS has five matches today

 

Portland vs. Dallas FC (Battle for first place in the West)- On ESPN at 4:00

DC United Vs. Toronto FC

Columbus Crew vs. Montreal

Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New England Revolution

 

UEFA U21 Semifinals on ESPN3

 

And last but not least, a international friendly with the women of the USA vs. South Korea- ESPN3 6:00

 

I'll be tuning into the Dallas FC and Portland game as well as the women's friendly. I love this time of year. It doesn't get any better than the combination of Soccer and Baseball.

Just to show you how good the women's national team is, they played in a friendly match today against South Korea and played very sloppy and without Hope Solo and Abby Wambach for the first half. Over all it was a bad showing for the US.... but yet they still won 4-1! If any other team played the way the US did today against South Korea it would have been at least a draw and possibly a South Korea win. This US team is absolutely stacked and becoming even more stacked. Several Swedish Americans made their debuts as well as the reigning Gatorade national player of the year winner. The present is amazing but if possible the future is even brighter!

 

USA USA USA

Mexico, who is representing the CONCACAF as the champions in the Confederation Cup, played Italy today and lost 2-1. This is Mexico's first loss in 13 matches and their coach may not have his job when they leave Brazil after the Confederation Cup. Remember that the US beat Italy in Italy in a friendly match. Things are not looking good south of the boarder right now and every USA soccer fan is loving it! :D :D

Things are not looking good south of the border right now...

 

Always good news in my book. Suck it, Mexico! :-)

USA was able to cling to a 1-0 lead and beat Honduras in a WQ match at Rio Tinto in Salt Lake, Utah. The US did not look good but were still able to get the job done despite the sloppy play in the back. This win means that the US now has 13 points in qualifying and leads their group. Mexico is in second place with eight points but since they played in the Confederations Cup they have yet to play one of the WQ matches so they have played one less game than everyone else.

 

The magic number for qualifying for the WC is 16 which means that the US is just one win way with four games left to go. Now sixteen points do not automatically mean the US has made it, it's just the number that you shoot for that generally means that you are in.

 

Lastly, the crowd at Rio Tinto was very lack luster in their support. The game sold out in nine minutes yet the crowd was abnormally quiet. IDK if the US will ever play another game there. Just a very poor showing by the Real Salt Lake people, and fans, and supporters.

Guatemala vs United States at Qualcom Stadium on NBCSN tonight at 10:00 CDT.

 

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Also, from promos during Le Tour de France, Barclay's Premier League will be on NBCSN with matches starting on Aug 17.

 

The promo says every match will be shown so it may be 24 hrs of Football (Soccer). :)

 

Wonder what Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Channel+ will be showing.

 

Sent from my Android device using Tapatalk 2

 

 

In San Diego it is 0-0 USA and Guatemala in the first half.

On the USA game day tracker and discussion board there seems to be an argument that if the MLS does not place a team in Orlando where in the southeast US would a MLS team draw well? Many are saying Atlanta which I disagree with as their teams have a hard time selling out when they are winning. Charleston SC maybe or Nashville? What's y'all opinion on where the next MLS team expansion should be if it goes to the SE part of the US?

GOMEZZZZZZZZZZZZZ SCORES!!!!!!!!!! 1-0 USA!!!!!! We need to start calling him GOLMEZ lol.

 

BTW the US is playing with their B team tonight and are still winning. The MLS players are shinning bright right now for the USA!

GOAL GOAL USA LANDONNNNNNN DONAVAN! That's number 50!

GGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL WONDO!!!! 3-0 USA USA USA!

 

GOAL GOAL USA LANDON DONOVAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HIS SECOND! 4-0 USA 45 seconds after Wondo scores. This is fun to watch!

 

GOODSON SCORES!!!! 5-0 USA BEAT DOWN! Guatemala has given up.

WHAT?!?!?!?! NUMBER SIX? 6-0 USA on a Bedoya goal.

 

Don't worry if you don't know some of these names as this is the USA C team playing right now lol.

In case anyone missed the match, here's a link to a youtube video showing ALL 6 goals.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGhg5bjCH3Y

Holy crap! I thought Englishmen and the French took soccer too seriously but they can't compare to the South American countries. Brazil is by far the worst with people actually killing players when they lose. Now, at an amateur level match a referee who had be hit by a player arguing a call stabbed the player to death. Spectators who witnessed the killing overwhelmed the referee and tied him up, beat him and beheaded the man! Holy freaking crap! Here's the whole article from ESPN.com. This is ridiculous.

 

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1492969/referee-beheaded-killing-player-brazil?cc=5901

USA had another rout in the Gold Cup tonight or rather yesterday as it's the wee hours of the morn. But back on subject the Yanks defeated Belize 6-1 in Portland showing that they are indeed the favorites to win the gold cup this year. And I will go ahead and point out that they are doing this with their "B" team. No Bradley, Dempsey, Howard, etc. I think this means that the US is finally gaining some depth at the national level. If so then this is one step closer to the day when the Yanks will take the FIFA World Cup. Still about 12 to 16 years away from being serious competitors but it's coming.

I can't believe nobody commented on the mutalation in Brazil item. Isn't the World Cup in Rio? Maybe I'm wrong but this is pretty sick. The ref killed a man but the ref was mutilated. How does his family deal with his head on a stick stabbed into the pitch of the soccer field where he died.

The US records it third straight blow out win beating Cuba 4-1 in Gold Cup play. That makes 16 goals in three games and only 2 given up! Chris Wondolowski he been on fire in these games as well scoring two more goals today making five in the last three!

Anybody else remember that snowy night in Denver when the US played Costa Rica in a WC Qualifying match? Well that night the US "A" team beat Costa Rica 1-0. Costa Rica went on to protest the match saying the conditions were to bad and the game should have never been played. They were denied the protest by FIFA as both teams had to play in the same conditions. To say the least Costa Rica was no happy. Well fast forward to July 16, 2013. The US plays Costa Rica in Gold Cup play in perfect conditions in Hartford, Connecticut and beat Costa Rica 1-0 with their "B-" team. Hell the US even played with their third string Goalie. So what is Costa Rica's excuse going to be now? Whatever it is, the US needs to step it up a bit. The game last night was way to close and the US did not score until the '82 minute. But the US is still undefeated in Gold Cup play which is always a good thing.

And step it up they did! The USMNT opened an old fashion can of Whoop Ass on El Salvador today in Baltimore in front of a very pro El Salvador crowd. The final score was US 5 El Salvador 1. Landon Donavan had yet another big game with a goal and three assists and Mix Diskerud continues his tear during the Gold Cup as he scored yet again today. The only problem with this game is that I'm tired of seeing the US having to play road matches when they are at home. Out of the 60+ thousand that were there, 40,000 of them were El Salvador fans. If they gave the US a permanent home in the US say in DC, Seattle, Columbus, KC, or Portland you wouldn't see this happening. The solution is for them to establish a home for the major matches, like WQ or Gold Cup matches, then play Friendlies in other stadiums across the country. Until they do that, the US will continue to play road matches at home.

Reliant is not too bad a place either. :)

 

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But, if Mexico was to come to town, it would be a pro Mexican crowd. I was just trying to think of places who have shown strong support for the US teams vs. Latino Countries. I remember a few years back the MLS all stars played Man U in Reliant and half of the crowd was wearing the red of Man U.