[Soccer] WC 2010 Qualifying Games CONCACAF 9/5 and 9/9

Set your DVR, TiVOs, VHS recorders, DVD recorders, or BetaMaxes :
World Cup 2010 Qualifying CONCACAF Games on 9/5 and 9/9

Round 7 - 2009-09-05
19:00 - United States v El Salvador (ESPN Classic and Telefutura)
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy Utah; Referee: Jose Pineda (Honduras)
20:00 - Honduras v Trinidad and Tobago
Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula; Referee: Mark Geiger (United States)
21:00 - Costa Rica v Mexico (TELEMUNDO)
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José;Referee: Neal Brizan (Trinidad and Tobago)

Round 8 - 2009-09-09
18:11 - Trinidad and Tobago v United States (ESPN Classic and Galavisión)
Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain; Referee: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)
20:00 - El Salvador v Costa Rica
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador; Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
20:00 - Mexico v Honduras - (TELEMUNDO)
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City; Referee: Courtney Campbell (Jamaica)

*All times CST.

Three points separate 1st (Costa Rica) and 4th place (Mexico) in this last tight hexagonal group play of CONCACAF teams to qualify for 3.5 spots for World Cup South Africa 2010. Fourth place after the October 14th games plays a South American 5th place finisher of CONMEBOL. Here are the current group standings before rounds 7 and 8:

<base href="http://www.fifa.com/"><div class="tGroupDetail"><table summary="Group League round" class="groupsStandig normal"><thead><tr><td class="img"> </td><td class="t">Team</td><td class="p"><abbr title="Played">MP</abbr></td><td class="w"><abbr title="Won">W</abbr></td><td class="d"><abbr title="Draw">D</abbr></td><td class="l"><abbr title="Lost">L</abbr></td><td class="for"><abbr title="Goals For">GF</abbr></td><td class="ag"><abbr title="Goals Against">GA</abbr></td><td class="pts"><abbr title="Points">Pts</abbr></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="odd"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43901/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/crc.gif" title="Costa Rica" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43901/index.html">Costa Rica</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">4</td><td class="r">0</td><td class="r">2</td><td class="r">9</td><td class="r">9</td><td class="r">12</td></tr><tr class="even"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43909/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/hon.gif" title="Honduras" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43909/index.html">Honduras</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">1</td><td class="r">2</td><td class="r">10</td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">10</td></tr><tr class="odd" bgcolor="navy"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43921/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/usa.gif" title="USA" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43921/index.html">USA</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">1</td><td class="r">2</td><td class="r">11</td><td class="r">8</td><td class="r">10</td></tr><tr class="even" bgcolor="green"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43911/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/mex.gif" title="Mexico" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43911/index.html">Mexico</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">0</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">8</td><td class="r">9</td><td class="r">9</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43904/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/slv.gif" title="El Salvador" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43904/index.html">El Salvador</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">1</td><td class="r">2</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">8</td><td class="r">5</td></tr><tr class="even"><td class="c img"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43920/index.html"><img class="flagSmall" src="/imgml/flags/s/tri.gif" title="Trinidad and Tobago" height="13" width="19"></a></td><td class="l"><a href="/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/teams/team=43920/index.html">Trinidad and Tobago</a></td><td class="r">6</td><td class="r">1</td><td class="r">2</td><td class="r">3</td><td class="r">7</td><td class="r">11</td><td class="r">5</td></tr></tbody></table><base href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/">
First place is up for grabs again during these rounds. A USA win against El Salvador would end the Central American World Cup hopes and would allow USA to regain the lead, while a Mexico win would mean a tie with Costa Rica in first or third place, depending whether Honduras can hold off Trinidad. It's insane. May the best teams win!

 

*

I was discussing the standings with a coworker earlier and there are some interesting facts:
The top 3 teams are playing at home and favorites to win on Saturday.
The bottom 3 teams can surprise with a win away, but it is not probable.
The bottom 2 teams cannot reach first or second place but can reach fourth or third (displace the USA or MEX), but it is not probable.
The bottom 2 teams can lose but are mathematically still able to reach the World Cup by winning the last 3 games.

Took a photo earlier of this jersey I am wearing today... and will wear the green one tomorrow:


SI SE PUEDE.

 

EDIT: Telemundo will have the Brazil vs. Argentina in tape delay on Sunday (or is it Saturday? Check listings, please). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)#Argentina_v_Brazil shows the game time.

Trinidad cannot reach as 1st place anymore, but can assure 3rd or 4th place if they beat two of either HON, MEX, and USA (can no longer reach Costa Rica).

I think ESV can tie USA and get closer to 4th place. I really don't want HON to go. They are not as good as ESV, but better than TRI.

TRI came back to tie ESV at ESV and so did the USA. These are the only other points ESV has salvaged other than also beating Mexico.

 

USA's team at Sandy, Utah:

We might see Torres start this one, since it will be "light" and he did well against CRC... who do you all think will start?

Mexico's Team in San José, Costa Rica, and whom I expect to start in BOLD:

Rafael Márquez and Carlos Vela are both nursing injuries and weren't called. I am also expecting Blanco to start in the midfield and retain possession to distribute the ball for Dos Santos and Nery Castillo.