soccer soccer soccer

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm not even a big Mihailovic fan but he and Roldan should probably be starting if the alternative is running a Sonora/Morris/Sands midfield that wouldn't be a noteworthy group in MLS.  Won't be surprised if we start turning the screws on them now with both of those two subbed in.

[UMFan83]

Finally...a deserved equalizer

[wolf stansson]

Matt Turner can rake 

[UMFan83]

Watching this is like me playing FIFA on easy. Thru ball leading to a 1-on-1 with the keeper, advancing the ball swiftly with little resistance, crosses in the box finding your players more often than not, etc. 

[bukie]

It's looking like the USMNT will be in a scenario where they'll have to try to run up the score vs T&T to win the group.

 

I, for one, am okay with this.

[UMFan83]

8 minutes ago, bukie said:

It's looking like the USMNT will be in a scenario where they'll have to try to run up the score vs T&T to win the group.

 

I, for one, am okay with this.

And technically face elimination with a loss.  Feels like the US could have had 8+ goals in this one

[bukie]

7 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

And technically face elimination with a loss.  Feels like the US could have had 8+ goals in this one

There's still like 10 minutes left to get to 8.

[bukie]

6 it is then. Just repeat it against T&T and they'll win the group, facing the 2nd place team in Canada's group in the knockout (though, Canada drew the worst team in their group, so the 2nd place team could be Canada).

[stitchface]

CP to AC Milan seems to be in the works

[bukie]

Watching these Gold Cup games mostly because I'm oddly curious who the 4th best CONCACAF team is right now (USA, Mexico and Canada seem to have separated themselves as the top 3 at this point). 

Costa Rica looks like the 4th best team in their Gold Cup group. Whenever they aren't playing at home, they're awful.
Jamaica looked interesting against the US B team, but just won their first game in a year Wednesday.
Honduras doesn't look like a finalist for WC26 qualifying (which, remember, will not include any of USA/MEX/CAN)
El Salvador just lost to Martinique
I guess Panama looks okay, but they routinely toss up a stinker against an inferior opponent.

Edited July 1, 2023 by bukie

[bukie]

Canada somehow draws both Guadeloupe and Guatemala in the easiest Gold Cup group, paving the way for a 2nd place finish in the group and a QF game against the US.

Edited July 3, 2023 by bukie

[UMFan83]

Back to back hat tricks from Jesus. I know it’s St Kitts and T+T but impressive

[bukie]

9 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Back to back hat tricks from Jesus. I know it’s St Kitts and T+T but impressive

The bar for US strikers has been so low that "scores hat tricks against CONCACAF also-rans" is way, way at the top.

Edited July 3, 2023 by bukie

[stitchface]

the movement in these games just seems so much better than in any of the berhalter games . . . am I just imagining this? Not just the GC but the real games also - they look dangerous in their plan even when the execution is less than stellar.

[UMFan83]

Mexican fans were again chanting homophobic slurs at a match on US soil last night. Can US Soccer ban Mexico from holding friendlies in the US for a year or something? Bc it doesn’t seem like CONCACAF or FIFA will hold them responsible. 
 

Hit them in their pocketbooks and maybe the Mexican federation will do something about it

[bukie]

Wild day at the Gold cup results in Guatemala coming from behind to win 3-2 and win group D. Had the game ended in a tie, Guadeloupe would have won the group and Guatemala would have been eliminated.  Canada beat Cuba 4-2 to finish 2nd and will face the USMNT next.

 

In group C, Costa Rica won 6-4 to finish 2nd in the group and will face Mexico next. Panama has clinched the top of the group and their game doesn't matter.

 

QF matchups:

US v Canada

Mexico v Costa Rica

Panama v Qatar

Guatemala v Jamaica

[stitchface]

12 hours ago, bukie said:

Wild day at the Gold cup results in Guatemala coming from behind to win 3-2 and win group D. Had the game ended in a tie, Guadeloupe would have won the group and Guatemala would have been eliminated.  Canada beat Cuba 4-2 to finish 2nd and will face the USMNT next.

 

In group C, Costa Rica won 6-4 to finish 2nd in the group and will face Mexico next. Panama has clinched the top of the group and their game doesn't matter.

 

QF matchups:

US v Canada

Mexico v Costa Rica

Panama v Qatar

Guatemala v Jamaica

These matchups really indicate how lame CONCACAF is . . . interesting though that the top two games listed there would be your recent top 4 teams . . . Panama seems to have maybe supplanted Costa Rica? 

[UMFan83]

12 hours ago, bukie said:

Wild day at the Gold cup results in Guatemala coming from behind to win 3-2 and win group D. Had the game ended in a tie, Guadeloupe would have won the group and Guatemala would have been eliminated.  Canada beat Cuba 4-2 to finish 2nd and will face the USMNT next.

 

In group C, Costa Rica won 6-4 to finish 2nd in the group and will face Mexico next. Panama has clinched the top of the group and their game doesn't matter.

 

QF matchups:

US v Canada

Mexico v Costa Rica

Panama v Qatar

Guatemala v Jamaica

It's a good thing we ended up winning the group to avoid Guatemala (FIFA rank 116) and instead get to feast on Canada (rank 45).  I know I know, this is a depthless Canada's B team and they've looked pretty weak this tournament but still funny how it works out.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

this is great 

 

[wvcbxl]

Pepi to PSV almost a done deal.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Pretty encouraged by the landing spots of the USMNT guys on the move in Europe so far.  Pepi to PSV, Aaronson to Union Berlin, Pulisic to Milan seems done, Musah either at Fulham or Milan.  Just need to quiet that Balogun to Chelsea rumor and find a good home for Adams and Dest.

[UMFan83]

Would really appreciate a US goal in the last 10 minutes, really don't feel like ET and possible PKs

[Thurman Merman]

10 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Would really appreciate a US goal in the last 10 minutes, really don't feel like ET and possible PKs

Well...

[UMFan83]

Miles Robinson with an inadvertent handball barely in the penalty box and Canada uses a PK to tie in the final minutes.  Brutal

[Rex Buckingham]

Boy, that was an ugly game except for the beautiful ball from Jones on Vazquez's goal and the Canada goal. Turner came up huge in PKs.  Always fun to beat Canada