General Soccer Discussion

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#701      
How worried should I be about these last 3 games of qualifiers? We have 3 dog fights on our hands while everyone else in the top of the group have 1 tough game and 2 easier ones on paper. I can't believe this team is in this situation.

A lot of it will hinge on tomorrow night's match vs. Mexico. If the U.S. somehow wins, they would need, at most, likely two points, from the final two matches to go through. A lot for the U.S., heading into the Panama match, could ride on tomorrow's Costa Rica-Canada match. If the U.S. loses and Panama defeats winless Honduras and Costa Rica defeats Canada, then things would get pretty tight in that part of the table. It would make the U.S.-Panama match in Orlando on Sunday that much more important. Panama does still have to host Canada on the final matchday next Wednesday. Of course there's no way of knowing at this point where Canada will be in terms of qualification at that point.
 
#702      
Italy will miss their 2nd consecutive World Cup after this late goal in stoppage time by North Macedonia:


Jorginho has never played in a World Cup for Italy and will be 34 by the time of the next World Cup.

And here's something else to consider...Italy hasn't played in a knockout round match in the World Cup since 2006 and that was when they won the World Cup final on penalties against France.
 
#703      
Tonight's USMNT starting XI:

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Reggie Cannon has a positive covid test and will not be available tonight.
 
#712      
Other CONCACAF scores from tonight:

Jamaica 1:1 El Salvador
Panama 1:1 Honduras
Costa Rica 1:0 Canada

The top 3 in the table remains unchanged. Costa Rica jumps ahead of Panama into 4th place. Canada clinches their spot in the World Cup with at least a draw vs. Jamaica or a draw or loss by Costa Rica at El Salvador. The U.S. and Mexico can clinch their spot in World Cup with wins (U.S. vs. Panama and Mexico at Honduras) and a draw or loss by Costa Rica. El Salvador's draw at Jamaica officially eliminated El Salvador from qualifying for the World Cup.
 
#713      

KBLEE

Montgomery, IL
Other CONCACAF scores from tonight:

Jamaica 1:1 El Salvador
Panama 1:1 Honduras
Costa Rica 1:0 Canada

The top 3 in the table remains unchanged. Costa Rica jumps ahead of Panama into 4th place. Canada clinches their spot in the World Cup with at least a draw vs. Jamaica or a draw or loss by Costa Rica at El Salvador. The U.S. and Mexico can clinch their spot in World Cup with wins (U.S. vs. Panama and Mexico at Honduras) and a draw or loss by Costa Rica. El Salvador's draw at Jamaica officially eliminated El Salvador from qualifying for the World Cup.

The US really just needs to beat Panama. Their goal difference advantage over Costa Rica is 7. The likelihood that could be erased in the final match is remote.
 
#714      
The US really just needs to beat Panama. Their goal difference advantage over Costa Rica is 7. The likelihood that could be erased in the final match is remote.
Stranger things have happened. Remember last qualifying cycle? Costa Rica could beat El Salvador by a few and if USA only squeaks by panama things could get dicey as every goal in that last game would be a 2 goal swing in goal difference. Hopefully it is still +7 going into the last match.
 
#715      
Update on the other confederations qualifiers from late this week:

UEFA
Other scores from Thursday's qualifiers:

Wales 2:1 Austria
Sweden 1:0 (aet) Czech Republic
Portugal 3:1 Turkey

So Tuesday's matches will be:

Poland vs. Sweden (Match will be played in Stadion Slaski in Chorzow, Poland; was set to be played at Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw but that stadium is being used as a temporary hospital)
Portugal vs. North Macedonia (Match will be played in Porto)

CONMEBOL

Scores from Thursday/Friday:

Uruguay 1:0 Peru
Colombia 3:0 Bolivia
Brazil 4:0 Chile
Paraguay 3:1 Ecuador
Argentina 3:0 Venezuela

So as a result of these scores, Ecuador and Uruguay have qualified through to the World Cup automatically, clinching the final 2 automatic qualification spots from CONMEBOL. So it's down to Peru, Colombia, and Chile on Tuesday for the final spot which would put them in the inter-confederation playoff. Peru hosts Paraguay, Colombia is at Venezuela, and Chile hosts Uruguay.

CAF
Yesterday's scores in the first leg of the CAF qualifiers:

DR Congo 1:1 Morocco
Cameroon 0:1 Algeria
Mali 0:1 Tunisia
Egypt 1:0 Senegal
Ghana 0:0 Nigeria

Return matches are Tuesday.

AFC

Thursday's scores:

South Korea 2:0 Iran
Lebanon 0:3 Syria
Iraq 1:0 United Arab Emirates
Australia 0:2 Japan
Vietnam 0:1 Oman
China 1:1 Saudi Arabia

In Group A, the UAE sits at 9 points, Iraq is at 8 points, and Lebanon is at 6 points. On Tuesday, the UAE hosts South Korea, Iraq plays Syria, and Iran hosts Lebanon. In Group B, Japan and Saudi Arabia have clinched the two automatic qualification spots to the World Cup from the group. Australia will finish 3rd in the group and will face whoever comes out of the UAE/Iraq/Lebanon group in 3rd place in Group A in the one-game playoff on June 7.

OFC
Semifinals are set. Tomorrow it will be the Solomon Islands vs. Papua New Guinea and New Zealand vs. Tahiti. The winners will face off on Wednesday to see who goes to the inter-confederation playoff against the 4th place team from CONCACAF.
 
#717      
Scores from today's OFC semifinals:

Solomon Islands 3:2 Papua New Guinea
New Zealand 1:0 Tahiti

Solomon Islands will face New Zealand on Wednesday to see who goes to the inter-confederation playoff.
 
#722      
Costa Rica scores in stoppage time in the 1st half. Costa Rica up 2:1 at half.

Own goal by Jamaica late. Canada defeats Jamaica 4:0 and have qualified for the World Cup for only the 2nd time ever.
 
#724      
Costa Rica wins 1:2.

Result makes tonight's U.S./Panama match that much more important, though I'd contend it's a bigger game for Panama now. If Panama loses to the U.S. tonight, they will be eliminated from World Cup contention. Panama would still be alive with a draw but would need to defeat Canada on the final matchday and have Costa Rica to lose to the U.S. and make up currently a 2 goal differential with los Ticos.
 
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