Portugal-Germany for the Euro Quarter, actually.

SG - As always, good stuff on the Insider. You may want to revise this entry to reflect Portugal facing Germany not Turkey in today's quarter-final.

My bad......fixing now.....

It's clear that Paraguay plays better with 10 than 11. Maybe the goalkeeper had altitude sickness!! :-)

How is the CONCACAF semifinal group going to be tough? Jamaica and Canada suck. Honduras and Mexico are the only quality teams.

jamaica and canada are each capable of some fine performances. jamaica made a WC recently and canada just tied Brazil.

The Quakes have been shutout seven out of twelve games? Could the DCU clean sheet drought end on Sunday?

No altitude my friend Bolivia is just a great team.... naaaaahhhhhhhhhh who am i kidding haha but we won yesterday with a lot of heart!!! We really deserved the win

Honduras isn't getting past Canada...they've really stepped it up recently

Brazil hasn't scored in THREE straight games?!? That's got to be a record. Seriously, when I saw the Bra-Arg scoreline my first thought was "damn, no highlight reel goals to watch tomorrow." But three games in a row? I refuse to believe that opposing defenses have suddenly wised up to their system or began studying the tapes a little more closely.

How is the CONCACAF semifinal group going to be tough? Jamaica and Canada suck. Honduras and Mexico are the only quality teams.

Posted by: Ameobi | June 19, 2008 9:12 AM
---------

*USA, Guatemala, Cuba and maybe Bermuda
*Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama or El Salvador and either Suriname or Guyana
*Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada

the most difficult group is pretty obvious, no?

That Paraguay goalkeeper reminds me of Zach Wells on a good day.

*USA, Guatemala, Cuba and maybe Bermuda
*Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama or El Salvador and either Suriname or Guyana
*Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada
the most difficult group is pretty obvious, no?
Posted by: Goff | June 19, 2008 9:31 AM
==========
This fixture is messed up. So the US has a cake walk and Mex, Hon, Jam or Can two of them will be eliminated. That leaves Costa Rica and group will qualify?

Bolivia-Paraguay - I swear the air was so thin that the ball started behaving like it was in zero gravity. That said, that was some of the worst piece of net minding I have ever seen, EVER, and I have seen Zach Wells. :)

Goff, a few questions...

Who did Mexico tick off to land them that group? If they don't get their act together and soon, that group could seriously threaten their 2010 party.

Also who does Costa Rica have pictures of that afforded them such a sweet group? Or did Jack Warner take a Costa Rican holiday that ended in a few bucks in his Carribean back account? :)

Outside of the hack job that is Guatemala, I think we should make the Hex easily, no?

Goff: Simms sealed the MLS goal of the week for his thunderig shot. What does he get besides the recognition?

he gets an icy cool, refreshing sierra mist beverage, i think.

jamaica and canada are each capable of some fine performances. jamaica made a WC recently and canada just tied Brazil.
--------------------------------------

Jamaica last made the WC in 1998. That's not exaclty recent. Canada lost to Brazil recently - they didn't tie them.

Minus 2 points for you :)

or a glass ball.

Well played, stairs!

Last night I was hoping for a Ramiro Corrales yellow card so he would be suspended for DC/SJ match on Sunday. The way San Jose is playing - I see another three points in view. What would be the chance or odds that Kasey Keller would come back and play for DCU??

Soccer America reports that Bradley is replacing about half of the roster for the trip to Barabados. Most of the MLS folks (Hejduk, Guzan, Donovan, Ching, Edu, etc.) have returned to their clubs. Their replacements have apparently not yet been named.

So, ate logo o senhor Dunga, right?

Along those lines, what happens to the buzz on Franky Yallop? The past few years, he was touted in various circles as the best coach in MLS. At one point in the running for USMNT head coach. San Jose are stinking up the basement. Has he failed outright or is the talent in San Jose THAT bad?

he gets an icy cool, refreshing sierra mist beverage, i think.

Posted by: stairs | June 19, 2008 9:57 AM

________________________________________

By The Way doesnt Simms look like the guy who used to be on the Sierra Mist Commercials???

*Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama or El Salvador and either Suriname or Guyana
*Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada

the most difficult group is pretty obvious, no?

Posted by: Goff | June 19, 2008 9:31 AM

--------------

costa rica still has to get past grenada! who would have thought they'd be tied going into the second leg.

women beat italy 2-0, both wambach, she's at 98 career. one goal off a long service from back line, one a set piece header, sounds like Ryan-ball not Pia-ball. Barnhart in goal, removes any doubt she is #2, right?

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_6979584.html

Canada is really playing well and Jamaica is Jamaica, one game they look like any other island team and the other game they are running all over their opponents. By the way Mexico is going to qualify because they are guaranteed 3 points for each home game. None of these teams are a threat to Mexico in Azteca.

Canada is really playing well and Jamaica is Jamaica, one game they look like any other island team and the other game they are running all over their opponents. By the way Mexico is going to qualify because they are guaranteed 3 points for each home game. None of these teams are a threat to Mexico in Azteca.

I see your point, OWNTF. But I think flexible styles of play is important. Keeping the ball through short, quick passing is what I enjoy most, but having a deep threat to spread the opponent's defense is crucial to generate the space needed to keep the ball. Otherwise, the opponent will just compact things and make life difficult when trying to keep possession. Even Brazil and Argentina dump one deep every now and then, just to keep defenders honest.

The USA should get 16 of 18 points in the semifinal group (tie @ Guatemala if Prendergraft or that El Salvadorian who reffed USA/ARG doesn't see Ruiz run over our goalie in the 90th minute.)

Hex should be

USA
Mexico
Cananda
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Panama/El Salvador

--------------

You guys are forgetting Mexico got beat at Azteca last go round by Costa Rica 2-1 and I believe they were tied by someone else.

Forgive my grammar errors on the above post. No edit function here, huh?

How is the CONCACAF semifinal group going to be tough? Jamaica and Canada suck. Honduras and Mexico are the only quality teams.

Posted by: Ameobi | June 19, 2008 9:12 AM

**********************************

Some teams suck and some posters suck. It's pretty much "in the mind of the beholder".

All regions have strong teams and weak teams. The strongest regions like Europe and South America get a lot more bids, proportionately.

CONCACAF qualifying seems ridiculously easy if you only look at the minnows. There are 35 countries in CONCACAF and only 3 sure bids (with a 4th team playing off against South America's #5 team). I think CONCACAF qualifying is about as difficult as it is in Europe or South America.

The main problem is in disparity of the strength of the respective groups for the next stage. Canada and Honduras are in the toughest group for the 2nd straight cycle. Last time around the groups were even more unbalanced as Mexico and Mr. Warner's T&T got a cakewalk of a group that included St. Vincent and St. Kitts. So Mexico and T&T got almost a free pass into the Hex where a team has a somewhat better than 50% chance of going to the World Cup (T&T eventually got in by beating Bahrain in the Concacaf-Asia playoff for the final spot in Germany).

http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2006q.html#nca

Steve,

Idea for postulations in the future on the USA Men.

I believe it was last night's broadcast on Direct Kick (I may be wrong) that mentioned that Shalrie Joseph was the greatest player that the USA legitimately lost in a move to naturalize for our team. (I assume the discount Rossi because of his long-standing desire to be a part of the Azzurri.)

Following the disaster of David Regis in 1998 and some of the grumblings by the usual parties about Brazilian Poles, Polish Germans, Turkish Swiss, Brazilian Portugese, etc. ad nauseum.

Do you know of other MLS talents that the US has attempted to naturalize?

Why not try and get Christian Gomez to play for the USMNT. He is exactly the player that Donavan needs along side him or behind him in the midfield. Negative is that he is up there in age.

Why not try and get Christian Gomez to play for the USMNT. He is exactly the player that Donavan needs along side him or behind him in the midfield. Negative is that he is up there in age.

Posted by: Give Gomez a chance | June 19, 2008 11:32 AM
=========================================

If you think he's up there in age now, just wait until he becomes eligible for U.S. citizenship several years down the road.

How is the CONCACAF semifinal group going to be tough? Jamaica and Canada suck. Honduras and Mexico are the only quality teams.

Posted by: Ameobi | June 19, 2008 9:12 AM
---------------------------------------------

Canada sucks? Have you seen them play lately? Canada probably deserved to win the Gold Cup. They certainly deserved an overtime against the U.S. They've been scoring in bunches. I'll take Dwayne D over almost anyone on the U.S. roster (Landy and Dempsey are the only two I'd even mention in the same sentence). Onstad's still a strong 'keeper. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Canada edges out Honduras.

"I'll take Dwayne D over almost anyone on the U.S. roster (Landy and Dempsey are the only two I'd even mention in the same sentence)."
=======

In a bar fight, I'd take Gooch. Then again, I haven't been in a bar worthy of the description in 15 years.

I think CONCACAF qualifying is about as difficult as it is in Europe or South America.

Posted by: garbaggio | June 19, 2008 11:22 AM

You're kidding, right? Europe gets 13 places in the WC - 14 of the top 20 teams in the world are in Europe. South America gets 4 or 5 places - 5 of the top 28 teams are in SA. As for CONCACAF, they have 3 or 4 places in the next WC and you have to go all the way down to the 60th ranked team in the world before you find the fourth best team in COMCACAF. The US and Mexico are on easy street in WC qualifying compared to teams in Europe and South America.

Canada sucks? Have you seen them play lately? Canada probably deserved to win the Gold Cup.
-----------------------

Canda vs Estonia - Loss
Canada vs Panama - Tie
Canada vs Costa Rica - Tie
Canada vs South Africa - Loss

WOW!

And your logic is ridiculous. Canada didn't deserve to win the Gold Cup. They deserved extra time in the semi-final game. If that's the case then the US deserved to win the World Cup in 2002.

Switching from one end of the hemisphere (Le Canada) to the other (Brasil v. Argentina):

Neither team looked world-class last night, offensively speaking. Brasil did not maintain enough possession, and their few good chances went begging for a quality finish. Robinho was hit and miss, Adriano isn't back to his best, and the midfield is a joke compared to the national team's illustrious predecessors. They missed Kaka and Ronaldinho (the 2005 version) big time.

For Argentina, Messi was the only player who presented a consistent attacking threat, and even he missed his best chances. Riquelme was slow and his killer passes were few and far between. I don't know why Julio Cruz is on the team at all. He didn't even hold up the ball well, and his lack of mobility is a real thorn in the side of the team's normally flowing game. Aguero came on too late to make a difference. If only Crespo or Batistuta were still playing (or, if only Tevez wasn't burned out after a full year of futbol).

A disappointing game compared to the previous World Cup qualifiers from recent years. Hopefully the return game in Buenos Aires next year will be better.

I think CONCACAF qualifying is about as difficult as it is in Europe or South America.

Posted by: garbaggio | June 19, 2008 11:22 AM

You're kidding, right? Europe gets 13 places in the WC - 14 of the top 20 teams in the world are in Europe. South America gets 4 or 5 places - 5 of the top 28 teams are in SA. As for CONCACAF, they have 3 or 4 places in the next WC and you have to go all the way down to the 60th ranked team in the world before you find the fourth best team in COMCACAF. The US and Mexico are on easy street in WC qualifying compared to teams in Europe and South America.

Posted by: | June 19, 2008 12:04 PM

*************************************

No, I'm completely serious.

But sometimes I'm convinced the people that put out the FIFA rankings must be kidding.

There will not be a huge gap in quality between the CONCACAF teams that just miss out or just barely qualify for the World Cup and their similar counterparts from Europe or South America.

The qualification process in CONCACAF could be made more fair by seeding teams in the earlier rounds. But overall, 3 or 4 teams out of 35 candidates is not easier than what CONMEBOL and UEFA teams face.

The U.S. did deserve to win in '02. We had the best goalie, a good striker, solid defense, and the best midfielder in the tourney.

I didn't know about the losses to Estonia and and South Africa. Still, I'd like to know what kind of lineup Canada fielded. They're not deep, but their top 11 can compete in CONCACAF.

No one's mentioned this yet, but did you see how few shots on frame there were in the RSL / SJ game? Watching the highlights it looked like one. Checking the box score, the shots on goal / shots ratio was 1 to 7 for SJ, 4 to 24 (or 1 to 6) for RSL. That might be their problem - aim.

They're not deep, but their top 11 can compete in CONCACAF.

Posted by: Fisch Fry | June 19, 2008 1:15 PM

Competing in CONCACAF is one thing. Competing in the World Cup final is a whole 'nother story -- see USMNT, Germany 2006.

CONCACAF soccer is a lot like Big Ten gridiron football -- two big teams, a few second-level squads who will occasionally surprise you, and a whole bunch of Northwesterns and Minnesotas.

Um Canada won the Gold Cup and id didn't help them qualify for the World Cup so I don't see how them "deserving" to win when they didn't do it makes them any closer to making it.

They are probably going to finish 4th in their group unless they somehow can build a home field advantage in the next few months because I don't see them taking many points on the road.

The most difficult places to win on the road in CONCACAF are:

Mexico
USA
Costa Rica
Honduras
Jamaica
Guatemala

3 of those top 5 are in Canada's group so they've got to get results at home to stand any chance.

And as it stands right now I see the 3 best teams in CONCACAF as US, Mexcio and Honduras with Guatemala and either Costa Rica or Grenada (if they pull it out) competing for the #4 slot.

If Canada or Jamaica were in differnt groups maybe they'd be in that mix for the #4 spot but they won't make it out of this next group.

erick- yes we are THAT bad!. what i don't understand is every mls team has the same money to spend, yet we only build half a team. yallop and doyle have been around the league to do much better than put together a glorified usl1 team. when we have 1st team players missing (which is every week) we have NO DEPTH whatsoever. mgmt have gone on record saying will sign 2 players in july for sure, so will have to wait and see. regardless i'm happy as hell to have my quakes back, but man, i wish they would of put a better team together.

No, I'm completely serious.

But sometimes I'm convinced the people that put out the FIFA rankings must be kidding.

There will not be a huge gap in quality between the CONCACAF teams that just miss out or just barely qualify for the World Cup and their similar counterparts from Europe or South America.

The qualification process in CONCACAF could be made more fair by seeding teams in the earlier rounds. But overall, 3 or 4 teams out of 35 candidates is not easier than what CONMEBOL and UEFA teams face.

Posted by: garbaggio | June 19, 2008 1:15 PM

I agree that FIFA's rankings are far from authoritative, but they provide a basis for making the point. Those rankings, along with World Cup history (how many teams from CONCACAF have won the WC?) form the basis for my argument that the field for European and S. American qualifying is more difficult. But this is the age of blogs, so I guess I'll have to get use to notion that opinions sometimes get in the way of facts.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), that was Paraguay's backup goalkeeper.

Their outstanding starter, Justo Villar, got a knock in the game vs. Brazil.

As for Concacaf vs. Euro qualifiers, compare the teams that are likely to just miss out: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Jamaica to those possible non-qualifiers in Europe: Ireland, Russia, Greece, Serbia, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, etc., etc. ... England(?).

No comparison.