Honduras only need a draw at Azteca to shut down Canada's dream (Hex play). It would be reckless from Honduras' part if they play toe-to-toe with Mexico, imo.
Honduras is a tough team to face in the Hex, as a Mex fan, I rather want to see Canada than Honduras, imo. Those are easy points for Mexico to take.
In India, mind - and this Puerto Rico side (with a new coach, as I understand) also came off an embarrassing pair of losses against archrival Dominican Republic - 0-1 loss at home with full teams and 0-5!!! with alternate teams (outside of the FIFA wind0w) in Santo Domingo.
And it means Jamaica has now made only one of the last four Hexagonals (counting this one), despite considerably stepping up their injection of British born-and-raised players in recent years.
Puerto Rican players are in a fight with money with the federations. A couple of them didn't even go to the friendly in protest. It's not a surprise they aren't giving their all.
I'm watching this Slovakia v England WCQ and wishing that Concacaf refs had the balls to hand out deserved red cards like these Euro refs do.
England finally score in the dying seconds. Nothing more crushing than allowing a game winner through the wickets. Was worried watching that game was going to end up being a complete waste of time.
And this was their hardest game in the quals, #24 Slovakia away. Everybody else in their group is ranked #50+.
No offense but bidding and hosting the 2026 wold cup may be the only way we see Canada in a world cup again.
That is because, despite all of the hype and argumentation to the contrary, merely being British-born does not guarantee that one has higher quality on the field or is a better fit within the team/program. More foreign born players does not automatically equal better team, especially if the selection and management of individual players is not up to scratch.
they also made, and should have won a gold cup final.... however, yeah I see that it isn't a great return for their investment. Really want to see Panama do something this time, just not against us...
Worldwide Opponents Watch is this way: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/2018-wc-russia-worldwide-opponents-watch-all-rs.2008959/
Talking sense here. Would 100x rather go play in Canada (even in the winter) than travel to Honduras. Chance of injury is so much lower playing Canadians. El Tri ought to do everything they can to see Canada advance.
Is that the real argument for recruiting foreign born Jamaicans? All it does is expand the player pool. But it does create some locker room problems perhaps.
Perhaps not if they end up as the majority. Not saying it's right or wrong (I think you should bring in the most talented players who are eligible for you), but that's certainly one way of mitigating the problem and keeping egos/attitudes in check.
i seem to remember 2 or 3 cycles ago Mex was away to Honduras in the last match of the semis and in serious danger of not making the HEX. They were losing to Honduras and needed to keep their GD higher than Jamaicas. Mex was practically begging Honduras to take it easy. I cannot remember if Honduras actually stepped off the gas or not, but if so, Mexico owes them.
It was two cycles ago, and one could argue that Mexico also owes the team who was playing at Jamaica and trying to limit the goal differential of the Reggae Boyz: surprise, it's Canada!
Sucks for those guys that they couldn't accept that money. It's not like they were being asked to dump the match. They were just being asked to benefit from playing hard, moreso than they are going to get from El Sal, which may be pretty slim pickens given the financial state of most small confeds. They could have used the money I'm sure. I wonder if the business man had just come out in the press and said he will do this regardless of whether the players want it or not, if this would be legal? Can't stop someone from giving their own money to another for whatever reason they want, correct?