What a snooze of a US game. To be honest, the Euro games weren't a ton better. Late drama in Portugal, but that was about it for that match. Goalless in Iceland. Tuesday should be fun though. Return legs typically have drama as long as the scoreline is close.

Yeah, the game was a borefest. Not surprising that the subs were the only ones who looked interested.

 

Johannsson is fun to watch.

Yeah, the game was a borefest. Not surprising that the subs were the only ones who looked interested.

 

Johannsson is fun to watch.

That flick he had when he cut inside the defender near the endline to get into the box was sexy. He's got some good moves. Still a bit raw in the finishing category, at least in his time with the US. I'd like to see him start at least one World Cup game. Obviously, it depends on the matchup. Jozy has a more all-around game so you can't bench him and I don't see the US using two outright strikers against many World Cup teams, but the matchup should appear at least once in the group.

Just discovered that while my cable company does carry NBC Sports Network and I get it at home, my cable company does not provide mobile access to NBCSN for some reason so I do not get to watch US-Austria.

 

No score at 9' as best as I can tell. In the Euro qualifiers, Greece up 1-0 (with +2 already in the bank) and Croatia up 1-0 (even first leg).

France just leveled their match on aggregate 2-2. And of course the goal that tied it was way offside.

 

Sucks that either Zlatan or Ronaldo won't make the World Cup. I was hoping Iceland could make it, but it looks like their dream is dying today.

 

 

Anybody staying up in the middle of the night to watch the All Whites qualify for the WC with a 4-0 home win vs. El Tri?

Aaaaaand Ronaldo.

Aaaaaand Ronaldo.

 

Looks like he still might need one more.

Looks like he still might need one more.

 

Ronaldo answers!

Edited November 19, 201312 yr by HickoryHuskers

Looks like he still might need one more.

 

I think he heard you! What a game.

I think he heard you! What a game.

 

This is just getting ridiculous now.

horrible luck for Ukraine. Sucks that France moves on with a BS goal and then own goal.

So France needed a BS goal to qualify again? I guess it wasn't intentionally cheating this time.

Not that there was any drama left, but the WC field became official after last night's Uruguay-Jordan match.

 

The seeded teams have already been announced, and based on the way the pots have been done in the past, I think this is how it will go:

 

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland

 

Pot 2: Italy, Netherlands, England, Portugal, Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia

 

Pot 3: Chile, Ivory Coast, France, Ecuador, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon

 

Pot 4: USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia

 

The draw is December 6.

 

I understand that putting the CONCACAF teams and AFC teams in the same pot works because there are exactly 8 total teams, but this system is very unfair to CONCACAF. Asia has by far the lowest average ranking of any confederation, and CONCACAF teams do not have a chance to be drawn into a group with any of them.

Yep. It essentially guarantees the USA a spot in the GoD.

Here is a fun little draw simulator to see where the US could end up. Some very tough possibilities, gotta hope for a group with Switzerland.

 

http://ultra-zone.net/2014-FIFA-World-Cup-Group-Stage-Draws

 

 

Yep. It essentially guarantees the USA a spot in the GoD.

 

Yes, USA is in the GoD almost by definition, since they're the one team in that last pot that's actually good. Not saying that the other teams can't pull an upset or something, but USA is the team everybody in the other pots want to avoid.

 

Now, if we get super lucky and get Switzerland/Russia/Cameroon while Costa Rica gets Brazil/Italy/France, then maybe we're not in the GoD, but those chances are pretty slim.

I still don't understand how Uruguay's ranking is high enough to be in the seeded pot. They needed to qualify from the playoff. That should be all that matters.

I still don't understand how Uruguay's ranking is high enough to be in the seeded pot. They needed to qualify from the playoff. That should be all that matters.

 

It's FIFA. Most of what they do is tough to understand

I played around with that simulator. Its really ridiculous how deep this field is.

I played around with that simulator. Its really ridiculous how deep this field is.

 

Say what you will about the FIFA rankings, but 23 of the top 24 qualified.

 

Not a direct reaction to this goal alone, but I am alone in thinking that Lloris is overrated? I'm a Spurs fan and I just don't think the guy is all that good.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1630257/...llapses?cc=5901

 

Part of the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup opener in Brazil collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least two people and causing significant damage, authorities said.

 

Former Corinthians president Andres Sanchez told a news conference that two people were confirmed dead. Local media reported a third person was hospitalized in serious condition. A fire department official had said earlier that three people had died.

Edited November 27, 201312 yr by HickoryHuskers

18 year old American-born Julian Green got into Bayern's match vs CSKA today in the 89'. Unfortunately he is provisionally cap-tied to Germany so he'd need to file a one time switch. I think it's 50/50 he ever plays for the USMNT