Group Play Concludes, Mexico Rebounds: US to Face Jamaica
With their 1-0 victory over Jamaica, Mexico rebounded from their loss to South Africa to win their group. Mexico was able to slide into first when South Africa tied Guatemala 1-1.
Jamaica fell to third in Group C and earned a match up with the US. Honduras, the Group A winner, will face Costa Rica. Columbia rebounded it's first two games to defeat Trinidad 2-0 and move on to elimination play, facing Group C winner Mexico. Finally, 2nd place finishers South Africa and Panama make up the final two quarterfinal teams.
US/Jamaica and Honduras/Costa Rica play this Saturday in Foxboro and Mexico/Columbia and South Africa/Panama play this Sunday in Houston.
A little background on Jamaica: Rank 41st in the World (US is ranked 10th), Jamaica aka Reggae Boyz, failed to move beyond stage 2 of the 2006 World Cup Qualifying. Ironically, they were in the same group as the US, the US won the group with three wins and three draws. Jamaica only won on match, drawing four and losing one, finishing one point behind Panama for third place and an end to their dreams of qualifying for 2006. Oddly, two of the US draws were with Jamaica, both 1-1, August 2004 and November 2004. Quarterfinal play in single elimination, look for the Jamaican's to come out and aggressively challenge for 90 minutes and try to take down the US. They are playing with a degree of confidence after surviving a very tough group, surprising many as they moved on.
Jamaica fell to third in Group C and earned a match up with the US. Honduras, the Group A winner, will face Costa Rica. Columbia rebounded it's first two games to defeat Trinidad 2-0 and move on to elimination play, facing Group C winner Mexico. Finally, 2nd place finishers South Africa and Panama make up the final two quarterfinal teams.
US/Jamaica and Honduras/Costa Rica play this Saturday in Foxboro and Mexico/Columbia and South Africa/Panama play this Sunday in Houston.
A little background on Jamaica: Rank 41st in the World (US is ranked 10th), Jamaica aka Reggae Boyz, failed to move beyond stage 2 of the 2006 World Cup Qualifying. Ironically, they were in the same group as the US, the US won the group with three wins and three draws. Jamaica only won on match, drawing four and losing one, finishing one point behind Panama for third place and an end to their dreams of qualifying for 2006. Oddly, two of the US draws were with Jamaica, both 1-1, August 2004 and November 2004. Quarterfinal play in single elimination, look for the Jamaican's to come out and aggressively challenge for 90 minutes and try to take down the US. They are playing with a degree of confidence after surviving a very tough group, surprising many as they moved on.
posted by nhw at 8:18 AM
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