Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Trouble for El Tri?

Mexico did not win in Edmonton on Wednesday. Canada played a valiant match and twice went up on Mexico but could not hold on as Mexico and Canada tied 2-2.

Coupled with the result in Kingston - Jamaica 1, Honduras 0 - Mexico does not have a spot in the Hexagonal wrapped up.

So, does that mean Mexico is on the brink of elimination?

Not really.

Here are the group standings through five games:

Mexico 10 points, plus 4 goal differential
Honduras 9 plus 3
Jamaica 7 minus 3
Canada 2 minus 4

So in order for Mexico to not qualify for the Hex, Honduras would have to beat Mexico and Jamaica would need to beat Canada, and then...

Jamaica would have minus 2 with a 1-0 win while Mexico would be at plus 3 with a 1-0 loss. So Jamaica would have to win by a lot and/or have Mexico lose by a lot.

Jamaica 4-0 means Honduras would have to beat Mexico by the same score. Jamaica would have plus one while Mexico would be even.

If Honduras beats Mexico by one, whether it's 1-0 or 6-5, then Jamaica needs to beat Canada by seven goals.

Of course, if you are arguing that Mexico is underachieving for even being in a position on the last game where they wont go through... well, that's a different story. And I don't know if you'll get too much of an argument from anyone on that.

6 comments:

  1. Hats off to Canada, had they played with that much heart all-along they would have more than two measly points. Your coach is a moron, how did they play Robbie Friend over Ali Gerba down in Chiapas. Fast, physical forwards overpower Mexico's back line all the time, it's called scouting. Gerba caused them fits for 15 minutes down in Mexico and he caused them nightmares for 90+minutes last night.

    Mexico is in trouble in one way or another because they're defense is atrocious right now and the forwards do not score (See Magallon, Osorio, Galindo).

    Oswaldo you are passed it my friend, do the honorable thing and step aside just like Blanco did. Both goals were preventable and Oswaldo had another absolute shocker.

    Sven must be having nightmares every night of his life with memories of Oswaldo and Paul Robinson, David James, coming off their line 15 yards every time...poor guy.

    BBSC

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  2. Gerba was a beast for Canada not only for last night's game but everytime he play for them. He should've started every game instead of Friend. And I agree Oswaldo needs to step aside, I think he gets worse every game.

    That being said Mexico's attack wasn't bad, but their finishing is still a major problem. Castillo needs to get back into the national team picture whether he's playing for a club or not, because their frontline lacks that punch when he's not on the field.

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  3. Luis;

    Mexico has been withouth Pardo and Leandro for a few games now, not to mention Marquez missed the last game. Castillo is sorely missed as well.

    Those are 3 pretty important players.

    With that said, this is by far the hardest group.

    We all wish we'd playing Guatemala and Cuba. Anyone can look good against them at home.

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  4. I agree with first Anonymous, hats off to Canada. They played a great match. Nobody expected thattype of match to be played last night. Canada should have been up top ready to go to the hex with the way they played last night. Ho[efully they play the same way vs Jamaica!!!

    Michoacano

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  5. Friend AND Gerba shoudl have played in many of Canada's games....but DM is a fool and doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

    4-5-1 at home was embarrasing.

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  6. PS...I don't mean int he Edmonton game, they actually went 4-4-2 for that one...which was a rare treat away from DM's 4-5-1 that drove the U20's to a goalless, pointless worst-home-nation-performance-in-WC-history performance.

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