USA 1-0 Barbados 59 seconds in. Bocanegra with a fantastic ball to Demsey. Barbados has a nice national anthem, however.

Canada beat St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3-nil.

I think we still have the return leg to play, after which I think we face St. Gladys and the Pips or somebody.

America just waltzing by Barbados. I still want my friends relative to get a goal, though I doubt it will happen.

After which is the first group stage, in which someone, probably Canada will be given the group of death, and Mexico will be given a cakewalk, as usual.

Barbados are getting their requisite assbeating, 8-0 as I type. Mexico only beat Belize 2-0 in Houston, and Bermuda are leading T&T away at halftime 2-1. That would be a big surprise, the Hogges must be paying off for them much earlier than expected.

eta: Who's the relative?

Cherundolo is cousin of a friend - he went to Germany to see him in the World Cup.

The groups have already been chosen jefe. Winners of matches 1-4 form one group, 5-8 another, 9-12 a third.

Likely groups:

Group 1

USA, Guatemala, T and T, Cuba


Group 2

Mexico, Jamaica, Honduras, Canada


Group 3

Costa Rica, Suriname/Guyana, Panama/El Salvador, Haiti/Netherlands Antilles.


This absurdly unbalanced set of groups is brought to you in part by the asshole that decided to use 2006 rankings as the basis for the draw. Which means that even though Canada is curently seeded 4th or 5th in the region, we were given the 11th seed spot for this draw.

That's right, I forgot. It's idiot day for me I guess.

And it may not be T&T, as Bermuda win 2-1 away. Wow.

3 group winners go through, 4th place draws a playoff with 5th place South America, which could be Brazil if they don't pull their finger out.

Wasn't Concacaf final qualifiers all-against-all in a group eight last time? I prefer that format, this format makes it absurdly easy for the seeded teams.

I'd love to see Cuba qualify.

No. As was the case in at least the last two world cups, the top two from each of these groups (which finish in late November early December) go through to a final round of 6 teams playing 10 macthes which will last for most of 2009. From that group, top 3 go through and 4th plays off against 5th place conmebol (used to be 5th place AFC which was considerably easier, but them's the breaks).

Ah, that sounds more like it. The FIFA site was not very clear about that.

I think the play-off against Conmebol makes more geographical and cultural football sense. I don't think Concacaf should get such an (theoretically) easy pass for a fourth place. Those fifth and fourth places sound roughly equal, competitive-wise.

I think you're probably right about that.

The chances of Cuba even winning a game in the group round are fairly close to nil, btw. They are pretty awful.

Well, baseball's what they're awesomely total at, but they did qualify for the WC back in 1938, so their time might come around again. Sometime.

When are these qualifiers being played? Specifically, is there any chance that I'll be in Havana at the same time as Cuba have a game on (I'm there from the 16th to the 27th of July)?

A very long shot I know, but I can dream...

Cuba have to get by Antigua and Barbuda (that's only one team) first, and the fixtures for the next round haven't been set.

Caught a few moments of the Jamaica-Bahamas match last night, which appeared to be taking place in a torrential downpour in Kingston. Jamaica was fairly slaughtering the Bahamian side.

Unlikely, Sam. I'm pretty sure the next group stage doesn't start until August.