** Soccer Post *** Honduras 1-0 USA

Uncle Leo

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Jun 30, 2006
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Remember, by the old ranking formula, I believe we got up to as high as #4, which everyone knows is insane. The new formula is a bit more realistic (at least as far as it concerns us). The highest we've been able to get is #11 (which is our current ranking). Add to that our less than stellar effort in 2006, and it doesn't look good to be a seed.

Which brings me to another point... Ranking is only half of the seeding process (at least how they've done it in the past). We need good WC performances on top of that. Until we get seeded, the chances are still good that we'll continue to be drawn into tough groups (given how they've separated teams when drawing them into groups). This, of course, makes it harder to have good WC performances. Which, of course, makes it harder to get seeded in the next one. And the cycle continues.

We just need to nut up and get out of the group this time and keep working our way up the rankings. Maybe next time we'll manage to be seeded if some other stuff falls our way.
 

FQDawg

Senior
May 1, 2006
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are on USsoccer.com. Donovan's free kick goal to make it 3-1 was pretty nice, as was his feed to Casey for the second goal. I never really doubted that we'd qualify but it's nice to have it locked up with a game to go. Hopefully we can get the W on Wednesday and win the group!
 

msubullie4life

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Jun 4, 2007
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Since they are going to be one of the top 8 seeds as a host, we could get lucky and wind up in their group. But we also might get a mid tier S American and European team in that group. As you had mentioned before, the 'pot' division (not yet decided) might end up being vital for our group selection. I hope they group S America/CONCACAF into a pot and Asia/Africa into another instead of one of the following: CONCACAF/Africa (2002) or CONCACAF/Asia (2006). This way we can avoid one of the mid-tier S American teams, who scare me way over any mid-tier teams from other divisions.1998 was the first WC with 32 teams and used the 8 top seeds for the draw but I couldn't find information on how the pot system worked then.

Even if we do end up in South Africa's group, we got to remember no host team has failed to advance past the first round (group stages). The refs ensured that happened to Japan and South Korea in 2002 in one of the worst officiated World Cups ever. I'd bet my bottom dollar that FIFA does everything to ensure S. Africa gets into the second round.
 

Uncle Leo

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Jun 30, 2006
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That would do a lot toward making the groups more even. I suppose that might make it more difficult to ensure that no group has 3 European teams in it, though.

And you're right about South Africa. Somehow, someway, they'll manage to advance out of their group. I'm sure FIFA has something up their sleeves. They usually do.
 
Nov 16, 2005
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That isn't to say will will not ever miss the World Cup, but unless they do something crazy like take away a spot from CONCACAF, I can't really see us being out of it. Whether it is first in the region or third...we should be there every tournament now. We've been to six straight as it is, I have a hard time imagining that ending.