World Cup Qualifiers

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Seatgeek hadn't shown the event for about a 24 hour period, but it's back now.
Tickets I've been watching went from $400 a ticket to $125, now they are gobbled up.
But the row behind that row is now wide open for sale, where previously it wasn't for sale at all.

The way tickets have shown on there, I have a theory there are more open seats than what they are showing at any given time.

There are rows of tickets available in prime areas yet. I'm going to hold with purchasing any tickets until the last moment I think. I'll be happy with cheap seats just to get in, but if there's a great deal on great seats last minute, that's my preference.

If they beat Canada, Wednesday night could be a game to clinch a spot.
 

Face The Facts said:
Seatgeek hadn't shown the event for about a 24 hour period, but it's back now.
Tickets I've been watching went from $400 a ticket to $125, now they are gobbled up.
But the row behind that row is now wide open for sale, where previously it wasn't for sale at all.

The way tickets have shown on there, I have a theory there are more open seats than what they are showing at any given time.

There are rows of tickets available in prime areas yet. I'm going to hold with purchasing any tickets until the last moment I think. I'll be happy with cheap seats just to get in, but if there's a great deal on great seats last minute, that's my preference.

If they beat Canada, Wednesday night could be a game to clinch a spot.
Click to expand...
Isn't it already impossible to clinch in this window with Mexico winning last night?
 

Face The Facts said:
Seatgeek hadn't shown the event for about a 24 hour period, but it's back now.
Tickets I've been watching went from $400 a ticket to $125, now they are gobbled up.
But the row behind that row is now wide open for sale, where previously it wasn't for sale at all.

The way tickets have shown on there, I have a theory there are more open seats than what they are showing at any given time.

There are rows of tickets available in prime areas yet. I'm going to hold with purchasing any tickets until the last moment I think. I'll be happy with cheap seats just to get in, but if there's a great deal on great seats last minute, that's my preference.

If they beat Canada, Wednesday night could be a game to clinch a spot.
Click to expand...
SeatGeek now has a "you can return your tickets for a refund anytime before 72 hours of the game" policy - I'm thinking that with the single-digit temps for the game a lot of tickets will be returned, meaning it'll be a buyer's market in the last couple of days before the game. And yes, there are a lot more open seats than what they show. Every now and then I've put my Loon's season tickets up on Seatgeek for a game I can't make and they sometimes show, and sometimes not, all depends on the price.
 

TruthSeeker said:
Isn't it already impossible to clinch in this window with Mexico winning last night?
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We just need to get into the top three, meaning we want as big of a gap as possible between us and the fourth-placed team. Panama lost, so that helps. We now have a 4 point gap between us and them, with a 6 point gap to Costa Rica who's in 5th. To clinch a spot on Feb 2nd, that 4 point gap has to grow to 10 or more, meaning we would need to win both games, and Panama has to lose both their games and Costa Rica at best ties (or loses) their two games. Probably not going to happen. Note that our last two games in qualifying are against Panama and Costa Rica, so those games could be the key.
 

Full Speed Ahead said:
We just need to get into the top three, meaning we want as big of a gap as possible between us and the fourth-placed team. Panama lost, so that helps. We now have a 4 point gap between us and them, with a 6 point gap to Costa Rica who's in 5th. To clinch a spot on Feb 2nd, that 4 point gap has to grow to 10 or more, meaning we would need to win both games, and Panama has to lose both their games and Costa Rica at best ties (or loses) their two games. Probably not going to happen. Note that our last two games in qualifying are against Panama and Costa Rica, so those games could be the key.
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You summed it up well.
Hopefully worst case we come out with a guaranteed 4th place or better at least. That would assure worst case playoff game to get in.
 


I didn't watch the whole game, but it seemed the left side early wasn't there.

Musah didn't show much working with Pulisic. Seemed like our best opportunities were on the right side first half with Weah, McKinnie, and Dest.

Don't know much about Ferreira (other than he should use his left foot to finish balls from the right side).
Tyler Adams is my favorite player. Guy is smart and puts out fires. Seems like he's everywhere.

I think Aaronson deserves the time he's getting if not more. Seems to be a dude who brings energy.
 

Face The Facts said:
You summed it up well.
Hopefully worst case we come out with a guaranteed 4th place or better at least. That would assure worst case playoff game to get in.
Click to expand...
To do that, we need to have a gap of 10 points over 5th place team, which currently is Costa Rica. If we win both and Costa Rica doesn't win either of their games, then that gives us the magic 10 point gap. If we win just one and Costa Rica loses both, then we'd be 9 points up on them, so we're still not a lock for even that fourth slot. Bottomline, qualifying probably isn't going to be decided until the final round of games.
 

I'm calling it now, Brazil beats Argentina in the finals of the World Cup. Ya gotta admit that'd be a great match. Hope it happens. (part of that guess is that the European teams are going to wilt under the heat...)
 

TruthSeeker said:
Isn't it already impossible to clinch in this window with Mexico winning last night?
Click to expand...
Yes. We could clinch at Azteca though. That'd be a sweet time for our first competitive win there. Otherwise it likely comes against Panama.
 



Full Speed Ahead said:
I'm calling it now, Brazil beats Argentina in the finals of the World Cup. Ya gotta admit that'd be a great match. Hope it happens. (part of that guess is that the European teams are going to wilt under the heat...)
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The stadiums are air conditioned. Fox Sports went over there a few weeks ago and went to an Arab cup game and the guys said it's really pleasant in the stadiums.
 

mnsportsgeek said:
The stadiums are air conditioned. Fox Sports went over there a few weeks ago and went to an Arab cup game and the guys said it's really pleasant in the stadiums.
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Now that you mention it, I saw a track and field event that was being held in Qatar in one of their air conditioned stadiums and it was indeed keeping the folks on the track cool (not so much for the field though). For a pro-enviro guy like me, it seems crazy to be air conditioning an outdoor stadium. Such is life in Doha... I still want to see Brazil and Argentina in the finals though.
 


Apparently, he got his first vaccine shot, and then got COVID, so he went with the natural immunity angle and didn't get the rest of the shots. For France, that's okay; for Canada, it's not.
 

Full Speed Ahead said:

Apparently, he got his first vaccine shot, and then got COVID, so he went with the natural immunity angle and didn't get the rest of the shots. For France, that's okay; for Canada, it's not.
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I’m pretty disappointed in the explanation Gregg gave. Basically saying they didn’t know the Canadian border rules. I almost would have preferred to hear that Weah knew the requirement and just decided against it because he’s fully vaccinated where he lives.

To hear that USSF was caught with their pants down is just dumb. Do better. I could have told you 1 dose + Covid won’t get you into Canada and I’m nobody.
 



mnsportsgeek said:
I’m pretty disappointed in the explanation Gregg gave. Basically saying they didn’t know the Canadian border rules. I almost would have preferred to hear that Weah knew the requirement and just decided against it because he’s fully vaccinated where he lives.

To hear that USSF was caught with their pants down is just dumb. Do better. I could have told you 1 dose + Covid won’t get you into Canada and I’m nobody.
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Yep. Extremely poor.

This was known for a long time and 100% preventable.
 

Curious what we see for a lineup on Wednesday.

I hope Greg doesn't pull the same lineup he tried in Panama.

Sleepers chance for Caden Clark to get on the field?
 


Tough L yesterday, Canada takes control of the group with a four point lead. Since they picked up home wins and draws on the road vs the U.S and Mexico, they're in complete control to win the group. Costa Rica has gotten back into top four consideration, getting a win over Panama and a draw at Mexico. At this point just need to figure out how to finish third, don't really want to leave it up to a one game playoff and that starts with getting three points on Wednesday. Our last window will be challenging at Mexico, Panama and at Costa Rica
 

Here's is the latest Watke assessment of the Canada game.

 

Face The Facts said:
Here's is the latest Watke assessment of the Canada game.

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Pre-game their fans were chanting how proud they were that Canadians burned down the White House (back in 1814). It actually was the British that did that, but it was because of the Canadians wanting them to do it. But still, it takes trash talk to a new level.
 


What kind of sorcery is this -- green grass in Minnesota on Feb 2nd and not a snow flake in the stands...
.. Serious props to the ground crew for making this happen. This will go down as the coldest WC qualifying game in history.

1643758144983.png
 

Hour by hour has this at 3 or 4 degrees at kick. Coldest game I can find is 3 degrees between Colorado and Toronto in a CCL game in 2018. Gonna be close to see if we can break that record.
 


Bought my two tickets.

33% for one ticket.
33% for the other ticket.
33% for fees / taxes.

Crazy.
 


Were the security lines that long or did a bunch of people really just not show up until 7:00?
 

mnsportsgeek said:
Were the security lines that long or did a bunch of people really just not show up until 7:00?
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Security lines were longer and slower.
We had someone spend two-three minutes at the scanner with a purse. Tried to hide it first, then tried to talk her way in, all the while holding up the line.

We walked up at 6:10 to very long lines and walked in at about 6:35.
 

Face The Facts said:
Security lines were longer and slower.
We had someone spend two-three minutes at the scanner with a purse. Tried to hide it first, then tried to talk her way in, all the while holding up the line.

We walked up at 6:10 to very long lines and walked in at about 6:35.
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And we all walked out with a 3-0 win!
 

I'm not sure on the math, but I heard a win over Mexico would clinch a spot. Not sure if true.
Also, another scenario is to draw again Panama and Costa Rico, that might be enough.
 

Face The Facts said:
I'm not sure on the math, but I heard a win over Mexico would clinch a spot. Not sure if true.
Also, another scenario is to draw again Panama and Costa Rico, that might be enough.
Click to expand...
If we beat Panama and get the three, they can't mathematically catch us, even if we drop the games at Mexico and Costa Rica we can't finish worse than fourth if we beat Panama at home. Win and a draw should get us in the top three. I'd feel better about our chances in Qatar if we could pick up one more road win in the next window. If we beat Panama Six wins one draw and no losses is about all you can ask for at home but we only have one road win so far
 

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