US confirms January friendlies vs. Venezuela, Panama Klinsmann & Co. to host Venezuela, travel to Panama in January
It’s finally official.
US Soccer on Thursday confirmed the long-rumored USMNT matches scheduled for January 2012. The first match features Venezuela on January 21 in Glendale, Ariz., followed by a road match against Panama in Panama City four days later.
The two games will wrap up Jurgen Klinsmann’s first January camp at the helm of the US national team. The traditional two-week training camp gathers many MLS-based players since the matches coincide with the MLS offseason and do not fall on FIFA fixture dates.
The US are unbeaten all-time against Venezuela (2-0-1) but this Vinotinto side is arguably the best in the nation’s history, recently defeating Argentina in South American World Cup qualifying and standing at the top of the CONMEBOL table. Chivas USA forward Alejandro Moreno is a regular call-up for Venezuela and he was part of the team's semifinal run at the 2011 Copa América.
The University of Phoenix Stadium will host the match (9 pm ET) with tickets going on sale on Thursday, Dec. 8, in a special one-day presale window.
There has never been a friendly match between the USA and Panama, a country against which the Americans have compiled a 7-1-2 record all-time. The one loss for the USMNT came this past summer during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, a 2-1 setback in group stage play. The USA would later exact revenge with a 1-0 semifinal victory.
"We are going to continue to increase the demands on the players and have them develop a better understanding of how we want to play,” Klinsmann said in a statement issued by the USSF. “Venezuela has done well to start World Cup qualifying and they earned a big victory against Argentina. Panama is a team the players know well from the Gold Cup, and we think traveling to Central America before qualifying is important to give them a taste of what the environment will be like there."
The matches will come less than six months before the USMNT’s 2014 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying debut on June 8 against Antigua and Barbuda and June 12 in Guatemala in Group A. Jamaica were also drawn in the group.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
One thing is certain...Jamaica will underestimate Antigua at their peril when these qualifiers start next year.
With the players that Antigua have playing in England on their team, they will not lack fighting spirit or fitness.
Jamaica are perennial slow starters in games and tournaments, the last GC an exception...so Jamaica has to exhibit a sense of urgency from the word go in all of their matches.
I would love to see some better defenders and more support for the midfield...I think Jamaica is well off for attacking players and goalkeepers.
I don't like the defensive pairing of Shavar and Jermaine...they should be on the bench as back-ups because when Jamaica's best defenders are available or called, they would not figure as starters...those two have been promoted since the whole ting bruk down since the last qualifiers but they have not graduated to the next level...when Dicoy is back and fit, he gets my vote over those two.
All in all, Jamaica has a good squad...we just need a few key reinforcements.
Lincoln, Jarvis, Blackstock, and Weston are all pure speculation for Antigua. Jarvis has said he might play but I suspect that could just be him trying to get Wales to call him. I haven't heard anything about Weston since he was originally called up so I'm guessing he wasn't interested, though that could change I guess. Blackstock has never been called up to my knowledge. They have one other English-based guy who has expressed some interest and that is Kiernan Hughes-Mason who plays for Kettering in the Conference.
Lincoln, Jarvis, Blackstock, and Weston are all pure speculation for Antigua. Jarvis has said he might play but I suspect that could just be him trying to get Wales to call him. I haven't heard anything about Weston since he was originally called up so I'm guessing he wasn't interested, though that could change I guess. Blackstock has never been called up to my knowledge. They have one other English-based guy who has expressed some interest and that is Kiernan Hughes-Mason who plays for Kettering in the Conference.
I hope you are right because when you add Peter Byers to the mix Antigua may surprise someone in a bad way.
The other intangible that is being overlooked is that the majority of the home based players are from the same team. They all play for USL franchise Antigua Barracuda FC. Individually, the players may not strike fear in anyone but they play as one unit all year long with the national coach doubling as the club coach. They travel together, eat together, play together and they know each other quite well............Stranger things have happened.
P.S - Could you imagine if ALL of our LOCAL based players on our national team all played for (Montego Bay FC, Tivoli or Portmore FC) and coached by Tappa for one FULL NPL seasons? That would be NICE!!!
Hint - The idea was floated in Mexico leading up to the 2010 World Cup but it never got off the ground..........POLITICS!!! Some of the Mexican club officials agreed in principle but based their decisions on one point......they would only agree to "loan" their best players to play on one club side......... IF the Mexican Federation could have guaranteed that Mexico would have won the 2010 World Cup.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
The idea of our best players at least at the youth level playing together has been floating around but the JFF have not made a move. This would have made us better prepared for under 17, under 20 and under 23. It was done a little late with the under 17 and help a bit. A developmental elite squad entered in the major league would advance us a lot. These camps are useless if these young players are not playing games together.
I hope complacency will not be our enemy but it is heading that way
Re: CONCACAF teams kick off 2014 World Cup qualifiers « Reply #30 on: Yesterday at 06:33:00 AM »CONCACAF announces 3rd round WCQ schedule. CONCACAF.COM 11/16/2011
CONCACAF announced Wednesday the schedule of matches for the third round of FIFA World Cup qualifying in the region, starting next June.
In the upcoming round (also known as the semifinal round), winners of the six second round groups (El Salvador, Guyana, Panama, Canada, Guatemala and Antigua & Barbuda) join six teams that have thus far received byes (Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States) to form three groups of four teams each.
Matchday 1 opens on Friday, June 8, highlighted by a Group A pairing between the USA, the nation with largest population in the confederation, and Antigua & Barbuda, which at approximately 88,000 inhabitants has the smallest population of any country remaining in the competition.
Group B is led by 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup champion Mexico and is expected to be highly competitive.A game between El Salvador and Costa Rica on Matchday 5 could decide the group's fate.
Honduras, which qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa along with the USA and Mexico, heads Group C.The current Central American champion starts play on June 8 at home against regional-rival Panama.
Matchdays 3 and 4 promise much excitement, as the top seeds from each group will meet each other on both days in a home-and-home series.
Times and locations for all matches will be confirmed at a later date.
The top two teams from each of the semifinal groups will advance to round four of qualifying - commonly known as the "hexagonal".
Three teams from CONCACAF are guaranteed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with the fourth-placed team from the hexagonal facing off against the Oceania winner.
CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying - Round Three
Group A United States Jamaica Guatemala Antigua & Barbuda
Group B Mexico Costa Rica El Salvador Guyana
Group C Honduras Cuba Canada Panama
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES (home team listed first)
MATCHDAY 1 Friday, June 8, 2012
Group A United States vs. Antigua & Barbuda Jamaica vs. Guatemala
Group B Mexico vs. Guyana Costa Rica vs. El Salvador
Group C Honduras vs. Panama Cuba vs. Canada
MATCHDAY 2 Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Group A Guatemala vs. United States Antigua & Barbuda vs. Jamaica
Group B El Salvador vs. Mexico Guyana vs. Costa Rica
Group C Canada vs. Honduras Panama vs. Cuba
MATCHDAY 3 Friday, September 7, 2012
Group A Jamaica vs. United States Guatemala vs. Antigua & Barbuda
Group B Costa Rica vs. Mexico El Salvador vs. Guyana
Group C Cuba vs. Honduras Canada vs. Panama
MATCHDAY 4 Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Group A United States vs. Jamaica Antigua and Barbuda vs. Guatemala
Group B Mexico vs. Costa Rica Guyana vs. El Salvador
We simply can not wait on Captain Burrell to arrange preparations. We need to start communications now!!!!!
If we can not arrange friendlies arrange camps during the FIFA dates, if financies are an issue.
We can not simply hold a camp in Brazil and everyting, CRISS!!!!
Jamatl, yuh nuh sey seh nuttin cyaan gwaan wen di captain not at the helm steering tings, only tha captain understand how fi run tha football tings and errybody else a "big poppy show" ah yard, nubaddy else nuh have tha slightest clue wha fi duh, suh when the boss not in charge errything come to a stand still and make no mistake about it, because that's no fault of his ah just suh it always guh.
Ah tha captain run tings a yard yuh nuh seet, mek mi try name tha list: all parish cricket league, all parish football league, the Professional Football Association of Jamaica (PFAJ) led by president Eddie Seaga, ministry of sport, president of the Jamaica journalist and all the major media president dem to...suh tek note nuh boss and recognize the ruler.
Without Captain Burrell there is no ReggaeBoyz. The true definition of the ReggaeBoyz: captain Burrell!!
And we like it just like that, and wouldn't want it any other way...
Mi granny wudda seh, "Too many cooks wi spoil the broth," suh mek wi wait pan the prezy process fi sey if him waa get reinstated, don't worry yaself too much "the program is very much on track" ...smdfh!
Guys, believe me Antigua wasn't a better team than Haiti..Haiti dominated the first half and the second half. it's the coach that give away the game. He was mad about the 2-2 tied against Curacao in Haiti and changed the team completely for that game with the best over sea players in that game on the bench. Antigua only took one shot straight at the goalie in the entire game and he bounced of the goalie fingers and went into the Haitian net. This is a ball that even tuetrini or the the jamcanyouth would of caught..LOL..in the return game at home as expected, Haiti beat Antigua convincingly 2-1 and outplayed them.. See the highlight for yourself for the lucky Antigua's goal at home..see who had more opportunities to score in the game.. Guys believe me Antigua will not even win a game in that group..every one will beat Antigua. Jamaica should put at least in Antigua's net..This is a team who finish dead last in the USFL league which is considered a third division league in the US compare to the MLS league.
See for yourself guys.. at least 2 clear penalty for Haiti were not awarded...not to mention ball bouncing of the goal posts on more than one occasion..
Intangiles? I totally forgot about the cricket pitch!!! Just add some rain......That is just like playing at Jarrett Park (Montego Bay) in the old days.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
1. USA 2. Jamaica 3. Guatemala 4. Antigua and Barbuda
The favourites Having qualified for the FIFA World Cup™ nine times, including the last six, USA will be the team to beat in this section. Pedigree, organisation, and history aside, however, the Americans are currently suffering a crisis of confidence and form. They lost the final of last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup 4-2 to arch-rivals Mexico and have shown holes throughout defence, midfield and attack in recent friendlies. New coach, Jurgen Klinsmann - an icon of the German game and former Nationalelf player and coach - is charged with reviving the side’s flagging fortunes. But his start to life on the US bench has been far from convincing, presiding over just two wins in his first seven games in charge.
With the Americans needing a turnaround in form and psychology, reigning Caribbean champions Jamaica could well prove spoilers. Coached by former international hero Theodore Whitmore, the Reggae Boyz are a side on the up, displaying a new-found discipline to go with their usual athleticism and technique.
The outsiders While USA and Jamaica have been feasting on friendlies, Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda arrive in the group after six games of competitive action in Round 2. The Guatemalans, led by veteran striker and all-time top scorer Carlos Ruiz, strolled through the previous round, winning all their games against Belize, St. Vincent/Grenadines and Grenada. The Wadadli Boyz, for their part, pulled off one of the shocks of qualifying so far, edging Haiti to first place to put themselves on the football map.
Players to watch The Americans will be led by their all-time top scorer and playmaker Landon Donovan, who recently inspired Los Angeles Galaxy to another Major League Soccer title. Jozy Altidore will be the man looking to bang home the goals while Everton's Tim Howard minds the net. Jamaica’s Dane Richards, who also plays in Major League Soccer, will be the man to watch for the islanders. His searing pace and keen eye for goal will trouble even the best defences. Guatemala’s Ruiz is the heart and soul of the team, while underdogs Antigua and Barbuda are led by the free-scoring Pete ‘Big Pete’ Byers and the old head of veteran defender George Dublin.
What they’re saying “We’ve put our tiny country on the map – we have to be the smallest country left in qualifying. I sometimes still can’t believe we did what we did [beating Haiti], and it makes me want more. Why not the next round? Why not wearing an Antigua and Barbuda jersey at the World Cup in Brazil?” Antigua and Barbuda captain George Dublin on the unlikely road ahead for his island country of just under 80,000 people.
Did you know? - Guatemala have come agonisingly close to qualifying for a FIFA World Cup, missing out in 2006 by just one point.
- Jamaica’s current coach, Whitmore, scored twice for Jamaica as a player in the country’s only ever trip to a world finals, against Japan at France 1998.
- Virtually the entire starting line-up of Antigua and Barbuda play for the country’s only professional club team, Antigua Barracuda, who line up in the USA’s third pro tier. Both teams are coached by Englishman Tom Curtis.
- USA, who went out of South Africa 2010 at the Round of 16, once reached the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup, in 1930, led by iconic figures Billy Gonsalves and Bert Patenaude.
Have your say If all goes according to plan, USA will finish first in Group A. Will Jamaica or Guatemala sneak into second or, as captain Dublin thinks, does his Antiguan side have a prayer?
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
Jarvis keen to play with Antigua & Barbuda By Observer Sports - Thursday, September 8th, 2011.
Article Hits: 378 No Comments St. John’s Antigua- Antigua & Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) could soon have the services of yet another player based in England.
This is according to a report by the walesonline.co.uk website, which stated that Cardiff City striker Nat Jarvis has indicated his willingness to represent the twin-island state at the London Olympics next year.
The article further stated that Jarvis was selected for Antigua & Barbuda’s opening Group F World Cup Qualifiers against Curacao last Friday but reports are that this was hindered due to minimal red tape.
The 19 year old, according to the site, is however hoping to represent Antigua & Barbuda when they play both Curacao and the USVI this month.
Another England-based player said to have expressed an interest in representing Antigua & Barbuda is Nottingham Forest’s left-winger Dexter Blackstock.
Blackstock, whose mother is reportedly Antiguan and his father Jamaican, could join the squad at some point during the World Cup Qualifiers as well.
Reports are that the ABFA has identified at least 15 players based in England and elsewhere who are eligible to play for Antigua & Barbuda.
NEWPORT County striker Nat Jarvis turned down the chance to head to Antigua and now heads to the distinctly less tropical climes of Grimsby.
The 20-year-old, on loan at the Exiles from hometown club Cardiff City, is deciding whether to pledge his international allegiance to Antigua and Barbuda after being roundly ignored by his native Wales.
He turned down the chance to fly out to the Caribbean last week for a World Cup qualifier double-header against Haiti in order to feature for the Exiles in Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Shrewsbury. And despite coming on as a second-half substitute he could not help prevent the Exiles crashing out in the first round.
But Justin Edinburgh’s side have more pressing matters as they lie mired in the Conference relegation places ahead of the long trip to Grimsby tomorrow.
Jarvis, who has made 12 appearances for County so far, is determined to extend his loan period and help in the battle even as he decides on his international future.
Although Jarvis admits the offer to play for the nation of his grandfather and possibly feature in next year’s London Olympics is tempting.
“They’ve shown an interest in me, asking me to come out and I’m considering my options,” said Jarvis. “I haven’t had a call-up by Wales since I was 14 or 15.
“I’m a Welsh speaker, born in Cardiff and playing for my home club but I’ve not got the call.
“It doesn’t feel good. It frustrates me. Wales is my home country and I’d love to play for them.
“Antigua have shown an interest in me since I’ve been at Newport. I’m still 50-50 at the moment but I’ll have to make a decision soon.”
While Jarvis is upset at being snubbed by Wales selectors so far, he couldn’t be happier playing under Edinburgh at County.
Under the new manager the Exiles have had a slight upturn in fortunes and now lie just three points from safety.
They face a Grimsby side tomorrow, under boss Rob Scott, who are also casting nervous glances over their shoulder as they lie just four points above the bottom four themselves.
There may be a long hard struggle ahead at County, but Jarvis said he was simply enjoying the chance to get some pitch time.
“I have loved it at Newport, it is so much better than playing reserve team football,” added Jarvis. “The ambition is still to make it at Cardiff, but at the moment I need experience.
“It has been good for me to get out on loan, score some goals and really enjoy myself.”
Meanwhile County midfielder Danny Rose, who will start at Grimsby tomorrow, captained an England C side on Tuesday night.
Rose described it as one of the proudest moments of his life despite his side losing out away to Gibraltar 3-1.
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We need to play at least five (5) quality matches before the first WCQ. All our players should be match fit so no excuses. None of this, it is difficult to get them together crap, we have six months to plan and organize. A KIT sponsor would also help and financially we make the bulk of the JFF $$$$ during WCQ.
