# The Run up to the Cup: 2010 World Cup Qualifying



## Walker

*2010** World Cup Qualifying*​

It's never too early to talk about the World Cup and now that qualifying is well-underway I'm curious to see who's following it. I know we have a lot of soccer/futbol fans on this site so I want to see yall's home country is doing and if there are other countries you follow and root for.

Obviously I follow the U.S. and I'm hoping for a better result than the 2006 WC as our only bright spot was the 1-1 tie to eventual champ Italy. So far the U.S. is 1-0-1 in qualifying after rallying from down 0-2 to El Salvador to earn 1 point with a 2-2 tie. We plat Trinidad and Tobago tonight.

The other main country I root for is Argentina who sits at 5-2-4 in qualifying and I'm still pissed over the quarter final loss to Germany in the last WC. I really thought they were going to take the Cup and I still can't believe the coach had them play strictly defensively in the last 10 minutes when they were controlling possession and playing much of the game on the German side. That allowed the late game tying goal. 

So who's looking good so far and who isn't?

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html​


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## ZeroPRIDE

Argentina got BLOWN out! Mexico lost to Honduras:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Next up for the US is playing in Saprissa which is going to be hell. 1 point would be a huge win for us.


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## e-thug

Man I cant believe how badly Argentina got blown out, personally I was real happy about it as I hate them.

My team is England, the perennial underachievers, however, I do have confidence that we are going in the right way under Capello. 5 wins out of 5 in qualifying is certainly a great start. With supporting a team like England though, dissapointment is only just around the corner!


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## Walker

Damn it- who did Argentina lose to? Me loves Argentina just under the US. USA looked bueno versus T&T and Joey Altidore has scored 6 goals in 9 caps after the hat trick- very nice. :thumbsup:


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## ZeroPRIDE

they lost to Bolivia...and Sven Goran has been fired as head coach of Mexico.


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## e-thug

Dude they got beat 6-1 by Bolivia (who aren't doing so well)...an absolute amazing result.

The US will qualify top of there group IMO, there just such a weird team in the actual world cup, I never really know what there gonna do.


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## ZeroPRIDE

as someone put it on a soccer board, they play the level of their opponent. Such as holding their own against Argentina(which people were saying we are going to lose by 5 goals),Italy Ghana ect..then look totally different against lesser clubs like El Salvador and the like.

im really looking forward to the Confed Cup coming up even though we have Italy and Brazil(not sure how good egypt is) in our group. this is the best competion we are going to get before the WC and should use this as a measureing stick.


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## Walker

Oh well for Argentina against Bolivia- just a qualifying match.

Yeah the US is inconsistent internationally at best but it's a HUGE improvement back when we couldn't even make the WC. Now we go each time but it's completely up and down. 1990, 1998 and 2006 were embarrassments and in 1994 we squeaked into the 2nd Round before losing to Brazil 1-0 and 2002 was our best showing making in to the quarters and playing tough against Germany. I'm really hoping for a decent showing in 2010.

The Confed Cup should a great test with Italy and Brazil just to see if we've improved or not and it depends on the squads they bring to play.


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## Owen

Wasn't expecting to see this on here. 

I'm following it as always, Rep. of Ireland had a horrible showing against Bulgaria at home last weekend. The motivation didn't seem to be there, but on Wednesday night they dominated Italy away and etched a 1-1 draw.

Anyone see the game? The ref sent off an Italy player because of an unintentional elbow a few mins in but seemed to be on their side the rest of the night.

Ireland are still in a great position for the play-offs.


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## JReader

I don't really follow it up until the actual tournament. 
Can someone tell me if England is in or not? or do they have more matches to win to get into it.


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## e-thug

JReader said:


> I don't really follow it up until the actual tournament.
> Can someone tell me if England is in or not? or do they have more matches to win to get into it.


England are well on there way to qualification, played 5 and won 5.

Dont expect England to do much in South Africa, are players dont usually do well when the weather is super hot.


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## ZeroPRIDE

wow i forget about this.


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## Ivan

Argentina losing that big is some news.. but read this before u ask yourself why they lost... here are extenuating circumstances. Bolivia’s national stadium in La Paz stands at 3,600 meters, or 12,000 feet, the highest arena where international soccer is played on earth.

The air is thin, the heat of the afternoon was appreciable, and Bolivia’s extraordinary tempo was sustained for so long that the ill-prepared Argentines were reduced to exhaustion long before the end.

Bolivians are used to play on that kind of height and the advantage is probably the biggest reason of that high result..

I am hoping for all former Yugoslavian teams to make it .. 

if not this time then the next qualifications..


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## dontazo

FORZA ITALIA !


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## Walker

Well that absolutely sucked last night- I really didn't think the US would win(we never have in Costa Rico) but I, at least, thought it would be competitive- wrong. The defense was atrocious zero tackling, especially early and we give up a goal in just 79 seconds- unbelievable. :thumbsdown:

Then another one at the 13 minute mark to basically win the game before 15 minutes has gone by. Totally blows. Now we're in 2nd place in the group and have to beat Honduras here at home because up next in qualifying is a game in Mexico(another place where we've never won). The US is somehow going to have to learn how to win games like this in tough environments if they ever what to take the next step up from a mid-level team.

After the match with Honduras the US is playing in the Confederations Cup in South Africa and our first 2 matches are against Italy and Brazil- so we better get our shit together or those games could get very ugly.


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## ZeroPRIDE

you have to remember though they where playing on a plastic pitch and unless you play regulary on one, 90% of the time your going to lose. Horrible condition to play on im not sure why Fifa allows it.

The confed Cup should be very interesting and cant wait for it.


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## Walker

Yeah that field is like playing on asphalt and I didn't expect to win- just a better and more competitive showing. The defense played like utter crap especially early. Also I was just hoping to watch a better game and 13 minutes in I'm thinking "Great, this game is already over." 

Yeah I'm stoked for Confed Cup too. :thumbsup:


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## ZeroPRIDE

I know what you mean. I havnt seen a soccer match in weeks and the game was over in mear? seconds.


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## Walker

YAY!!! The US is already down 0-2 to Brazil and now we just had someone sent off with a red card. 

I smell a comeback!!! 

:sarcastic12:


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## ZeroPRIDE

by a miracle we ADVANCED!! being in the group of death and some how advanceing is pretty funny.


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## Walker

ZeroPRIDE said:


> by a miracle we ADVANCED!! being in the group of death and some how advanceing is pretty funny.


Yeah man it's pretty hilarious- when I saw the scenario- we need to win by 3 goals and Italy lose by 3 goals I just laughed and hoped we wouldn't embarrass ourselves more in this tourney and BLAMMO- we're in the semis!

But we play Spain.


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## ZeroPRIDE

this is our chance at redemption(yea right). lets hope we give spain a run for their money. to be fare very few teams could have beaten or even tied brazil and italy. it would have been nice to put up a fight in both though.


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## ZeroPRIDE

WOW!!! Possibly the biggest upset ever(keep in mind Spain hasnt lost in *TWO AND A HALF YEARS!!*)? Horrible reffing though at the end. Now Bradley wont be playing in the final :/


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## Ivan

I kinda saw this coming and i even didnt follow the confederations cup at all .. Nothing lasts forever ..


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## Walker

*WE BEAT SPAIN!!!!

HOLY CRAP WE BEAT SPAIN!!!!

:thumb01::happy01::happy03::drink01:**:winner01:**:drink01::happy03::happy01::thumb01:
*​


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## ZeroPRIDE

stellar game. Perfect music in this vid.


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## dontazo

i was gonna put 300 $ on usa thanx god my friends told me not to lol. bet was like 8.3 for US. i was so happy taht us lost. not cuz i wanted em to lose lol i just felt better . btw i hate brazil


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## Ivan

Well it is heating up.. Some are in some are out some still have no clue on what is going to happen.. I have my favorites but its gonna be a mountain to climb for them all to make it.. hope dies last.. what are your thoughts.. whos gonna make it who not ..






a BBC documentary about croatian football team after the war i believe.. not many things changed for good since then.. only that many legends left the game cause of the mob who rules the football and so on and so on .. now explain it to me.. how high does a win against us rank.. let me see your country get demolished your players broken in doubtful times where revenge was promised.. mishele platini.. you are a michelle..

And i gotta show love to Bosnia.. i hope they beat the Turks and make their first Cup appearance ever.. i wish them that maybe even more then anybody on this planet.. that country did not have a real positive story since forever.. Nothing against the Turks here.. Go Bosnia


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## ZeroPRIDE

US got a GREAT draw. Our only loss _should_ be to England. Shame on us if we dont advance past the group stages.


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## Ivan

I got pissed off watching this sport yet again so i don't wanna talk about it anymore.. Best example for that even if it doesn't effect me is Henry with his hand.. 

Have fun watching it next year everybody especially Michel Platini..


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## KillerShark1985

ZeroPRIDE said:


> US got a GREAT draw. Our only loss _should_ be to England. Shame on us if we dont advance past the group stages.


You think it was a GREAT draw for you, it was a GOOD draw for you, but for us (England) it was a absolute Blinding FANTASTIC draw, with the hardest game for our boys been the USA its almost laughable, we really should just nail this group on cruse. Our biggest fear is Germany not winning there group and having to face them in the next stage.


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