September 29 to October 6, 2019 Global Futbol Articles

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2019.

September 29 to October 6, 2019

The draw for the 2022 World Cup CONCACAF Groups took place this week. The top nation of each group will progress to the World Cup.

 

Stage 2: 4 Groups of 6	Stage 1 was Match Days 1 and 2 Match Day 3: 3 v 1, 2 v 5, 6 v 4 Match Day 4: 1 v 4, 6 v 2, 5 v 3 Match Day 5: 3 v 6, 1 v 5, 4 v 2 Match Day 6: 1 v 6, 2 v 3, 5 v 4 Match Day 7: 2 v 1, 4 v 3, 6 v 5 Match Days 8 through 12 reverse legs.
Group A
1st	Mexico
8th	Panama
9th	El Salvador
Q	Curaçao
Q	Puerto Rico
Q	Guyana
Group B
4th	Jamaica
5th	St Vincent and the Grenadines
12th	Grenada
13th	Haiti
Q	Canada
Q	Bermuda
Group C
3rd	USA
6th	Guatemala
11th	Trinidad and Tobago
Q	Bahamas
Q	Montserrat
Q	Dominican Republic
Group D
2nd	Costa Rica
7th	Honduras
10th	Nicaragua
Q	St Kitts and Nevis
Q	Barbados
Q	Cuba

 

In Group C, Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago face off as they had done in the Qualifiers four years ago. Guatemala defeated their opponents on both occasions on their way to the World Cup. Can they repeat the feat?

 

In Group D, Honduras, Nicaragua and St Kitts and Nevis all face each as they had done in the Qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. The first encounter between Honduras and Nicaragua was a draw, whereas in the second leg, Honduras gained a vital away goal. The same thing happened between Honduras and St Kitts and Nevis, where an away goal was the only difference between the teams. On the other hand, St Kitts and Nevis drew away to Nicaragua, before defeating them by a solitary goal back at home a year and a half later.

 

It has also been announced that the CONCACAF Gold Cup will take place in September and October of 2020. This competition will have the eight best CONCACAF nations based on the Copa America Qualifiers competing. The hosts will be the nations that come second in their group but miss out on competing in Copa America. If a South American side is one such nation, then only one nation will host the tournament. Should there be no second-placed CONCACAF sides, the top two third-placed nations will be offered the chance to host the tournament.

 

The six (or more) nations that compete in the Copa America will not be eligible for the Gold Cup.

 

Based on current standings after Match Day 6, the following nations would qualify for Copa America:

Mexico

Guatemala

Peru

USA

Paraguay

Jamaica

Brazil

Colombia

Argentina

Venezuela

Ecuador

Chile

Grenada

Costa Rica

Panama

Honduras

 

The CONCACAF Gold Cup hosts would become:

Nicaragua

St Lucia

 

The other nations to qualify for the Gold Cup:

Cuba

Suriname

Guyana

Trinidad and Tobago

Dominica

Dominican Republic

 

Belize (on six points) would miss out by a point.

 

The South American draw also took place this week. The top two sides from each group will progress to the 2022 World Cup.

 

Group A
1st	Brazil
4th	Ecuador
5th	Argentina
8th	Venezuela
10th	Bolivia
Group B
2nd	Colombia
3rd	Chile
6th	Peru
7th	Uruguay
9th	Paraguay

 

Brazil and Venezuela are the only two sides from Group A in the last World Cup Qualifiers. Venezuela won the opening encounter one-nil, before Brazil turned that around in the second leg and won by three goals. On the other hand, Argentina, Ecuador and Bolivia all faced each other four years ago. Ecuador bagged three goals against Bolivia in the first match, before gaining a crucial draw away. Argentina won their first game against Ecuador by a solitary goal, before 3-1 was the result in Ecuador’s favour on the reverse leg. As for Bolivia and Argentina, it was the Bolivians who won both legs, ensuring the Argentinians did not qualify for Russia.

 

Similarly, Chile and Peru face each other again, as was the case four years ago. Peru got the advantage in the first leg, before a 3-1 scoreline helped Chile on their way to Russia. As for Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay, they will all seek to gain the advantage over their rivals. Uruguay gained an away point against Paraguay, before trouncing them 5-2 a year and a half later. Paraguay thought an away draw against Colombia would work come the reverse leg, but Colombia found two crucial away goals to win the match. One win apiece was the order between Colombia and Uruguay.