# Update Me on the USMNT's World Cup Prospects **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 9, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215 "2009-10-09T18:12:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/1 "2009-10-09T18:12:43Z")
Media coverage of soccer 'round here is less than exemplary, and much of it goes over my head anyway. In layman’s terms, please tell me how it looks for the US Men’s National Team getting a spot in the 2010 World Cup. Are we eliminated? Are we for sure in? Are we on our last legs? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/2 "2009-10-09T19:16:15Z")
We’re in first place in our Confederation with two games to go, but are only guaranteed at least a playoff for the final spot against the last qualifier from South America. That could be Argentina, which has incedible talent. We play tomorrow in Tegucigalpa against Honduras, and a win would mean we are on to the WC. A tie means we are in pending a multitude of scenarios. We play Costa Rica in D.C. next Wednesday, and depending on CR’s position, it could be a very tough game or a meaningless one. I think, but am not certain, that we’d have to lose both games to finish fourth and be in the playoff. I’d put our odds of qualifying at around 80%, maybe better. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/3 "2009-10-09T20:14:57Z")
The expansion to three CONCACAF countries in the World Cup finals from 1998 just about guarantees that the USA will qualify, unless you have a really bad qualifying campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/4 "2009-10-09T20:28:27Z")
**Lamar Mundane** has a very good explanation. The US has basically done everything they’ve been expected to do except for a draw away to… El Salvador (right? T&T?). It’s just that the other teams with a shot have been getting it done too. That combined with the fact that Argentina is the likely playoff team makes the situation look worse than I think it really is. I’d say they’re 90ish% to qualify. I’d be shocked if they didn’t, but anything can happen in two games. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/5 "2009-10-09T20:54:12Z")
On the incredibly off chance that you’re buying plane tickets to Honduras right now, I’ll point out that the game is actually scheduled to take place in San Pedro Sula, not Tegucigalpa. There have, however, been some questions about whether or not this game will take place as scheduled because of the political situation in Honduras at the moment. Otherwise, all that has been said is true. The US is 80-90% to make it. Hopefully they beat Honduras tomorrow and we don’t have to worry about Costa Rica. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/6 "2009-10-10T04:30:45Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > I think, but am not certain, that we’d have to lose both games to finish fourth and be in the playoff. I tie against Honduras and a loss to Costa Rica could leave us in 4th depending on tiebreakers. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/7 "2009-10-10T20:11:05Z")
And it looks like there will be NO coverage of the US-Honduras match on my TV, neither on any ESPN network, major network, or Fox Soccer Channel, or any channel carried by my cable system.:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/8 "2009-10-10T20:20:15Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > And it looks like there will be NO coverage of the US-Honduras match on my TV, neither on any ESPN network, major network, or Fox Soccer Channel, or any channel carried by my cable system.:mad: Nope, and you even have to pay $20 to watch it in a bar, and there’s only a few that are going to carry it. Less than 50 in the whole country. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/9 "2009-10-10T23:34:09Z")
And people wonder why soccer is so unpopular in America. One of the major games of the past four years gets zero media coverage. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/10 "2009-10-11T00:52:32Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > And people wonder why soccer is so unpopular in America. One of the major games of the past four years gets zero media coverage. :rolleyes: It’s the Honduran soccer federation’s fault. They sold the TV rights to a company that decided to make it closed-circuit only. ---
**Author:** ![AZCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/11 "2009-10-11T01:40:08Z")
My understanding is that Honduras sold the rights to a broker (standard practice), and the broker sold it to the CCTV provider. I doubt they did it for anything other than financial reasons. That said, I don’t think you can blame them. Blame the lack of interest that would drive sufficient viewers for ad-supported TV. For ESPN, the timing of the game is challenging, as they have (at least) two major college football games on at the same time (Go Jackets!). I’m surprised that Fox Soccer Channel didn’t pony up what was needed to gain the rights. It would have been nice if the US Soccer Federation could have subsidized it for some cable or broadcast channel. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/12 "2009-10-11T01:58:57Z")
https://www.ustream.tv/embed/270586 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/13 "2009-10-11T02:37:24Z")
USA is getting their asses handed to them so far. As I type Davies misses an open net from five yards. Not spoilering since it isn’t going to be available on TV anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Enniaunus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b2d939/32.png) [@Enniaunus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enniaunus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/14 "2009-10-11T03:11:37Z")
Goal for Honduras. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/15 "2009-10-11T03:18:59Z")
1-1 usa! ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/16 "2009-10-11T03:30:24Z")
CONOR CASEY again! 2-1 USA. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/17 "2009-10-11T03:33:41Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > CONOR CASEY again! 2-1 USA. The guy is slow and can be lazy, but he knows how to score goals. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/18 "2009-10-11T03:44:08Z")
It’s 3-2 now. ~80th minute. Oh please hold onto this result. I can’t handle this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/19 "2009-10-11T03:46:20Z")
This is an amazing game, and next to no one is seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Enniaunus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b2d939/32.png) [@Enniaunus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enniaunus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215/20 "2009-10-11T03:51:21Z")
Missed PK by Honduras! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-me-on-the-usmnts-world-cup-prospects/513215.md?page=2)