FanPost

OT: World Cup Open Thread III

Warren Little

The United States plays its final game of the qualifying round today at 11:00 ET, against powerhouse Germany. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, while the other two teams in the group (Ghana and Portugal) play simultaneously on ESPN 2.

Here's the short of it, in terms of the U.S. path to qualifying for the knockout round:

  • If the U.S. wins today, it wins Group G.
  • If the U.S. ties today, it finishes in 2nd in Group G and advances.
  • If the U.S. loses today and Ghana and Portugal tie, the U.S. advances.
  • If the U.S. loses today, and the game between Ghana and Portugal doesn't end in a tie, it is possible for the winner of that game to advance, and for the U.S. to be finished. It would come down to goal differential. The U.S. is current at +1, Ghana is currently at -1, and Portugal is currently at -4. If Ghana wins by and the U.S. loses by 1, the U.S. still advances. If either of those results takes place but with a margin of victory larger than one, Ghana would advance. Portugal can only advance if it wins, the U.S. loses, and the combined goal differential of those two games is at least 5 (highly unlikely).

- - -

Thread I

Thread II

(points in parentheses)

*= Eliminated

+= Clinched spot in Round of 16

Group A: Brazil (7)+, Mexico (7)+, Croatia (3)*, Cameroon (0)* - through 3 matches

Group B: Netherlands (9)+, Chile (6)+, Spain (3)*, Australia (0)* - through 3 matches

Group C: Colombia (9)+, Greece (4)+, Ivory Coast (3)*, Japan (1)* - through 3 matches

Group D: Costa Rica (7)+, Uruguay (6)+, Italy (3)*, England (1)* - through 3 matches

Group E: France (7)+, Switzerland (6)+, Ecuador (4)*, Honduras (0)* - through 3 matches

Group F: Argentina (9)+, Nigeria (4)+, Bosnia and Herzegovina (3)*, Iran (1)*, - through 3 matches

Group G: Germany (7)+, United States (4)+, Portugal (4)*, Ghana (1)* - through 3 matches

Group H: Belgium (9)+, Algeria (4)+, Russia (2)*, South Korea (1)* - through 3 matches

The third and final set of group matches:

June 23

Spain 3, Australia 0 (Group B)

Netherlands 2, Chile 0 (Group B)

Mexico 3, Croatia 1 (Group A)

Brazil 4, Cameroon 1 (Group A)

June 24

Uruguay 1, Italy 0 (Group D)

Costa Rica 0, England 0 (tie) (Group D)

Colombia 4, Japan 0 (Group C)

Greece 2, Ivory Coast 1 (Group C)

June 25

Argentina 3, Nigeria 2 (Group F)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 3, Iran 1 (Group F)

Switzerland 3, Honduras 0 (Group E)

Ecuador 0, France 0 (tie) (Group E)

June 26

Germany 1, United States 0 (Group G)

Portugal 2, Ghana 1 (Group G)

Belgium 1, South Korea 0 (Group H)

Algeria 1, Russia 1 (Group H)

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