Caribbean Cup 2016
This
tournament will again act as a qualifier for the 2017 Gold Cup. The top 4 teams
will get a bids to the tournament while the 5th place nation will
enter into a playoff game against the 5th place Central American Cup
finalist. This playoff is a great idea in the fact it creates more interest
between the 2 regions.
The
Draw: 4 teams were given byes (T&T, Jamaica, Haiti and St Vincent and the
Grenadines)
The first round : The
odd thing about the draw was that Group 1 has the 3 highest ranked teams (that
did not get byes) A&B , St Kitts and Aruba in the same group. A&B is in the drivers seat with a 1-0 over
Aruba. However anything could happen here with these teams.
Group 2: Grenada should cruise to an easy win here over US
Virgin Islands and lowly Sint Maarten. Anything else will be a big upset.
Group 3: Another quality group with Caribbean power Cuba, the
rich Bermuda nation and the South American participant French Guiana. Cuba has
the advantage with one win Bermuda in Havana. Unfortunately for Cuba they have
to travel to South America for their leg. We could see a changing of the guards here.
Group 4: Dominican Republic, Barbados and Curacao. Ugggg.
Barbados have been producing quality teams these last fee cycles, Playing the
yanks in the last World Cuip qualification. Curacao (formally Netherlands
Antilles) has that Dutch mentality and show technically sound teams. Barbados
slipped by the Dutch island 1-0 and lead this group. Dominican Republic has the
huge population of about 8 million and would make thing interesting if they
could get this population behind their team.
Group 5 The South American nation of Guyana should battle
Puerto Rico for top spot and both should get bye Anguilla. Nothing to report
here. Hopefully Puerto Rico can incorporate their domestic team Puerto Rico
inlanders players on the team and create interest on this heavly populated
island.
Group 6 Both Guadeloupe and Suriname will beat Saint Martin.
Group 7 Martinique and Dominica will both get by British
Virgin Islands. It is just a matter of who win the group.
The secnd round is where and when things get interesting.
Group
1 comment:
Hello, This is Andrew Dalglish from huanhuba.com, China's largest online football community. We are looking for journalists who could help us to cover this year's Copa America tournament in the USA, particularly the CONCACAF participants. Would you be interested in working with us? If so, you could send me an email - dalglish AT huanhuba DOT com
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