Today guest blogger KWeb delves into the wild world of soccer to explain why you should care that Canada and Guadeloupe are facing off today. Are you ready?
With all of the hockey madness, a really good NBA finals, and baseball season in full swing, I imagine you are dying to know what is going on in the world of Canadian soccer. Boy! Am I glad you asked…
Right now, Canada is playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the winner of which earns the right to play in the Confederations Cup in 2013.
Huh?
Well, you see, international soccer is an onion the size of the biggest onion you’ve ever seen, with many, many…many layers. So let’s start peeling.
Being a global game, the soccer world is divided into different regions. CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) is the governing body for the national soccer teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The other five regions are: CONMEBOL (South America), UEFA (Europe), CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia) and OFC (Oceania). One of the primary functions of these associations is to stage qualifying games to see who gets to participate in the World Cup. For example, last year, the United States, Mexico and Honduras all qualified for the World Cup in South Africa from the CONCACAF region.
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| Canada's 2000 Gold Cup win - check out the size of that trophy! |
Moving along, the Gold Cup is held to determine the CONCACAF regional champion, who subsequently gets an invitation to the Confederations Cup, a high-level international tournament that is held the year before the World Cup in the host nation’s country. (Brazil is holding the World Cup in 2014, so they will host the Confederations Cup in 2013 – you might say it’s a World Cup dress rehearsal.) The Confederations Cup is made up of eight teams: the six regional champions, the reigning World Cup Champions, and the World Cup host nation. So far three teams have qualified: Brazil (World Cup host), Spain (World Cup champs) and Japan (Asian regional champs).
Long story short, in international soccer in general, and CONCACAF in particular, the Gold Cup is a big deal.
How is Canada doing?
Well, not surprisingly, Canada lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the first game of the Gold Cup last Tuesday in Detroit. The U.S. certainly deserved to win, but Canada had some chances and maybe if a few breaks had gone their way the outcome might have been different. But, on the other hand, Canada has not beaten the U.S. since 1985, and hasn’t beaten them on U.S. soil since 1957. So maybe not.
Long story short, in international soccer in general, and CONCACAF in particular, the Gold Cup is a big deal.
How is Canada doing?
Well, not surprisingly, Canada lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the first game of the Gold Cup last Tuesday in Detroit. The U.S. certainly deserved to win, but Canada had some chances and maybe if a few breaks had gone their way the outcome might have been different. But, on the other hand, Canada has not beaten the U.S. since 1985, and hasn’t beaten them on U.S. soil since 1957. So maybe not.
Next up for Canada is a match versus Guadeloupe (a real country…look it up) today, and then Panama on Tuesday. Both are winnable games, but Canada’s recent record in international soccer is, um, terrible, so don’t hold your breath.
In any case, international soccer is the world game, and fully epic.
So enjoy the onion.
In any case, international soccer is the world game, and fully epic.
So enjoy the onion.
