November 2011 Preview: North America-Group 6

Standings



World Ranking/Change from Previous Rank

Antigua/Barbuda-90th (Up 11), 10th N. America (Even)
Curacao-171st (Up 7), 28th N. America (Up 1)
Haiti-107th (Up 1), 15th N. America (Down 3)
U.S. Virgin Islands-169th (Down 18), 27th N. America (Down 4)

Schedule

September 2, 2011

• Curacao 2-5 Antigua/Barbuda
• U.S. Virgin Islands 0-6 Haiti

September 6, 2011

• Haiti 4-2 Curacao
• Antigua/Barbuda 8-1 U.S. Virgin Islands

October 7, 2011

• Haiti 7-0 U.S. Virgin Islands
• Antigua/Barbuda 1-0 Curacao

October 11, 2011

• Curacao 2-2 Haiti
• U.S. Virgin Islands 0-10 Antigua/Barbuda

November 11, 2011

• Haiti at Antigua/Barbuda
• Curacao at U.S. Virgin Islands

November 15, 2011

• Antigua/Barbuda at Haiti
• U.S. Virgin Islands at Curacao

November Games:

Game 9
Curacao at U.S. Virgin Islands
November 11, 2011
Time: 3:00 pm EST
Location: Paul E. Joseph Stadium, Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands

Game 10
Haiti at Antigua/Barbuda
November 11, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm EST
Location: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St. John's, Antigua/Barbuda

Game 11
U.S. Virgin Islands at Curacao
November 15, 2011
Time: 7:00 pm EST
Location: Stadion Ergilio Hato, Willemstad, Curacao

Game 12
Antigua/Barbuda at Haiti
November 15, 2011
Time: 8:00 pm EST
Location: Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Don't let the rankings up top fool you. Curacao-USVI will be just as ugly as every other game USVI has played this round. Curacao tied Haiti and barely lost to Antigua in October. Also that month, those same 2 teams defeated USVI by a combined 17-0. Curacao will surely pick up their first win(s) of qualifying this month.

But the real matchup is between Haiti-Antigua/Barbuda, who square off with the group on the line. Four groups are still to be decided in CONCACAF Round 2 but this one is likely to be the most evenly matched and entertaining. 2 points separate the teams and they've combined to score 43 goals in 8 games, while giving up just 7. Haiti-Antigua promises to be a high-scoring affair with both teams giving 100% to try and advance to Round 3.

Final Standing Predictions:

a-Antigua/Barbuda-15 pts
xHaiti-13 pts
x-Curacao-7 pts
x-U.S. Virgin Islands-0 pts

Advantage going in to this month goes to Antigua. With a 2 point advantage, they only need to win 1 game whereas Haiti must grab a win and at least a draw in the other. Antigua can pour it on offensively and I think they'll find the back of the net enough to secure at least 1 win against Haiti. First game will be played in Antigua, and they would love to have the group wrapped up before heading to Port-au-Prince.