American Samoa-t-203rd, t-10th Oceania
Cook Islands-196th, 8th Oceania
Samoa-t-203rd, t-10th Oceania
Tonga-201st, 9th Oceania
Schedule
November 22, 2011
- Tonga vs. American Samoa
- Samoa vs. Cook Islands
November 24, 2011
- Cook Islands vs. American Samoa
- Tonga vs. Samoa
November 26, 2011
- American Samoa vs. Samoa
- Cook Islands vs. Tonga
Past International Records
American Samoa
- 2011 to date: 0-4-0
- 2010 WC Qualifying/Finals: 0-4-0
- vs. Group opponents: 0-15-0
Cook Islands
- 2011 to date: 0-3-0
- 2010 WC Qualifying/Finals: 0-3-0
- vs. Group opponents: 6-3-3
Samoa
- 2011 to date: 0-2-0
- 2010 WC Qualifying/Finals: 2-2-0
- vs. Group opponents: 12-4-2
Tonga
- 2011 to date: 0-0-0
- 2010 WC Qualifying/Finals: 1-3-0
- vs. Group opponents: 10-6-3
Team Glimpses
American Samoa
I tend to use hyperbole a lot but I think I'm well within my rights in saying that they are the worst national team in the world, period. Forget the 0-15 record against group opponents lifetime, American Samoa are still searching for their first win against anyone. EVER. In 30 games in their history, they have 30 losses and have given up 229 goals in the process, good for nearly an 8 goals allowed per game average. Preliminary rounds exist in Oceania qualifying because of a 31-0 win Australia posted over American Samoa 10 years ago in a 2002 World Cup Qualifier. I could go on but I think the point is clear.In the worst confederation in the world, American Samoa find themselves squarely at the bottom of the ladder.
Cook Islands
Bombed out of the recent 2011 South Pacific Games, overwhelmed by the upper echelon of OFC members. Before those games in September, you must go back to June 2009 to when they last played, picking up a win and a draw over Tonga. Not an elite team by any stretch but they can hold their own against the calibre of opponent they'll face in this group. Holds a .500 or better record against every other member of the group.
Samoa
Tied at the bottom of the FIFA ranking after having played just 2 games in the past 4 years, both of them losses to Fiji. Samoa is better than their ranking, but with so little information regarding their current form, it is unknown just how much better they can be. Last major competition was in 2010 qualifying where they matched a pair of losses to Vanuatu and Solomon Islands with a pair of wins over groupmates American Samoa and Tonga. Samoa has the benefit of being the host nation for Round 1, a factor that should play to their advantage in this group.
Tonga
Like Samoa, have played just two games since last qualifying campaign, winning neither. American Samoa was their lone win in 2010 qualifying but by the slimmest margin of any other team in that group. Not that it necessarily means anything when you only win 4-0, but Tonga does not have the strongest record against either Samoa or Cook Islands and appears to be the clear-cut 3rd place team in the group.
November Games:
*-Round 1 follows a single round-robin format at a central location in Samoa. All games will be played in Apia, Samoa.
Tonga vs. American Samoa
November 22, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
Game 2
Samoa vs. Cook Islands
November 22, 2011
Time: 8:30 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
Game 3
Cook Islands vs. American Samoa
November 24, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
Game 4
Tonga vs. Samoa
November 24, 2011
Time: 8:30 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
Game 5
American Samoa vs. Samoa
November 26, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
Game 6
Cook Islands vs. Tonga
November 26, 2011
Time: 8:30 pm EST
Location: Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa
It's a 4-team group and while I won't yet discount Tonga, I would wager that the winner of the Samoa-Cook Islands game on Day 1 will go on to win the group. They have the two best records against the rest of the group, and Samoa also carries home field advantage.
Final Standing Predictions:
a-Samoa-9 ptsx-Cook Islands-6 pts
x-Tonga-3 pts
x-American Samoa-0 pts
Entirely guesswork with the exception of the American Samoa games who I'm confident will lose every one. Samoa and Cook Islands are historically better then Tonga but playing so few games recently makes it impossible to gauge who is better right now. Gave the group to Samoa in large part because they host the round, but any of the top three teams could realistically win the group. Winner of the group will advance to Group 1 of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup to join New Caledonia, Tahiti and Vanuatu. The Nations Cup will double as Round 2 of OFC qualifying.
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