Teema: US Under 21 Team

Congratulations.

Today, a qualification game against Portugal. Portugal have better shooting than we do, but I'm going to do yet something else tactically that may help us a little. Should be a great game!

I'm happy to be corrected, but I think today's 31-21 win over Netherlands essentially sealed the deal for qualifying. My logic is thus: given today's results, and the fact the next game against China will be a 10-0 forfeit in our favor, we cannot possibly end up with fewer than 10 points in the standings. In the scenarios I have run, we always end up no worse than third with 10 points, meaning we've basically already qualified!

Congratulations and good luck in the next round!

You should be able to rest the team for the rest of this round.

Today's 27-25 positive result against Portugal on the road was an unexpected boost. We played the backup lineup, fully expecting to lose, in order to rest the main guys. We didn't need that win at all, but it was nice to know those guys can hack it.

Getting started with Germany in the preliminary round of the WC this Saturday!

In glancing at the roster we'll have next year, I can tell you we're only returning 11 players from this season's squad, and I only see eight players coming up from the U19 team. This means we have up to eleven spots open, so if you think your guy(s) might have a shot, please send me a message or link to him here!

Well the vast majority of the U21 WC games went down as 0-0 draws....something isn't right lol!

After a much-needed win over Sweden, we're now in third, right behind Germany on goal differential. We've got Slovakia and then Romania left in group play. Very likely, but by no means secured, even if we lose both we will advance. Nonetheless, we want to aim for at least third in our group, IMO. In order to do that, we must most likely win one of the last two games (it's possible to retain third with only a draw, but better to aim for the win!). Here goes nothing!

A win tomorrow over Romania means either a second or third-place finish in the group stage. A loss means either third, fourth, or fifth place (with fourth being the most likely scenario). A draw means third or fourth. Here's hoping!

In an absolutely maddening turn, given our heartbreaking losses to Slovakia (by 1) and Romania (by 3 after leading by 2 at halftime), Sweden needed to defeat Slovakia by at least 5 in order to have a shot at bumping us out. Slovakia obliged and lost by 7, meaning we will not advance for the second consecutive season. Extremely frustrating, but it makes sense considering Slovakia had the top spot wrapped up and there was no need for them to expend any excess energy. I'm not 100% sure what I could have done differently, except for changing the strategy a bit for the first two games.