This year has taught us just how valuable getting to the Confederations Cup can be (cf Onyewu, Davies). Although Mexico, Honduras, and the US have sent B/C teams to the Gold Cup, they will all want to win as much as Costa Rica, whose A-team selection shows how important this tournament is to them. Mexico's Javier Aguirre in particular has something to prove.
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 18 July – Philadelphia | ||||||||||
 Canada | 0 | |||||||||
| 23 July – Chicago | ||||||||||
 Honduras | 1 | |||||||||
| Honduras | 1 | |||||||||
| 18 July – Philadelphia | ||||||||||
 United States | 2 | |||||||||
| United States (a.e.t.) | 2 | |||||||||
| 26 July – East Rutherford, New Jersey | ||||||||||
 Panama | 1 | |||||||||
| US | 1 | |||||||||
| 19 July – Arlington | ||||||||||
| Mexico | 2 | |||||||||
 Guadeloupe | 1 | |||||||||
| 23 July – Chicago | ||||||||||
 Costa Rica | 5 | |||||||||
| Costa Rica | 0 | |||||||||
| 19 July – Arlington | ||||||||||
 Mexico | 1 | |||||||||
| Mexico | 4 | |||||||||
 Haiti | 0 | |||||||||
THE GAMES
1) The forgotten game: Honduras vs Canada
The favored black horses were downed by a Honduran B-team. I didn't see the game, but it looks to me like Canada were robbed (although Stalteri and Sutton were always their weakest links). According to the numbers, those two shots were the only opportunities Honduras generated all game. It's unfortunate because Canada looked capable of making a deep run, one which might have livened up the competition. Gerba and de Guzman still showed very well over the past few weeks.
2) A hard-fought victory: US vs Panama
After falling behind, the US came out with the result expected of them. It was a gritty performance from a group of players whose international inexperience hardly showed. The only players who looked out of place were Rogers and Pause. Panama, for its part, played a good, physical game, although they eventually wilted under the heat and constant pressure, and their end-game shenanigans were foolish. Ricardo Phillips is funny.
3) The Forgotten Game, Part Two: Costa Rica vs Guadaloupe
Poor Guadalupe. On the other hand, well done by Costa Rica. This Borges kid is looking good.
4) Mexico grows in stature: Mexico vs Haiti
Mexico clinically dispatched the same Haiti team whose pace and verve gave the US fits. The final score was 4-0. Gio Dos Santos looks to be hitting his form after a season spent mostly on the bench at Tottenham, and regularly creates havoc wherever he runs. Meanwhile, Miguel Sabah can't stop scoring goals: between Morelia and Mexico, the 29-year-old striker has registered 15 goals in 24 games this calendar year (including some off the bench). In the back, Memo Ochoa looks as assured as ever. Although Mexico didn't really impress during the group stages, that counts for little. Mexico progressed through some ugly games and got the necessary results; now they will be wanting the US's scalp. A side note: I would like to see more of Carlos Vela.
***
More on US-Panama
How low can we go?The US is losing players to preseason left and right, with Steve Cherundolo, Michael Parkhurst, Freddy Adu, Charlie Davies, and Benny Feilhaber all gone from the squad now. You have to wonder at what point Bob Bradley will bring in his extra players, such as Altidore. The other players that Bradley has an option to call in: Guzan, Casey, Bornstein, Kljestan, and Clark. Really, Clark, Altidore, and Guzan are the only players of those who I see offering potential upgrades. Unfortunately, what the US could really do with would be defensive reinforcements. Jay Heaps did fine against Panama, but I can't get the thought of him doing pirouttes versus Haiti out of my head. [Updated July 21: Bradley has called Parkhurst back to replace the concussed Jimmy Conrad.]
Player-by-player
- I have never seen someone look as obviously concussed as Jimmie Conrad. Poor guy.
- The defense did well. Chad Marshall is forcing himself into Bob Bradley's plans. Meanwhile, it was a relief to see Pearce slotting into left back. These next games will be very important to Pearce's NT future. Goodson looked classy; Heaps didn't make any glaring errors that I can remember. The goal wasn't really anyone's fault.
- Perkins looked very good.
- I didn't see the pregame line-ups, and it took my friend and I about 45 minutes to figure out Logan Pause was on the field. We knew that there was a fourth midfielder somewhere, but we never heard his name. Bad sign. At least Pause seemed to improve as time wore on.
- Kyle Beckerman: well struck, young man. However, he clearly tired a bit by the end; I wanted to see Bradley push him back into defensive midfield to distribute from deep and quarterback the game. Pause could have come off, with Quaranta coming on and Holden tucking in centrally to allow for this formation.
- Robbie Rogers: after such as promising Gold Cup start, Ro-yers was buffeted about by physical Panamanians. Unable to get past his man, he took to cutting the ball back and serving in right-footers that bent straight towards the goalkeeper. What he really needs to do is keep working the sideline so he can provide left-footed outswingers that force the keeper to come off his line. Perhaps part of the problem is that Rogers is naturally right-footed, despite his alleged ambidexterity?
- Davy Arnaud looked like a man possessed. He showed speed, workrate, strength in the air, and good decision making. I really liked to see him dropping deep to fight for the ball in midfield. However, you have to remember that this can be a two-edged sword; anytime Arnaud is winning back the ball in midfield, Brian Ching is essentially alone up front. Also, the midfielders have less space to work. I think this is part of the reason the US struggled to close out this game, even though Arnaud was generating chances-- including the one Beckerman tucked away. I certainly want to see more of the Texan.
- Kenny Cooper: just hasn't been feeling it on the national stage, but hopefully his well-earned and well-struck penalty will infuse him with the confidences to put away his chances and stash his long-range sniper rifle.
- Holden and Ching: we already know what these guys offer, and the Dynamos lived up to their name. Holden will only continue to grow.
- Blas Perez, to fan: "Dime la camiseta, mocoso."
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