2015 Gold Cup

Yep, kudos to Cuba for the absence of dirty play & gamesmanship. And for getting out of the group stage with a defense as brutal as theirs (how bad must Guatemala have been?). I'm pretty sure that was the worst performance I've ever seen from a cb pairing on the international or professional level.

Good to see the goals flow for us though. While none will likely come as easy going forward, putting the ball in the net only helps confidence.

The surprise of the Cup for me had been Haiti, but they reverted to form last night. Their ability to play to their pace has improved, but they're still too deficient technically and their finishing is almost nonexistent.

Bring on the Reggae Boys.

 

You've got to wonder how long before a keeper just stands his ground on Clint.

As far as the match goes my mom would have said about Cuba in the most complimentary manner ..... "They tried." Cuba really did try so kudos to them but they were no match for the US.

 

I didn't realize that Guatemalan refs celebrate Christmas in July. Until Walter Lopez gifted Mexico their trip to the semis, that is.

 

Went to bed before all the excitement, so I've been poring over as many replays as I can find and, I've got to say, I don't see a penalty. Someone on the the Fox Sports website comments had the gall to suggest that there was a shirt pull, but I didn't see that, either. Nor did I see the replay of the supposed red card penalty that should have been called on Peralta 11 minutes earlier. I also read somewhere that it was the assistant referee on the far sideline, an American, that actually called the penalty. Even if true, and I can't find any other substantiation, it's still the referee's final call, correct? To me, what's happened up to that point in the match is somewhat irrevelant, i.e., the winning team played better so they deserved it. Who's to say what anyone or any team deserve in an athletic contest? Happens all the time in sports. The Ticos got screwed, imho. It happens. And if the United States ever makes it to a World Cup final, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet.....

 

You cannot, simply cannot as a referee, with a good conscience call a "non-clear" penalty in the box after 120 minutes of play. Check the bank accounts, that has dirty all over it...and why I think so: Peralta did a two leg hack in the midfield in extra time, and arguably could've been sent off for it, however, a few Costa Ricans already on yellows could've received sendings off as well. It seemed the ref was open to let the sides play it out, however, a cross that, arguably couldn't be put in the net, generates a questionable call in 120+ minutes. I may be a skeptic sometimes, but this has skeptical etched in it by dirty paws. Good luck with Panama, El Tri.

 

The mere fact there was 2 minutes of extra time on top of the 'extra time' was a joke, so in the 121st minute to get that call was borderline criminal. El Tri totally dominated the second half and should of scored, but CR was the better side in the first and blew a couple of their own chances.

 

What moron schedules our semi on a weeknight at 5pm cdt?

 

I didn't even realize we were playing until I saw on twitter that it was almost over

 

Tough break. Those 2 Jamaican goals were beauties. We had a couple of good chances (Bradley, Bacon) that didn't come off & well, that's football. Didn't like the Gordon sub as it made us too direct & I don't think that's really our game.

But congrats to the Reggae Boys, their program has really come along in recent years. If we have to lose to someone, I'm least bothered by it being them. Now go beat Mexico or Panama.

 

Quarterfinals
Sunday, July 19, 2015
USA 6-0 Cuba
Haiti 0 - 1Jamaica
Monday, July 20, 2015
Trinidad 1 - 1 Panama
Mexico 1 - 0 Costa Rica
Semifinals
Thursday, July 23, 2015
USA VS Jamaica
Panama VS Mexico
Third Place
Sunday, July 26, 2015
PPL PARK
Final
Monday, July 27, 2015
LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD

 

When I analyze the stench, to me it makes a lot of sense...

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/futbologia/status/624081107181371392/photo/1

Seems Panama have some thoughts. Can't say as I blame them. The fans throwing items from the stands at the Panama team was disgraceful, as well. Hardly unexpected though as the El Tri faithful have been allowed to do it at home games for so long.

 

I spent much of the match in the chat room alone . This was a pretty tough match to analyze in terms of who was the better side after Jamaica took a 2-0 lead since Jamaica pretty much sat back in their half absorbing the US attack. The US started the match looking like they would take the lead at some point with a fairly vibrant attack but they couldn't find a finish. Aron almost made Jamaica's keeper pay for trying to be cute with his foot work and Fabian forced a fingertip save on a curling right footer but then the bottom fell out for the US for 5 to 10 minutes and they could never quite claw their way back to even.

Brooks and/or Alvarado once again had a momentary lapse that left a man a little to unmarked for the first goal against. Credit for the well placed header to score because Guzan had no chance of stopping the shot that hit the right post before falling into instead of outside of the US keeper's goal. In the end I thought it was Brooks that should have challenged the goal scorer but someone else can chime in and set me straight if I am wrong since center back tactics are not my forte. Kudos to Giles Barnes on a beautiful free kick for the second goal. I won't complain about the call but I can't say I have ever seen that call made on a keeper before yesterday and man did Jamaica make it hurt.

The early second the half US goal accompanied by the shaky Jamaica goal tending had me believing a second US goal was coming but it never arrived despite Bradley's best attempt to put both the ball and the keeper into the net on one shot. Good luck to the Regge Boyz against El Tri. I have a feeling they will unfortunately need it.

 

I'm gonna be honest, I don't give a crap about the Gold Cup. We were due for a match like this and frankly, I'm glad it happened now instead of later on in the World Cup cycle. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising that there are some numbskulls hollering for Klinsmann's sacking. Suppose it's just the world we live in.
I will say this. It seems obvious that Alvarado and Brooks are not world class players...yet. Whether they ever will be is the question, I suppose. I realize Brooks has a World Cup game winning goal to his credit, but he IS (or is supposed to be), first and foremost, a defender. A defender whose starting spot on his club team is not exactly chiseled in stone. It'll be interesting to see how JK manages the 3rd place match. I suspect we'll see little, if any, of Deuce and possibly even Guzan, Zardes and Bradley. And I'm OK with that.

 

My thoughts are all over the place so here goes:

What the heck is this 11th hour playoff between the US & Gold Cup Winner (ie Mexico) in October where the winner goes to the Confed Cup? Total horse manure. (More on that dumb competition below)

I did not watch a minute of last nights game due to the 6pm EST kickoff, but here's a HOT TAKE: the result is meaningless. No that's not an excuse for the performance/result.

Another HOT TAKE: the Gold Cup is meaningless. Winning it to enter the Confederations Cup, a glorified set of scrimmages created to make FIFA more money, is also meaningless (Brazil won big in 2013 only to post it's biggest embarrassment in the actual competition, the WC). We've done no better/worse in the WC than whether we played in the Confed Cup or not. I'd rather see the US regularly compete in the Copa America than the Gold Cup.

The way the ecosphere is set up, the only thing that really matters for the USA is 3 games every four years; and then each additional game pending their advancement. That's really it. We're never not going to qualify for a World Cup; especially when they expand the # of teams for 2022 (that's just my opinion/projection). And so we're going to be stuck in the same pool with Asia until FIFA dissolves.

Finally for the all the knives out for JK: shelve them. He's not going anywhere because he is Sunil's boy, and Sunil is a total hack and empty suit. Latest example: when he sent his unprepared flak to that kids-gloves congressional hearing.

 

So many things to critique (I won't call for anybody's head after this, no need overall), and as already noted, Jamaica were no slouches. However, the missed passes or poor touches throughout the match by the US came back to bite them in the ass. There were many of them (players not on the same page, trying to be too fancy, or simply a lack of skill) and if one or two of those situations are played properly the US has two or three goals. Kudos to Jamaica, mon.