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A look ahead to the rest of the USMNT’s summer

DonovanMexico (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                               Photo by ISIphotos.com

With the Confederations Cup in the rearview mirror now, we can start to look ahead to the rest of the summer for the U.S. men's national team.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off in a week, with the United States opening play against Grenada in Seattle. The U.S. Gold Cup team is largely a B team, but the tournament should still provide some insight into the status and progress of several key players, as well as helping identify some potential newcomers to the A-team pool.

After the Gold Cup comes a match most U.S. fans have been anxiously awaiting, the World Cup qualifier against Mexico at Estadio Azteca. After that, the U.S. team's full squad will play its first home game after the Confederations Cup against El Salvador at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah.

Here is a rundown of the U.S. team's scheduled (and potential) matches for the remainder of the summer:

JULY

  • 4th- vs. Grenada, Qwest Field, Seattle

  • 8th- vs. Honduras, RFK Stadium, Washington D.C.

  • 11th- vs. Haiti, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.

  • 18th- Gold Cup quarterfinals, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

  • 23rd- Gold Cup semifinals, Soldier Field, Chicago

  • 26th- Gold Cup Final, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

AUGUST

  • 12th- at Mexico, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

SEPTEMBER

  • 5th- vs. El Salvador, Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah

  • 9th- at Trinidad & Tobago, site TBD

What matches are you looking forward to the most the rest of this summer? Which match or matches will you make it to? Think the United States can finally win at Azteca? Starting to believe that the United States can roll through this scheduled undefeated? Worried about the B Team being able to win the Gold Cup?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Did anyone go to or watch the game Mexico played against Venezuela in Atlanta? I watched some on tv and it seemed like the Georgia Dome could handle a soccer game pretty well. Although I did think the field looked a little small.

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  2. Patrick, I saw Davies’ pass, and loved it, and I think he’s a very exciting player. In fact, I pretty much agree with you. I probably overstated my concern. His tenacity led to his goal, and he’s a handful for the defense. BUT he had several opportunities when he was double covered to pass off, especially to Donovan (and not just on Sunday), and he lost possession of the ball because he tried to do too much by himself. If he gets on the same page as Donovan, he’s money.

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  3. To Jack K. : We got our tickets through OLEOLE.com. Dudes, we need to get together in the DF and have a great time (before, during, and after the game).

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  4. Aug 12th – 44 days and counting. Excited? Maybe a little.

    I sure hope Deuce, Gooch, Demeritt, Spector and Altidore get to rest. Anybody else worried about our A team not getting enough rest. I mean the European based guys will have only some of July off, then play an entire club season, then play the WC. I hope they are exhausted by the time WC comes around!

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  5. @ Justice:

    Sorry man, gotta disagree with you regarding Beasley. He was an extremely solid player with the U.S. until about 2007. Since then, his performances have tailed off considerably. That’s not taking anything away from him either, he’s just not a viable option any more. He is slower, more tentative, and it’s apparent his skills are in decline. I would be absolutely shocked if he ever wore a U.S. jersey again. Thanks for your contributions to the national team, but I think your time is up Demarcus. Do the right thing and gracefully step aside.

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  6. The Gold Cup is hugely important. It’s hugely important for Adu. It’s hugely improtant for Cooper. It’s hugely important for any of the guys hoping to make the WC roster.

    Adu needs to make waves not only get on the good side of Bradley but to get a chance to play with whichever club he’s with next season.

    The enigma which is Kenny Cooper also needs the Gold Cup. We all love his talent but he needs to show Bradley something he hasn’t in his few underpar opportunities he’s been given.

    And Robbie Rogers. He needs to step up and fight for a national team spot. I also think Quaranta has an outside shot at impressing BB. He’s been playing freakish. Talk about heart, fire and drive.

    Yes, the Gold Cup will be important. The same people ripping the Gold Cup must be the same short sighted people who ripped the Copa America trip (which has proved to have been a very fortuidous roster selection by BB).

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  7. Yo I am getting really sick and effing tired of people just shi*ting on DaMarcus Beasley. The guy is quality and just in a really bad slump right now. Let’s not forget the role he played in the 2002 WC, the huge part he played in us clinching qualification for the 2006 WC (anyone remember that goal against Hexico at Crew Stadium), our lone goal from the run of play in the 2006 WC came from an inch perfect cross off his foot!What about the fact that he stepped right in at PSV and was one of their best players, played in a Champions League semi-final, and the fact that he stepped in at Rangers and immediately started making an impact? He got a crappy run of injuries and his career is definitely struggling right now but he can bounce back. F all of you who are so disrespectful to a guy who really did a lot to help this team get to where it is. You should really be ashamed of yourselves.

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  8. I’ll watch the Gold Cup just to see some of our young guys get a chance, but it kind of seems like a nothing tournament this time.

    If we can get a draw at Azteca, things are looking good for qualification. We should beat El Salvador pretty easily and I would hope we could win at T&T. I guess even if we lost @Azteca, we could be heading into the final 2 games with 16 points, which would almost be enough.

    Reply

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