By IVES GALARCEP
The first ticket to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final will be awarded tonight when the U.S. Men’s National Team faces Honduras for the third time this year, in the Gold Cup semifinals in Dallas (7pm, Fox Soccer Channel/UniMas/Univision Deportes).
The Americans face the Catrachos for the second time in nearly a month, but the teams that will take the field at Dallas Cowboys Stadium tonight will be significantly different from the squads that faced off in the U.S. team’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying win vs. Honduras at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 18th.
The U.S. comes in riding high off a 5-1 thrashing of El Salvador in the quarterfinals, while Honduras enter after yet another close victory, a 1-0 nail-biter against Costa Rica.
SBI will be providing live commentary on tonight’s match so please feel free to follow the action here. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Tonight’s commentary is after the jump):
CONCACAF referees are the worst in the Universe.
Yo Wondo, I’m really happy for you…Imma let you finish, but Landon Donovan is the Golden Boot of this Gold Cup!
I’m glad Klinsmann doesn”t ignore the usual CONCACAF incompetent ,cheating referees like this beast in the ref outfit. When a bum like this ref ignores foul after foul after foul against the US it hurts the credibility of soccer. It makes soccer like more corrupt than boxing.
This Ref. is a joke
This Ref. stinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holy cow, I just noticed I don’t want to throw my tv out the window. HOW MUCH BETTER IS COBY JONES THAN HARKES!!!
Thank god for that.
Wtf??? Just happened with Klinsi?
what a joke
Heh. Holden tries an Adam Moffat, close but not quite!
Diskerud is a terrible experiment and should be thrown to the wolves. This guy should not represent any part of the US National team program.
Luis Gil!
I don’t think any player can play flawlessly every minute they are on the pitch.
Certainly not Brek Shea.
Don’t think you’ve watched the games in this tourney.
If anything, this tournament has shown us that Donovan will start in Brazil and Eddie has looked so good recently he will be the first sub off the bench if we need a goal.
Uhhhh, that foul on Shea was a red card, terrible no call.
I hope Shea gets playing time at Stoke this season, or goes on loan to somewhere he can get on the field. He has a lot of potential and I’d hate to see him miss out on the WC.
The referee didn’t call on a foul on a clear red card foul on Brek Shea.
Is brek shea are fernando torres
is that the US in a 4 3 3? 65th minute
Ohh man how can I forget him, I love El Gringo Torres, always have. He is WC material.
He needs to play at cm
Top players so far: EJ, LD and KB … in no particular order. Bedoya is also playing great.
Is Eddie Johnson bringing what we haven’t had since Davies
He really does stretch the field and with Dempsey, Donovan, and Altidore taking those spaces, it can be dangerous.
Warren Barton is a good analyst
I have to admit. After 45 minutes, it is clear we are much better without Wondo.
Not disagreeing, but Wondo hasn’t had the international exposure that Eddy has.
Man, remember those stressful years with Bob Bradley. This is way much more fun, but losing this GC will be devastating.
This version of the USMNT is playing as attractive soccer as we have seen in a long time. the fluidity is impressive. So when Goodson or Besler takes one of those long kicks over everyone. Beckerman is having a great game. Impressed.We want a 4-0 scoreline.
I really wish they held the Gold Cup earlier in the summer to allow our top tier players all a chance to be here, rather than preparing for club teams in Europe.
They aren’t there because there were three WCQ matches in June plus 3 friendlies. They were given a break after that.
Correction, 2 friendlies. Either way, they definitely earned a breather after those performances.
Great football by the USA, loving the energy, let’s score more in that 2nd half USA, CMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let’s not allow a silly goal first and keep the pressure.
I’ve never been his biggest fan (like many of you, I assume) but Beckerman has had a good tournament. Especially in the knockout rounds, so far. I’m not saying I’d have him be a starter with the full team, but at this point I wouldn’t mind him taking a roster spot at the World Cup.
We’ve been playing such good soccer since the Belgium game, interchanging, p@ssing, movement. Top notch soccer.
Orozco at Rb! Parkhurst is lost!
EJ with another beautiful flick on header. That’s two in two matches. That’s a very difficult skill that he’s never shown consistency with before. With his leaping ability, that’s a really, really valuable skill to have.
I HAVE A MAN-CRUSH ON LANDON DONOVAN!!!
+1 lol
Total donovation
+2
Lol. Trademark that.
Where has this Bedoya been throughout the tournament? Nice counter and aggressive play.
Oh Landon Donovan!
That was a PK for Holden.
Holden just isnt at 90 yet looking dangerous though. I really wanna see torres at cm. Bedoya step it up man!
I think they can compete with anyone now. Not because they are beating up on small fish, but they are pushing it more, taking chances. I think they have bought into Klinsmanns philosophy and now that they have tasted the goals, they are really hammering it. They are winning balls, playing hard, putting their foot on the throat, etc. I think it’s exciting.
Good teams will keep the ball a whole lot better than Honduras is right now.
Pessimist.
yea but good teams won’t hold the ball as much now like in the past.
We’ve been playing such good soccer since the Belgium game, interchanging, passing, movement. Top notch soccer.
http://firstrowus.eu/watch/197211/8/watch-usa-vs-honduras.html
We need Klinsi on the field…Player/Coach…Dude still has it…LOL…!!!
What is the USA’s starting line-up..??!! In Landon we trust!!!
————–EJ————
Torres——-LD—-Bedoya
—-Holden—-Beckerman
Beasley-Besler-Goodson-Parkhurst
———–Rimando————
Clinical finish from EJ!
That run he made was really nice. Almost looked like a designed play.
Yeah. What you expect from a professional. I said on this site a few years ago after EJ scored a goal in some cup match or something in Europe that it would be “newsy” if he started to contribute consistently at the club level. Fast forward to today… Glad he has found success back in MLS and demonstrating he is a worthy option for the NATS.
Cheers
CMON USA, Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool Mr. Eddie Johnson, that’s right!!!!!!!!! CMON USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My stream site isn’t working…someone please help!
Univision has a free stream
see below
signing off now, don’t want to see the happenings until I get a cold brew in my hand and a DVR running.
This games is going to say a lot about this gold cup USMNT. We all call it the B-Team but the US has never been such a dominating force in the Gold cup and this Honduras team comprising of coach Suarez and over 7-8 players that beat us in February and gave us a run for our money in June (Altidore scored the only goal) are on this team. This game is not going to be a walk in the park………with that being said if we win in dominating fashion, If we keep possession and keep playing fluent attacking football, a lot of “A-Team” players are going to be up for a battle to reserve their spot on the plane to Brazil
The only mild surprise I see is Bedoya. It would have been foolish to play EJ on the wing and Gonzales just met the team in camp yesterday. They probably want to get him ready for the final. As for Bedoya, I’m guessing they want some fresh legs and to have Corona ready for the final. If you have been watching carefully, Klinsmann has been rotating his three CMs every game so they don’t have much mileage this tournament going into Sunday.
I love that Klinsi always picks lineups that leave us all scratching our heads, and yet the USA has had its most successful year in USMNT history. That’s why we pundits are pundits and Klinsi flies his own helicopter to practice.
In Klinsi We Trust.
To be fair, Juergen’s first year was full of head-scratchers and disappointments. I think he’s learned the pool much better now, and that seems to be why he’s doing so well.
Agree. He didn’t respect CONCACAF at first. His team now comes out of camp prepared instead of overtrained. GOAL!!! EJ!!
Trying out many options is how one learns the pool. The time to do that is the year before qualifying. He is till tinkering, but I think he has found a good balance between experimenting/giving new guys opportunities, trying different formations/strategies and still doing what it takes to qualify for WC. Makes for a harder road, but in the end he has a better idea what and who works and what and who does not. Will serve us well as we go along.
I give Klinnsmann credit for calling and playing the right players recently. However, many of us have been calling for more skilled players (Torres, Corona, Castillo, Mixx and Bedoya) for a long time. Klinnsmann has taken over a US program where there’s more depth than ever.
I wish Landon was getting a rest. Poor boy is gonna be “knackered.” Here’s to pouring it on early & often.
He’ll probably ask for another sabatical.
“Hate hate hate!” — Silky Johnson
Lulz
Scratching my head on Bedoya over Corona, & a bit surprised that Gonzo didn’t get the start, but in Klinsmann I trust, CMON USA!!!!!!!!
He is saving Corona for the Final.
GO USA!!!!
I like Bedoya but not on the right side. He doesn’t seem comfortable. I would put him on the left or in the middle.
Smh at that comment. Lol bedoya in the middle, what!
To the left yes, I want Corona out to the right…..but i guess why change what’s been working leave Torres out there….he’s gotta take better FK’s though.