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USMNT to meet Cuba in Gold Cup quarterfinals

photo by Sam Sharpe/USA Today Sports

By FRANCO PANIZO

The U.S. Men’s National Team has been waiting to learn its opponent for the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals since last Friday, but the Americans now have an answer as to who they will face.

The U.S. learned on Wednesday night that it will meet Cuba in the first round of the knockout stages after the Caribbean nation stunned Guatemala, 1-0, in their Group C finale on Wednesday night.

Maikel Reyes scored Cuba’s first and only goal thus far in this Gold Cup in the 73rd minute, and it was enough to secure a spot in the next round as the second-best third-placed team in the tournament. Guatemala was eliminated with the result.

The Americans, who won Group A after just two rounds of games, will meet Cuba on Saturday (5 pm ET, Fox) in the quarterfinals. The match will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Cubans will enter the match with plenty of confidence after their emotional win over Guatemala, but will be serious underdogs. Cuba reached the knockout phase of the competition with a 1-2 record that saw it concede eight times while scoring just once.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s side, by contrast, went 2-0-1 with four goals in favor and two against.

Should the American defeat Cuba as expected, they will face another Caribbean nation in the semifinals. Jamaica and Haiti will square off in Saturday’s other quarterfinals encounter at M&T Bank Stadium, and the winner will meet the U.S. on July 22 in Atlanta.

The U.S. already played Haiti in this tournament, winning, 1-0, off a goal from Clint Dempsey in the two nations’ second game of the group stage.

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What do you think about the U.S. facing Cuba in the quarterfinals? Surprised that the Cubans shocked Guatemala? Could the path to the Gold Cup final be any easier for the Americans?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Thanks GW Nope got old fashioned cable but I think/hope we have Univision.. When I get home will ck? Nowhere else right?

    Reply
    • I though Univision was available over the air (used to be anyway). Highlights should be available online but if you want to watch whole match I think Univision rebroadcast will be the only way. Fox couldn’t even be bothered showing it on FS1 so no help there.

      Reply
  2. Does anyone know if the TT game VS Mexico is re broadcast if so where? I was at work.. Sounds like I missed a great game? Thanks in advance

    Dave

    Reply
    • UNIVISION tends to run replays of the games in pairs

      If you get DIrect TV go to UNIViSION and scroll through their guide.The will rebroadcast it at 3:00 PM (ET) today and then probably again later at night.

      Of course they are in Spanish which makes it more fun to watch.

      Reply
  3. Klinsmann has more lives than a cat. We play like crap for 3 games, he calls in 3 stiffs for help and he has the easiest possible draws for the knockout stage. Almost insures we make the finals while the other side of the bracket kill themselves to get there. So at the end of the day, JK will get a pass on bungled player selections and credit for “winning” the Gold Cup. Anything less that making the final is an epic FAIL or just a normal fail if we get there and lose. Watched Mexico and TnT and either of them could beat us easily.

    Without this lucky draw, we could have been knocked out by several other teams we havent faced yet and JK would have to take the heat… Not so much now…9 lives

    Reply
    • Was Klinsmann lucky to have the US in the toughest group in the Gold Cup? Lucky to get in the Group of Death in the World Cup? Lucky to draw Belgium in the Round of 16? Lucky to beat Mexico in Mexico, Italy in Italy, Holland in Holland, Germany in Germany, and so on?

      Reply
      • How was our group the toughest? We squeaked by two and tied a third. Congrats JK… youre doing a fine job. From what I saw last night, both Mexico and TnT are playing better than us

      • What makes you say that?

        Mexico couldn’t handle a cheesy Guatemala side, beat an undermanned and disoriented Cuba and gave up 4 goals to TNT after going up 2-0 on them.

        I would not say Mexico are playing well.at all.

      • I should have added a Guatemala side that starts a 50 year old center forward who is slower than you.

  4. I was watching Guatemala vs. Cuba in a bar with the sound off. Does anyone know why Guatemala’s equalizer was waived off? Was it called a high kick?

    Entertaining game between Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago yesterday by the way.

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  5. Actually, I think that Mexico caught a break when they let TT equalize at the end of the game. That draw gives them Los Tico’s instead of Panama, a team that mexico has struggled mightily with including two consecutive defeats, not to mention including their last Gold Cup matchup. Los Tico’s although being given more respect, especially after their WC run, now has a different coach, Navas is out, Bryan Ruiz will be out (Yellow Cards) and they’ve basically played like crap during this Gold Cup thus far. Just speaking matchups, I think El Tri lucked out and actually matches better vs Tico’s… and probably wants nothing to do with Los Canales.

    Reply
    • Just may mean they get Panama in the semis instead of the quarters. Panama – and T&T – are on their side of the bracket.

      Mexico is going to have an extremely difficult next two games, and they’re going to be beat up if they make it all the way to the finals. Herrerra also doesn’t rotate much, and now that it’s win-or-die against tough teams, he absolutely cannot. They’re also going to be on a day’s less rest than anyone else because they played in Group C.

      The odds are very, very high Mexico goes down before the final. Whereas the USA will almost certainly coast through Cuba and while Jamaica has played well, it’s hard to see a thin Jamaica (or Haiti) squad that will be on their fifth match of the tournament doing well against the US on US soil.

      Reply
      • It looked like that a in 2007 didn’t it. They had to come from behind to beat Cuba 2-1. They lost to Honduras. And in their last game had to scored in the 2nd half to keep from finishing as the 3rd place team. After that they had to scored in extra time to beat Costa Rica in the QF and then score in the 70th of the semi’s against Guadalupe to make it to the finals.

        Unfortunately their best performances came in the finals of 2009 and 2011 against us, but they don’t have a real amazing record in Gold Cups. When they won their group they’ve won the final, when they haven’t we have.

  6. Glad we’re not playing Guatemala just for the fact that I don’t think I could handle watching Carlos Ruiz flop around and try and hurt our players for 90 minutes.

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    • Maybe it was 2011, but I remember one game with Guatemala where Ruiz committed a really dirty foul on a US player. He was still in the MLS at the time and I kept hoping that he would get payback from a US international in an MLS game. He really deserved it. Basically a cheap shot artist..

      Reply
  7. i’m not saying “it’s good” or “it’s bad”. but, it has become a regular thing. and it’s how we got osvaldo alonso. if you weren’t aware, read up a bit. it’s interesting and it’s true!

    2002 Rey Ángel Martínez, Alberto Delgado

    2005 Maykel Galindo

    2007 Osvaldo Alonso, Lester Moré

    2011 Yosniel Mesa

    2015 Keiler García and Arael Argüellez

    they also defected during the 1999 pan-american games and during olympic qualifiers, most notably in 2008 when 6-7 of their players defected, according to wikipedia.

    links:
    Defection changed Osvaldo Alonso’s life forever 1
    Alonso wishes he could play Friday night against Canada
    http://www.torontosun.com/2012/10/11/defection-changed-cubans-life-forever

    Osvaldo Alonso’s journey from Cuba to Sounders ‘a little crazy’
    http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/osvaldo-alonsos-journey-from-cuba-to-sounders-a-little-crazy/

    List of Cuban soccer players who have defected to the United States
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cuban_soccer_players_who_have_defected_to_the_United_States

    Cuba down to 16 in Gold Cup squad, as another player may have defected
    http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/09/cuba-down-to-16-players-for-gold-cup-as-another-defects-in-chicago/

    Reply
    • now that US-cuba political channels are open, the flow of people between them countries will increase. fidel Castro dont forget, he will put a hit on all those who previously defected…

      Reply
    • Speaking of El Comandante, I recall you mentioning you were going to “switch your name” during the Gold Cup to avoid arguments (or some excuse related to that).

      While imitation is the highest form of flattery, I’m willing to bet if the SBI staff checks the ISP’s on the follow article (as they used to back in the day): http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/07/scoreless-guatemala-trinidad.html – I’d bet my last dollar “Fagermunsen” is “El Comandante” and the “Old School” in the linked article is “El Comandante”.

      I don’t have a clue who Oribe Peralta is and I’d never use “>>>>>” in a post. Stop being a skirt and hiding behind usernames and stop being embarrassed by Mexico’s performance. The same Mexico you said was the best in the region (by some distance).

      Reply
      • Looking at that thread: “chivaslife” is probably the same person too. Same sort of chauvinistic, misogynisic junk.

      • now wait just a minute here: how do we know *you’re* not el comandante?

        oh yeah, you haven’t called anybody a f–gg–t. carry on, then.

      • The names used are meaningless. Everyone here can be brave and hide behind their pseudonyms. Internet Courage.

        UCLA Bruin Great and El Comandante don’t comment much if Klinsmann is doing well.

        Maybe they are the same person.

        If you want them back root for the US to lose.

    • Exactly. And for those who haven’t seen it, I imagine that somewhere on the internet is a video of his headed goal to win the game against Club America last Saturday. Further proof of his utility.

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    • We have had little crossing to date. I see no reason for Gordon at all. I cringe at the thought of a Wondo-Gordon pairing

      Put Corona on the field and there will be even less attack

      Reply
      • “We have had little crossing to date”

        That of course, is an iron clad guarantee that the USMNT will never use the cross again.

    • Didn’t Gordon flick on the header that Eddie Johnson scored in injury time at Antigua in the first round of WCQ for us back in 2012?

      Reply
    • Correct, Cuba I believe had only 12 players, 1 on the bench, because of defections and passport issues.

      I watch Mexico pass the ball and some of their touch is just beautiful, I have to admit it. But my goodness they can’t figure out the rest of the game of soccer. It reminds me of when we beat them in Azteca. Just waves of Mexico flare to the final third and then just couldn’t finish. How that country hasn’t made it to a semifinal or final with its population and passion for soccer just goes to show they are missing something. They just don’t have the grit and the mental piece to match their skill on the ball.

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      • I remember a friendly a few years ago between England and Mexico in England. Mexico played beautifully, great passing football, a majority of the possession, and the English commentators were very impressed. Then about two-thirds of the way through the game, the English had a corner kick, put in a header and won 1-0. Joga bonita has its limits. It’s really all about finishing.

      • I tell this to my son all the time. Especially when he was young and just learning touch and struggling. Watch any game. 99% of all positive movement on a soccer field is FIRST touch, brains,athleticism and hustle.

        So many players look great on the training ground, but are neutralized when the actual contest is held because most of it is running to the right place, then using your body to manipulate opponent and ball in the most efficient way possible. 99% of the time this does not include making the ball dance because there are too many players and the field is so vast that winning 3 feet of it doesn’t return the value for the time put into it on the training ground.

        First touch is vital, but all the stress on stepovers and fancy footwork is overblown when it comes to actually contesting the games.

      • Yeah, they’re like a WWII Japanese Zero fighter … phenomenal when they’re on the attack, but if they had to go on defense and absorb even a single shot, forget about it … one shot to the fuel tank and they’d literally blow up.

      • You can play defense the old fashioned way

        Or you can play defense the Barca way i.e they can’t score if you have the ball. That is more or less how Mexico likes to play defense.

        Same with the Zero, if you can’t hit me you can’t hurt me. That plane killed a lot of Americans.

      • Then the USA built the Hellcat and the Corsair and won the KE+PE fight. Maneuverability means little if you can’t keep up.

        Heck… Even developing better tactics helped the Wildcat. Wildcats had a 6.9:1 kill:loss ratio.

      • That’s true, but the point is that 7 of 8 Zero pilots involved in Zero-Wildcat engagements would have preferred to be in a Wildcat. That ratio climbs higher if you’re talking about Zero-Corsair or Zero-Wildcat engagements. The Zero was a good plane, but it’s limited survivability was its downfall.

        If your tactics create opportunities for victories and you are able to capitalize, you’ll probably win. It goes for dogfights or football.

      • I mean hell…

        Look at all of the good results the USMNT has been able to beat out against “superior opposition” by using tactics that play to its strengths (bunker-counter) and capitalizing on the one to three opportunities that arise.

      • Mason,

        That is very nice but regardless of technical superiority or inferiority or the tactics used, the Zero still killed an awful of people.

        Part of that was because Japanese fighters pilots were better.

        After Midway, that was true anymore since the US killed most of them.

        The lesson is at the end of the day as it applies to the USMNT, is you need good players with a coherent strategy who know how to get things done.

      • It did kill a lot of people, but the Wildcat, Hellcat, and Corsair all killed a lot more because they were either faster, tougher, or better deployed. The IJN never came up with a counter to the Thatch weave, which made its combat debut at Midway. In fact… no one has countered it. It’s still a viable technique now. That’s what happens when create a tactical revolution. It’s sort of like how now one plays a pyramid or WM formation.

        And while IJN suffered heavy losses at Midway – losing 110 aircrews – that was only about 1/20th of the total amount of carrier-qualified air crews in the IJN. On the crew-side it wasn’t a crippling loss. The IJN was still effective in the Eastern Solomons and at the Battle of Santa Cruz, but there they lost even more aircrews because the Thatch Weave had gone out into the USN fleet. It wasn’t so much that IJN crews had become much weaker, it was that USN crews had become stronger due 8 months of carrier ops under wartime conditions. Couple that with the Essexes and fast battleships coming on line in ’43, the non-Yamamo IJN’ insistence on the Decisive Battle doctrine, and the disparate rates of reinforcement… Wait..What was I saying again?

        Oh, yeah: tactics and capability. That’s the ticket in war or football.

      • Mason, well hell man, On your next dissertation on the war in the Pacific, how about giving our Submarine Forces our props too! 😉

      • Mason,

        Much as I love discussing the history of WW2, the Pacific edition, particularly as it relates to the air war, the main way it relates to SBI is in how it illustrates the importance of communication and how making assumptions based on bad or even non-existent intelligence or data can be a bad idea.

        With Pearl Harbor, the powers that were in Japan at that time felt that if they could badly wound the US military, they could make a lot of their desired territorial gains in the Pacific. The idea was by the time the US got around to rebuilding and reacting there might be a year’s worth of warfare and then the US would eventually settle. The Japanese power brokers were confident that they could reach a settlement that would allow them to keep most of their ill-gotten gains and thus justify the entire endeavor.

        However, like Wile Coyote, they badly misread the situation and their opponents.

      • +1 But let’s not all get too carried away just yet. I’ve watched every game of the competition so far (yeah I know…) and it must be said that no team has created more quality chances than Mexico. Probably by a considerable margin. They have been guilty of some awful finishing and some really bad lapses in concentration.

        The sequence that led to T&T’s fourth goal was borderline inexplicable– for whatever reason (probably the raucous encouragement of their huge fanbase) they decided to flood forward in the 92nd minute with a 4-3 lead, leaving themselves open to a quick counter, a cheap corner, and ultimately an equalizing goal that cost them the group.

        But they are dangerous, make no mistake. Much like us, they have been their own worst enemies through the initial phase of the tournament. They have their work cut out for them.

      • Yes, USA has not been impressive. But their group was tough from start to finish, 3 athletic teams with good touch/finishing ability that were going to stay compact, be physical, and be fast and accurate on the counter attack. USA faced in it’s last game a Panama side that almost qualified for the World Cup and last time around made it to the finals. Mexico was facing a T&T group that had already qualified, and when it was winning 3-2 (could have given up two goals and still won the group) they put it into auto pilot. Mexico had nothing to lose in throwing numbers forward. They scored on own goal, and a beautiful strike that popped out to the 18.

      • Let’s also give some credit to Haiti. I think they played the best of our three group stage opponents. They were very unlucky to not have at least drawn us.

      • The US group was what it it was. Probably four of the top 8 teams in the tournament and the US is likely the best prepared for the knockout stage- especially if their mindset as a team matches their coach’s “the tournament starts now” mentality.

        Costa Rica, Panama also would seem primed to make a run, but both have to get through T and T and Mexico- two of the most talented teams here. Will be interested to see how these two tough central American teams deal with the two highest flying teams in the tournament over the next week.

      • “Much like us, they have been their own worst enemies through the initial phase of the tournament.”

        Like us?

        The US has 2 wins 1 draw

        Mexico has 1 win ( vs a depleted team) and 2 draws

        Big difference.

        Creating chances means nothing if you do not finish them.. Finishing them means everything..

        Every team left in the Gold Cup is capable of beating the US.

        I predict a lot of 1-0 games or extra time and penalties.

  8. Great game for TNT. I hope that performance gives Cato more playing time at the Earthquakes.. With Gio hurt it’s not going to be such smooth sailing for the Galaxy.

    Reply
    • You are correct. It’s pretty amusing how often this website gets the TV listings for games wrong, especially when they do decide to put it in the article.

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  9. Have to say I like our side of the bracket more then the other. Jamaica and Haiti have looked good but still not as hard as Costa Rica, Panama, TnT.

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    • These stadiums have to do more to protect players and fans. Everyone saw the debris in the corner, but you could also see the T&T contingent being pelted with debris when the camera clashed them after the whistle. If the stadiums would ramp up police presence – particularly in the corner areas, then they could put a stop to this. They just need to have the will to do it. Grab the first fan who tosses anything and send them straight to jail – and make a scene out of it. Eventually, people will get the message. The people who run Metlife stadium have a chance to set an example.

      Reply
      • I think the officials on the field could do more, too. They could have the teams leave the field and threaten a forfeit by Mexico if the fans don’t stop throwing debris at the R&T players. It got to the point where player safety could be a concern. CONCACAF officials probably don’t have the cojones to do that, but they should.

      • Probably be good for stadiums to require something of the sort before that’ll host a CONCACAF game.

    • “lawlessness of these fans”

      On the other hand these fans are attending events put on by organized criminal gangs so why do you expect them to be better than the organizers?.

      Reply
      • At least they are “white collar” criminals. Mostly rich people extorting money from other rich people.

    • Bit of a nightmare scenario for the CONCACAF brass (the ones who aren’t already in jail, anyway)….. Mexico having to face Costa Rica at the quarterfinal stage is not what the revenue folks had in mind. If Costa Rica was upset w the officiating at the snoclasico they probably haven’t seen anything yet.

      Take nothing away from Jamaica or T&T though…. both teams have been good value for their results, and deservedly won their groups. They will be tough outs for anybody the way this competition is playing out.

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    • Liberal scum like yourself damage this country! Politics aside, there is no place for this kind of conduct on our soil, during a sporting match. Truth hurts… Our current political structure snd your defense of liberalism, lax immigration and sanctuary cities is to blame

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      • You don’t have to be a liberal to think Trump is a buffoon. People should keep politics off the soccer boards.

      • For reals. I mean, let’s take a narcissistic billionaire who exists in a world composed entirely of himself, who created a TV show where he encouraged people to snake each other Survivor-style for his favor, and delighted in breaking their dreams with his trademarked – he really did try to trademark it – catchphrase of: “You’re fired!”

        It literally made me cringe. Firing somebody is not something anybody but a sociopath enjoys doing. And he delivered that phrase with so much relish and self-importance he literally came across like a bad movie villain. Yeah, let’s make that guy president. Great idea.

        Then let’s give that narcissist crisis-maker and give him nuclear weapons. Gee, what could possibly go wrong?

        There’s a field of at least half-decent Republican candidates out there, and some people are giving serious thought to electing one of the poster boys for The Dangers of Unbridled Capitalism?

        Fortunately I have great faith in Trump’s ability to self-destruct. Nobody that narcissistic or used to getting his way is going to survive the primaries, much less the scrutiny of the press once they really start tightening the screws on him.

      • There is absolutely zero chance of Trump being elected. This is purely a brand-building exercise at the expense national political debate. If nothing else, it provides a distraction from people examining the truly terrifying record of Scott Walker. It also mutes the chance that Reasonable Republicans™ have to distance themselves from Confederate flags, homophobia and police violence. It’s bad for the nation, and let us never speak his name again.
        That said, glad we drew Cuba!

      • Why is the first response by most conservatives invective and insult instead of reason and logic?

      • Because we have to speak in the Liberal’s own language for them to be able to understand….hence no reason or logic allowed.

      • get a grip klinsi2015? Have you ever attended a professional sports match Philadelphia? For starters, the mayor was caught on camera throwing snowballs from the stands at Santa. Dr. J talks about a basketball game in which the players stopped to watch a fistfight between two guys dressed like Santa. Also, your political diatribe has no place on a message board about soccer.

  10. It amazes me that the trash throwing happens so often with theMexican fans. I live in a third world country where people drop there trash on the road without a thought. It is everywhere. But the people here would never throw it at an opposing player, nor would the people accept anyone who ever did it. Do Mexican people not find this behavior revolting and embarrassing? its not just a small group, it happens all the time. I saw a Mexican leaguegame a few months ago where they brought on riot police after the visiting team went up by two or three goals. This is unbelievable to me.

    Reply
      • Mexica, El Salvador, and Honduras fans have all been accused by American players for throwing bags of piss at US players.

        On a preseason tour of Mexico with my high school team (cause my family is incredibly rich and I went to a super wealthy private school) we had to park our bus on the track of the field because it would get vandalized and stoned. We saw kids smoking and taking pics of it for myspace.

        My point is, MLS is a weak league and Wondo has no business being out on that field, and Freddy Adu is older than 26.

    • There was what was called the Soccer War between El Salvador and Honduras. A soccer game was the ignition, but it war really about disputed borders. Anyway, it’s not just Mexicans who get excited about the game. And when it comes to racism, Eastern Europeans and sometimes Italians are leaders. One needs to be very careful about stereotyping on an issue like this. Sports and violence are common in many, many countries.

      Reply
      • Both are pretty awful, but I guess something that leads to bodily injury is worse. One could argue that a culture of racism can lead people to impose bodily injury on others, however.

      • Yep, doing things that can injure players or others in the stadium is worse, but all of it is pretty bad.

      • Thought I would add a few observations. Soccer fans of two countries that are generally very well behaved are Germans and Japanese. However, they are the two countries responsible for the most death and destruction and the greatest atrocities in history. Mexico, on the other hand, has never invaded another country. The US has invaded Mexico twice. When you know history, you realize that you have to be careful about making sweeping generalizations.

      • Didnt think i was making a sweeping generalization, sorry. I was just trying to ask why Mexicans permit thir fans to behave in this fashion. I have seen the same behavior numerous times. I have spent time in Mexico and greatly enjoyed it. But this mob mentality where you can do whatever you want is really unacceptable. But for some reason it exists. I agre there are other locals where the same stuff occurs. But it seems to me that those nations are either seeking to change or there people pressuring them to change. I dont hear news about the same pressure on Mexico or any Central American countries to conform to generally accepted behavior. Thanks for identifying a tone i did not intend to project.

      • My post was not aimed at you, but at the poster who ;ranted about immigrants, both legal and illegal. For all we know, many of those trash throwers at the game could be Americans. I, too, find it deplorable. Whenever I watch Tijuana games I don’t see an untoward fan behavior, BTW.

      • They maybe Americans, but of Mexican descent….it is in the culture….I lived in Mexico for 15 yrs….and great majority of the people that show up at sporting events are of lower resources and poorly educated….even a lot of Mexicans I have spoken to over there make fun of there own fan base including the ones in the U.S….especially when there own fans shout out “FRUTO” (with a P instead of an F) ever time there is a goal kick.

      • And what generalizations would that be? I can document everything I wrote about historical fact. According to news reports that are available in this country, the most egregious forms of racist behavior do occur in the areas I mentioned. Perhaps i could have been more specific since I haven’t read of such behavior in Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic,
        Slovenia, or Romania. However, in other areas teams have had to play games in front of empty stadiums as a result. Just recently I think Serbia had to play a Euro qualifier in an empty stadium for a home game.

      • Sarah had to play in an empty stadium, and they, had a game vs ALB ruled a forfeit, and they were docked three points for an ultra-nationalist riot. They have negative points now.

    • Trash is bad enough, but bags of urine are an entirely different level of depravity. First you have to piss in a bag, and then you have to carry it around for hours, holding on to your stinky piss bags until you get the urge to throw them.

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      • Bein g hit by a battery that has been thrown from 20 fweet up or more wouldn’t be very good for your health either. I can remember once when a player was hit by something that knocked him to the ground and it drew blood. . People who throw dangerous objects really need to be arrested whenever possible.

  11. For those you that witnessed the insane ending on TnT – Mex, three goals in final four minutes. Closing moments TnT players getting pelted with water bottles and cups in closing minute by our beloved Mex fans here in the USA. Deplorable, Trump hit the issue squate. Deport all vermin. Bring on the defenders of deplorable illegal immigrants, and legal immigrants. We dont act this way in the USA. Take that SH#T AND GO HOME!

    Reply
    • My older friend, from Cleveland, almost go into a fight with (white) USA fans for throwing beer bottles at a Caribbean country during a WCQ at Crew stadium. Hit the player in the head (plastic bud light bottles). heck might have been TnT. I agree it’s crap, but we all have our bad apples.

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      • Lorenzo that may have happened but if it did it is a one off. Ive been to every World Cup qualifier at Crew Stadium in the last decade and have never seen trash raining down on players from the stands. Fans at Crew stadium are in general incredibly friendly and this includes the Mexican fans at the Dos a cero games. Mexicans fans have shook my hand and congratulated me after US wins.

    • Please cut the xenophobic, hateful crap. White English hooligans beat up, stab and have even killed people. In the US some Giants fans made a Dodger fan a basket case. Riots are routine in US after a home team wins or loses a championship. In a California beach city last year a bunch of young white surfer dudes rioted and injured about half a dozen. Yes, the Mexican fans tonight were deplorable, but many of them also could have been US citizens born here.

      Reply
  12. Absolutely hilarious to watch all the debris thrown by scumbag Mexican fans at the Trinidad player taking the corner, only to be followed immediately by the equalizer that puts El Tri into second in the group. Literally made my night.

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    • I kept thinking as i watched the goals cone at the end, that this had to be a dianey movie where the good team faces adversity and wins in the end. And yes it was hilarious to watch the Mexican team crash back to earth.

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    • Mexican fans throwing trash at the TNT player as they take the corner to steal back the draw and win the group.

      Also Mexico is making me feel better about all our center backs options.

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      • Ironically, herein lies the problem (in my view) with Ventura Alvarado. The big selling point on his resume is that he has pushed himself into a first choice position with Club America, the CCL Champs etc… which is certainly impressive for a guy his age but ignores the fact that Mexico is hardly a fertile factory of great CB’s. Outside of Marquez (who spent most of his best years at Barca) I am hard pressed to think of a Mexican CB who was truly first rate. I look at guys like “Maza” Rodriguez and see a very mistake prone joker whose physicality is occasionally mistaken for skill.

        Don’t get me wrong, I do think Alvarado shows plenty of potential, and a CB is rarely the finished product at his age. But I’d love to see him ply his trade elsewhere if he wants to become a true international-grade CB. For whatever reason, it does not seem that Liga MX is a great place to develop these types of players.

      • Want to see a good young center back? Watch Everton and England’s John Stones, then come back and talk about how “promising” Alvarado looks. Maybe he’ll get a lot better

      • Where do these bizarre, angry comments come from? I didn’t even use the word “promising” so I am not sure why you have included it in quotes.

        I have watched John Stones play many times. He looks good. What’s your point?

      • Eh, he’s in the BPL. Show me an effective center back from Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga, where teams tend to throw less predictable attacks at their opponents, and I’ll be more impressed.

      • One thing about Liga MX is that it is a very technical league, so you need pretty good skills on the ball. Since JK is emphasizing passing out of the back, this could be one of the reasons why he prizes Alvarado. *If you recall, JK was initially high on Ream because of his passing ability. After Ream had a couple of bad games he fell out of favor, only to improve and now get back into the picture.

      • Seems to me you look for the whole package at this level. If you’re going to build from the back, then of course you need CBs you trust on the ball. They don’t have to be all that with deceptive dribbling skills, but you need players with decent first touch and passing vision.

        And we used to have this, like two or three decades ago. Granted, we didn’t build out of the back often, but what was the template for a USMNT in the 90s – great keeper, okay defenders, and then everyone else. We could hold strong teams to a goal or two. We just couldn’t score on anyone, except by fluke. Now, we have okay midfielders, modestly subpar attackers (and between them, we can score on anyone), but seemingly really subpar defenders. Anyone have any ideas why?

  13. Pres. Obama should invite Raoul to the game and they should sit in a box togather. This would ensure that it was the most written about gold cup game in U.S. history history. (the soccer summit).

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  14. Don’t look now, but Trinidad & Tobago have total control over Mexico at this moment. Maybe the game means little to Mexico because they’re already through, but without Chicharron and now Gio Dos Santos injured, they are a bit behind the 8-ball. For El Tri to get to the final, they will have to get past at least one of Costa Rica and Panama, and potentially play T&T again. Their only win so far this tournament has been against Cuba, which only had 1 extra person on the bench…

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      • T&T’s last minute goal salvaged a tie, which means T&T win the group. A crazy finish. A crazy tournament when the only favorite to win their group was the US and Honduras is out and CR almost didn’t make it.

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