Gold Cup

[Madferret]

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20050630/gold_cup_276X40_80072.jpg (http://tsn.ca/soccer/feature.asp?fid=10383)


The Gold Cup is underway and Canada, who hoisted the Cup 5 years ago (which seems unfathomable based on Canada's performances since), kicks off their first RR game against Costa Rica.

For those unfamiliar with the Gold Cup, here's a quick overview of the tournament:

CONCACAF Gold Cup

The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main national soccer competition of the CONCACAF nations. The participating nations are from North and Central America and from the Caribbean islands. In addition, up to three entrants from the other world football confederations are invited to play in the final tournament. The Gold Cup has been hosted by the United States each time, twice co-hosted with Mexico.

The first CONCACAF Championship was held in 1963 and replaced the CCCF Championship (1941-61), which was for Central American and Caribbean nations only. It lasted until 1971, and from 1973 until 1989 no tournament was held; the top team in World Cup qualifying was considered the CONCACAF champion.

In 1991, the championship was reborn as the Gold Cup. Since then, it has been won four times by Mexico, twice by the United States, and once by Canada.

The UNCAF Nations Cup (Central America) and the Caribbean Cup serve as qualification tournaments for the Gold Cup.

Not the greatest Cup competition out there but it beats no Cups to watch in the summer. Go Canada...

[Madferret]

Canada falls in opener
Canada had hoped for a better result in the opener of the Gold Cup as their next opponent in the tough US squad.
SEATTLE (CP)

Costa Rica scored on a penalty kick in the first half to defeat Canada 1-0 Thursday, putting Frank Yallop's national team in exactly the spot they didn't want to be at the Gold Cup tournament. Yallop had hoped for a good result against Costa Rica in the opening game of the tournament so his young side wouldn't feel their backs pushed against a wall when they face the powerful United States on Saturday.

The talent gulf between the two sides was evident early as Costa Rica, ranked 24th in the world, dominated Canada, rated 85th. The Costa Ricans controlled the ball with crisp passes and patiently waited for plays to develop. The relentless pressure finally drew blood in the 30th minute.

Referee Peter Prendergast of Jamaica called midfielder Patrice Bernier of Montreal for a hand ball. Jafet Soto made no mistake on the penalty kick, using a stroke of his left leg to lift the ball into the corner over goaltender Greg Sutton's outstretched fingers. Canadian captain Kevin McKenna strenuously argued the referee's call, earning a yellow card for his efforts. Late in the second half he picked up a second yellow for a tackle on Steven Bryce.

That meant Canada finished the game with 10 players and McKenna will miss Saturday's game. Atiba Hutchinson also was shown a yellow after pulling down a Costa Rican player. Costa Rica almost struck again in the second half when Dany Fonseca blasted a shot off the cross bar.

Yallop is using the Gold Cup to assess talent and build a team that will play in qualification games in 2008 for the 2010 World Cup. Seven members of his starting lineup had nine or less international caps. Canada desperately needs is an offensive threat. Someone that combines speed with ball handling, who can turn a game with a brilliant play. Think Dany Heatley in cleats.

Midfielder Jim Brennan, who plays with Norwich City of the English League Championship, showed some flair in the second half, working his way across the field then firing a ball that forced keeper Jose Porras into a diving save.

Late in the first half striker Dwayne de Rosario of the MLS San Jose Earthquakes deked behind the Costa Rican defence and had nothing but daylight between him and the goal. He fired a high shot that looked more like a field goal attempt. The play left de Rosario holding his head in his hands.

Only a few fans were in place at the 68,000-seat Qwest Field, home of the NFL Seattle Seahawks, at the start of the game. A small Canadian contingent chanted and waved Maple Leafs. After playing the U.S., ranked 10th in the world, Saturday at Qwest Field, Canada wraps up the tournament's preliminary round Tuesday against No. 70 Cuba at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

The 12-team Gold Cup tournament is for the championship of CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. The top two teams of each of the three groups advance to the next round, plus the two best third-place teams.

Canada won the tournament in 2000 and finished third in 2002. Costa Rica beat Canada twice last year as the Canadians failed to qualify for next year's World Cup in Germany.

Notes : A Seattle newspaper listed Canada's nickname as the Maple Leafs, much to the surprise of Canadian team officials. ..... Midfielder Patrick Leduc of Montreal, who plays with the USL Montreal Impact, earned his first international cap Thursday. ..... Defender Gabriel Gervais, of Brossard, Que., another member of the Impact, missed the game with a groin injury he aggravated in Saturday's friendly against Honduras. ..... Forward Olivier Occean, also of Brossard, who plays in the Norwegian Premier Division, sat out the game with a suspension after being sent off against Guatemala during Canada's final World Cup qualifying game in November.

First group game is so critical, that pretty much seals Canada's chances right there. Canada needs a top level striker to come into the Canadian system, I mean they're is no creativity or flare in our strikers. They're boring, they don't score, and they don't inspire. Canada will have ZERO International success until they get that somebody.

That said, you can't expect a good result when the ref calls a phantom hand-ball in the box against you and rewards a penalty...

[Madferret]

In search of goals
Canada failed to score in their Gold Cup opener versus Cosat Rica, and a repeat performance against the US on Saturday will likely mean another loss.
SEATTLE (CP)

A steady drizzle fell from dark, threatening clouds as Canada's national soccer team practised Friday, trying to work out the kinks after a frustrating Gold Cup loss the previous evening.There hasn't been a lot of sun shining on coach Frank Yallop's team recently. Things may get even darker when Canada, ranked 85th in the world, plays the No. 10 United States, a team they haven't beaten for 20 years, at Qwest Field Saturday.

Questionable referee calls, disallowed goals, shots just missing the net and yellow cards have all contributed to Canada struggling to a 2-2-6 record in its last 10 starts. A disputed handball call against midfielder Patrice Bernier in the 30th minute allowed Costa Rica to score on a penalty kick, resulting in Canada losing its opening game of the tournament 1-0 Thursday.

About the only luck the Canadians have managed lately has been bad. While Yallop might be tempted to order 23 lucky rabbit's feet, what would make a bigger difference is finding a foot able to score goals. Over the last 10 games Canada has been outscored 15-7. Throw out a pair of lopsided 4-0 wins against an overmatched team from Belize last June, and Canada hasn't managed two goals in a game since a 3-2 loss to Finland in November of 2003.

"Maybe the rub of the green is not with us at this point," said Yallop as rain streaked down his face. "You have to generate your own luck and get better in front of the goal. You have to be able to score against a team." With just a little luck, striker Dwayne de Rosario and midfielder Jim Brennan could have made good on a pair of great scoring chances against Costa Rica and Canada would have won 2-1.

Instead, neither found joy and the team is now facing an uphill struggle.

Realistically, Canada needs at least a draw against the United Sates and a win over Cuba, ranked 70th in the world, in its final preliminary game Tuesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., to have any hopes of advancing to the Gold Cup's next round.

The 12-team tournament determines the championship of CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America. "We're getting shots on goal, it's just not going into the back of the net for us," said Brennan, whose 40 caps makes him the veteran of the young Canadian squad at the tournament.

"Eventually it's got to come. When, we don't know, but we're sure it will." Canada's luck ran sour last fall during its failed attempt to qualify for next year's World Cup. Some questionable rulings in a pair of 1-1 draws with Honduras cost Canada goals in both games and allowed Honduras to score on a penalty kick.

On Thursday, captain Kevin McKenna earned a yellow card after strenuously arguing the call on Bernier. He picked up a second yellow later in the game and must sit out the match against the Americans. Defender Atiba Hutchinson said the bad breaks can grind a team down like sandpaper on wood. "We get a lot of calls going against us which doesn't help," said Hutchinson, a native of Brampton, Ont., who plays for Helsingborg of the Swedish Premier League.

"You kind of drop your heads after it happens. You have to learn to deal with it. Hopefully we'll get better as we go along." Yallop plans to replace McKenna with Gabriel Gervais, who missed Thursday with a groin injury. He also wants to start forward Olivier Occean and midfielder Sandro Grande.

Brennan, Hutchinson, Bernier, forward Ali Gerba and defender Adam Braz all picked up yellow cards Thursday. If any earn another Saturday they would be forced to sit out Tuesday's game. The Canadian men haven't beaten the U.S. in soccer since April 2, 1985.

Brennan says despite the odds being stacked against them, the Canadians want to write some history. "We need a win," he said. "We're not going out for a draw or anything less. We want to win. That's why we're here."

Shoot from everywhere around the 18 boys....

[J.R.]

Canada falls to U.S.
http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20050709/serioux_68786.jpg
Canadian Press

7/9/2005 7:11:48 PM

SEATTLE (CP) - Bad luck stalked Canada again in a 2-0 loss to the United States on Saturday, but it's the national soccer team's inability to score goals that has strained their chances of advancing to the second round of the Gold Cup tournament.

An own goal in the 48th minute put coach Frank Yallop's young side on its heels after playing some gritty defence. The Americans iced the game when Landon Donovan scored off a header in injury time.

The loss extended Canada's 20-year losing streak against the U.S. and left Yallop's squad winless after two games in Group B play at the Gold Cup.

Canada must defeat Cuba in their next match Tuesday to keep alive any hope of moving onto the next round of the tournament.

Canada, ranked 75 places behind the No. 10 Americans in the world rankings, managed to hold their own for over half of Saturday's game until fate took a hand.

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/news_story.asp?id=130070



That'll likely do it for Canada at the Gold Cup. They have one more match, but they would have to beat Cuba and hope that several other scenarios fall into place for them to move on. CONCACAF is a joke anyways. There's the Americans and the Mexicans, then everyone else a few tiers below.

[Madferret]

...still no goals....

:shrug:

[Madferret]

Canada expected to go on attack in do-or-die game against Cuba at Gold Cup
(CP)

Look for Canada to go on the attack Tuesday at the Gold Cup. Needing a win, some goals and help from some other teams, Canadian coach Frank Yallop is expected to start three strikers - Dwayne De Rosario, Olivier Occean and Ali Gerba - against Cuba in Foxboro, Mass. (TV, check local listings).

Languishing at 0-2-0 with zero points after losing 1-0 to Costa Rica and 2-0 to the United States in Group B, Canada's only hope of advancing at the CONCACAF championship is by being one of the two best third-place finishers in preliminary-round play.

The top two in the three first-round groups automatically move into the quarter-finals of the tournament, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. Currently Trinidad and Tobago (0-0-2, 2 points) is third in Group A while Mexico (1-1-0, three points) is third in Group C.

In games that may affect Canada's fate, Trinidad and Tobago plays guest entry Colombia on Tuesday in Miami while Mexico take on Jamaica on Wednesday in Houston. Mexico looks safe in Group C. Even if it loses and Canada wins, leaving both with three points, the Mexicans hold a plus-six edge over Canada in goal difference. Mexico would have to leak goals in the final group game and Canada would need to go on a scoring tear, which seems highly unlikely.

As for Group A, a Trinidad win would send Canada home no matter what happens against Cuba - unless the one-in-a-million Mexico scenario happens.

Perhaps the best Canada can hope for is Colombia defeats Trinidad 1-0 while Yallop's side downs Cuba by 2-0 or better. A 2-0 scenario would lead to a coin flip since Canada and Colombia would be tied on points, goal differential and goals scored.

There are other permutations but the bottom line is the odds don't favour Canada, which exited the last Gold Cup in 2003 after going 1-1-0 in the first round. Manager Holger Osieck, whose team won the 2000 Gold Cup and placed third in 2002, resigned soon after.

Don't expect Yallop to call it quits. He is in the process of rebuilding his team for 2010 World Cup qualifying.Yallop has started more than three dozen players since taking over from Osieck in December 2003. That number grows when you consider those he has invited to camp.

The former MLS coach of the year has looked far and wide for Canadian talent. So far what he has found hasn't done the business and Canadian soccer continue to suffer because there are limited domestic playing options.

While Yallop preaches results will come as long as performance improves, he also knows there is only so much time to turn the ship around. "I like our attitude at the moment," he said Monday. "We're trying hard. ... Performance-wise, it's been very encouraging. But we need that win so we can build momentum, just for our psyche really."

Yallop is a glass half-full kind of coach. While not making excuses, he believes his side could have been dealt a better hand recently, including the Gold Cup. "The way we've performed has been worthy of at least something out of these games," he lamented.

A disputed penalty against Costa Rica and an own goal against the U.S. were nasty turn of events. But the Canadians didn't help matters with first defender Kevin McKenna and then midfielder Adrian Serioux being sent off for accumulation of yellow cards.

And they have failed to score, snatching at what few chances they have had. Yallop and his coaching staff have been trying to settle his players down, get them to relax in front of goal. "Not just the strikers but everybody," he said.

"We've still got great confidence in the way we're playing, but I've got to make sure we get confident in front of goal," he added. "I don't think it's something you can give the players. They've got to get it themselves."

The Canadians also need their midfield to create more chances. In the last 11 matches since a pair of 4-0 wins over minnow Belize, Canada has been outscored 17-7. Throw out the Belize matches and the last time the Canadians scored twice in a game was October 2003 in a 3-2 loss to Finland - prior to Yallop taking over.

Yallop knows the longer the scoring drought goes, "the worse you get."

The Canadian coach will announce his lineup Tuesday before the game but he is expected to make some changes to rest some players with an eye to having some available to make an impact off the bench.

Yallop knows the Cubans crumbled late in their games against the U.S. (4-1 loss) and Costa Rica (3-1 loss).

Expect Greg Sutton to start in goal again with McKenna returning from his one-game suspension to partner Gabriel Gervais in central defence with Adam Braz and Chris Pozniak at fullback.The three-man midfield should consist of Atiba Hutchinson, Patrice Bernier and Sandro Grande. De Rosario will play slightly behind the two strikers.

Striker Iain Hume is still nursing a thigh injury but may be able to play briefly if needed. Josh Simpson and Jim Brennan, who started the first two games, may also come off the bench. All three are out of season, and back-to-back games for Simpson and Brennan have taken their toll.

Cuba, ranked 70th in the world to No. 85 for Canada, beat the Canadians 2-0 at the last Gold Cup."They're not a bad side attacking-wise," Yallop said. "We've got to be really, really careful that we don't give anything up."

Enough talking about it and finish FFS. De Rosario has been very disapointing up front, he should have at least 2 in this Cup. Anyhoo, it's all out the window tommorow and I hope to see a positive result for Canada...

[J.R.]

I caught some of the game tonight, flipping to it during All Star game commercials. Canada had plenty of chances tonight. Many, many of them coming in the first half. They could have easily been up two - zero after 45' if they would have put a little more into their chances. The Maple Leaves did finally tickle the twine in the second, scoring two and making things very interesting in the last five minutes, because a three goal win would have tied them with Columbia for a spot in the Q's. But Cuba scored in penalty time and negated that option. Now Jamaica has to beat Mexico by at least five tommorow for the Canucks to have any chance. Very likely not going to happen.

Canada defeats Cuba; still alive (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article.jsp?content=20050711_211145_2780).

http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/sportsnet_story_images/tuesday/canada.jpg

[bluemeanie]

Go Jamaica, Go! =|