US to defend the Gold Cup.

Terry O'Keefe · Jun 5, 2007

We're the defending Champions the Cup will be contested on American Soil, but we have a new coach in Bradley. Is he up to it?

From todays Chronicle.

Just as big a story will be Mexico's performance under the direction of Hugo Sánchez, arguably the best Mexican player of all time.

Known as El Tri or Tricolores to its fans, Mexico, the United States' fiercest rival and a four-time tournament winner, is coming with its version of a Dream Team, perhaps its best since at least 1993, aiming to reclaim regional dominance.
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A Dream Team from Mexico??? Can Anglos get a seat at matches in L.A. and Houston?

Gold Cup Preview

IrishCorey · Jun 8, 2007

blah blah blah

<t>The 3 crayons always put up a 'dream team' and those dreams soon turn to nightmares as they cross the border (legally), only to get their sombreros sh*t in and have their bottoms snapped with the wet end of their serapes by the waiting American team. 
 
Bradley has shown, to this point, a desire to put the best on the field and not just his favorites. I honestly believe that was the undoing of Arenas. He came in and played the best, as opposed to the old guard, and became a winner. He too became guilty of having favorites and eventually coached himself out of a spot.. We're still so new to this sport that the 'best generation' of American players is going to be the next one for some time to come. That isn't to say that we suck now, we're actually quite good, but that we are developing...we always have to keep an eye to the youth programs. 
 
As for the big, green, bean machine... They really have a fantastic young player (it is killing me to say this) in Nery Castillo.. However, Hugo "one, twice, three dives a lady" Sanchez just can't stop himself from filling out the lineup card with Borgetti and Blanco's names in it.. Blanco is cancer and Borgetti is a very talented, very heartless, cheap shot artist.. Mexico will be better off when they turn to their youth... I'm betting they screw it up... 
 
With that said "fook Mexico"...I hope this is their biggest disaster ever. 
 
I'd rather see Cuba or Canada win this than Mexico....</t>

Terry O'Keefe · Jun 18, 2007

For Corey and JO'Co!

El Tricolores

Under Multimedia the top 2 are videos of Mexican soccer fans in Houston. You've probably never actually seen Mexican soccer fans I'd guess, so this will be a treat for you. No throwing fruit at your computer screen!! 8)

DodgerDog · Jun 18, 2007

A typical victory for the cliff-divers. Costa Rica had three players red-carded out of the game and they still only won 1-0...

Terry O'Keefe · Jun 22, 2007

Mexico vs the USA for the Gold Cup....Dream Matchup. Is this the best American Team ever? Have we turned the corner? Do we finally have the physical element to our Team? John Lopez thinks so...

June 22, 2007, 1:41AM
U.S. Soccer beginning to turn heads

By JOHN P. LOPEZ
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

CHICAGO — The flair and brilliance within U.S. Soccer has become irrefutable.

They can see it from across the pond, where the English Premier League and other European powers now regularly try to cull U.S. talent. They see it in South America and Asia, and it was clearly on display at Soldier Field on Thursday night.

This is perhaps the most physically gifted American national team ever. The transition from 2002 World Cup quarterfinalist to a team with a new generation of younger, faster and more physically gifted players is nearly complete.

The only thing left is to stop doing stupid stuff.

And beat bitter rival Mexico in a game that truly matters, like perhaps Sunday's CONCACAF Gold Cup final, a dream date set up by emotional and tense semifinal victories for both teams.

From the start of this championship tournament of North American, Central American and Caribbean nations, USA-Mexico was expected to be the most significant international game played between the nations since the 2002 World Cup round of 16.

The Americans barely did their part — beating Canada 2-1 despite being the superior team physically — while Mexico gutted out a 1-0 victory over Guadeloupe.

"You have periods where the soccer is good and periods where you have to fight together and the soccer is not that good," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said after his team's victory, which came only because referee Benito Archundia blew a stoppage-time offsides call that nullified the potential tying goal.

This is what you get with this generation of American soccer players. You get flashes of amazing individual skill that U.S. teams have rarely seen.

And you get boneheaded blunders that must be overcome if the U.S. is going to have a chance in Sunday afternoon's final.

This is yet another crucial moment for the game in this country. After the sport reached a new level of popular-
ity with the 2002 World Cup quarterfinal appearance and win over Mexico, there was the flop of Germany last summer.

Bradley came in to inject new life in a sluggish program. He challenged established but still young stars like Landon Donovan (25) and DaMarcus Beasley (25) to grow up and shake the inconsistencies. New blood such as 19-year-old Michael Bradley, the coach's son, arrived.

On the way here, the new, higher-energy U.S. team was on full display, rolling through group play and early elimination rounds undefeated. There it was again for long stretches Thursday night, showing possibilities that couldn't be ignored.

Many in the Soldier Field crowd stood or sat up in their chairs, a tangible sense of anticipation wafting through the stadium on several U.S. runs through Canada's defense.

Even in a stadium filled mostly with fanatics for Mexico's beloved Tricolores, anticipation mounted.

When Donovan, the once and future face of American soccer, sliced through the Canadian defense, it was beautiful to watch and clear to see how far U.S. Soccer has come.

When Bradley controlled a possession, flying upfield, missing veterans such as Claudio Reyna did not seem so significant.

It was Beasley who forced the decisive penalty kick for the Americans, taking a perfect Clint Dempsey pass that split the defense.

Then in the middle of it all, there were horrible mistakes and lulls that showed just how far U.S. Soccer has to go.

Donovan whiffed completely on what would have been a sure goal in the 51st minute. A player of his experience missing such an easy chance is inexcusable at this level.

The back line of the American defense repeatedly broke under Canadian attacks in the second half — no one more obvious than Oguchi Onyewu, who would have been the goat had the referee not blown the stoppage-time call.

And ultimately the U.S. finished the game down a man, costing the Americans a key player in Sunday's championship, after Bradley foolishly went cleats high on a back tackle of Canada's Julian DeGuzman.

"At that moment, the right play is to run with the guy and try to cut him off and contain him and slow him down," coach Bradley said. "The decision to go to the ground is not the best one. We need more guys to learn to compete at that level."

And they need it soon.

Going into Thursday's semifinal, five players on the U.S. team had played fewer than two elimination games in an international tournament. Now comes a chance to win a championship that could get U.S. Soccer back among the world's elite.

All the Americans have to do is beat Mexico, their biggest rival.
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IrishCorey · Jun 22, 2007

mexico blows

<t>Silly Bradley. Sunday would have been a great stage for him. Hopefully the boys will send the 3 crayons packing</t>

IrishCorey · Jun 24, 2007

once again

<t>goodbye 3 crayons</t>

Terry O'Keefe · Jun 24, 2007

Dancing in the streets!!

IrishCorey · Jun 25, 2007

GOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOL

<t>..... jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze its gotta suck to be a Mexican soccer fan today</t>

DodgerDog · Jun 26, 2007

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