The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, June 7 –25
FOX Soccer to air US group stage matches, knockout rounds and Gold Cup final in stunning HD
But first, a little commentary –
As the USMNT seeks to reclaim the Gold Cup from Mexico, after suffering a humiliating 5-0 loss in 2009’s final, excitement has given way to resignation with the recent unveiling of Bob Bradley’s roster. The usual stars are there – Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard. But there are a few not-so-hot surprises on the list, made even more obvious by the players who were omitted.
Jonathan Bornstein, Robbie Rogers, Freddy Adu and Oguchi Onyewu somehow merited call-ups, while Teal Bunbury, Alejandro Bedoya (update 6/6: Bedoya officially replaced an injured Benny Feilhaber on the roster) and Herculez Gomez were left out?
The USMNT lacks depth on defense, which must be why out-of-form Bornstein and Onyewu, who never fully came back from a devastating knee injury in 2009, made the roster. Can they really keep up with Mexico’s Javier Hernandez, fresh from Manchester United’s title-winning season? Here’s hoping Bornstein keeps the bench warm. At least Onyewu could use his massive size to knock Chicharito around a little.
Michael Bradley, the coach’s son, has been riding the Aston Villa bench for the past few months, prompting some concerns and cries of nepotism. However, the younger Bradley is more than capable of competing with the best, as he displayed in the 2010 World Cup. His unfortunate lack of play time had more to do with the messy internal politics that troubled Villa all season than his skills on the field.
Robbie Rogers is a mildly competent midfielder who never lived up to his own potential. He plays like a lesser version of Stuart Holden, if Holden had stopped trying to improve after his days of high school glory. Perhaps Rogers will finally have that break-out tournament we’ve been expecting since 2007.
Meanwhile, Teal Bunbury and Herculez Gomez, who have been in top form for their respective clubs, missed the roster cut. As did Timmy Chandler, though, let’s face it, the kid wants to play for Germany.
Chris Wondolowski doesn’t have a lot of international experience, but the 2010 MLS Golden Boot winner has been lighting up the scoreboard again for the San Jose Earthquakes this season. He also comes with an established, chant-friendly nickname, Wondo. This could be a surprise pick that, above the others, truly pays off.
A seasoned, experienced team is one thing, but Bob Bradley may have crossed into aging and slowing territory with this roster. But if there’s one thing American soccer fans understand, it’s our own mediocrity. At least we’re consistent.
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Match Schedule (All Times Eastern):
GROUP STAGE
Sunday, June 5 – Group A (from Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
Costa Rica 5 vs Cuba 0
Mexico 5 vs El Salvador 0
Monday, June 6 – Group B (from Home Depot Center, Carson, California)
Jamaica 4 vs Grenada 0
Honduras 0 vs Guatemala 0
Tuesday, June 7 – Group C (from Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan)
Panama 3 vs Guadeloupe 2
USA 2 vs Canada 0
Thursday, June 9 – Group A (from Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina)
Costa Rica 1 vs El Salvador 1
Cuba 0 vs Mexico 5
Friday, June 10 – Group B (from FIU Stadium, Miami, Florida)
Jamaica 2 vs Guatemala 0
Grenada 1 vs Honduras 7
Saturday, June 11 – Group C (from Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida)
Canada 1 vs Guadeloupe 0
USA 1 vs Panama 2
Sunday, June 12 – Group A (from Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois)
El Salvador 6 vs Cuba 1
Mexico 4 vs Costa Rica 1
Monday, June 13 – Group B (from Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey)
Guatemala 4 vs Grenada 0
Honduras 0 vs Jamaica 1
Tuesday, June 14 – Group C (from Livestrong Sporting Park, Kansas City, Kansas)
Canada 1 vs Panama 1
Guadeloupe 0 vs USA 1
QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, June 18 (from New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Costa Rica 1 (2) vs Honduras 1 (4)
Mexico 2 vs Guatemala 1
Sunday, June 19 (from RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.)
Jamaica 0 vs USA 2
Panama 1 (5) vs El Salvador 1 (3)
SEMIFINALS
Wednesday, June 22 (from Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas)
USA vs Panama – 7pm, Fox Soccer Channel, Univision
Honduras vs Mexico – 10pm, Univision
FINAL
Saturday, June 25 (from Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California)
Winner Semifinal 1 vs Winner Semifinal 2 – 9pm, Fox Soccer Channel (Coverage begins at 8:30pm)
Clint Dempsey Photo: Brad Schloss/Icon SMI