Friday, 22 June 2007
The CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup has passed pretty much unnoticed in these parts. North American countries, Central American and the Caribbean nations all participate as well as three South American nations, where Guyana, Suriname, and the French department of French Guiana all add to the exotic membership (full list here).
The USA, Canada and Mexico are the only nations ever to win the Gold Cup, although Costa Rica won it in 1989, when it was branded something else.
The Semi-finals were held yesterday of the 12-team 3-week finals and they were played back to back at Chicago Bears' Soldier Field. The US beating Canada first off 2-1 and then Mexico defeated surprise package Guadeloupe.
One has to search the media here for any coverage of the games, even though they have all been held in the US.
Yesterday's double-header took place in front of 51,000 mainly Mexican supporters, which despite the large Mexican population in the windy city was strange to say the least. Throughout the USA v Canada game the Mexicans booed the American players and backed their Canadian rivals whilst keeping themselves occupied by doing plenty of 'Mexican waves.'
"It's never a pro-U.S. crowd when you play in Chicago," Man City and former Chicago Fire winger DaMarcus Beasley said after. (more)
The American team led by Kasey Keller who marked his 100th cap by lighting up a big fat cigar on the pitch afterwards, are now favourites to win Sunday's final at the same venue against the Mexicans who have struggled throughout the competition.
However with only some bored Yankie dignitaries expected to be supporting the hosts at Soldier Field on Sunday, it would be no surprise if Hugo Sanchez's team win the game in front of their partisan fans. ¶ 10:58
The CONCACAF Gold Cup has passed pretty much unnoticed in these parts. North American countries, Central American and the Caribbean nations all participate as well as three South American nations, where Guyana, Suriname, and the French department of French Guiana all add to the exotic membership (full list here).The USA, Canada and Mexico are the only nations ever to win the Gold Cup, although Costa Rica won it in 1989, when it was branded something else.
The Semi-finals were held yesterday of the 12-team 3-week finals and they were played back to back at Chicago Bears' Soldier Field. The US beating Canada first off 2-1 and then Mexico defeated surprise package Guadeloupe.
One has to search the media here for any coverage of the games, even though they have all been held in the US.
Yesterday's double-header took place in front of 51,000 mainly Mexican supporters, which despite the large Mexican population in the windy city was strange to say the least. Throughout the USA v Canada game the Mexicans booed the American players and backed their Canadian rivals whilst keeping themselves occupied by doing plenty of 'Mexican waves.'
"It's never a pro-U.S. crowd when you play in Chicago," Man City and former Chicago Fire winger DaMarcus Beasley said after. (more)
The American team led by Kasey Keller who marked his 100th cap by lighting up a big fat cigar on the pitch afterwards, are now favourites to win Sunday's final at the same venue against the Mexicans who have struggled throughout the competition.
However with only some bored Yankie dignitaries expected to be supporting the hosts at Soldier Field on Sunday, it would be no surprise if Hugo Sanchez's team win the game in front of their partisan fans. ¶ 10:58
