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2017 Gold Cup Opponents


Gian-Luca

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Anybody else think that being able to replace players on rosters after the group stage totally sucks for a tournament? Has this happened before in any tournament, anywhere?

Match fixing is almost impossible to prove without a money trail. However, I do not think Mexico cares about choosing between us or Honduras.

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3 hours ago, beachesl said:

Anybody else think that being able to replace players on rosters after the group stage totally sucks for a tournament? Has this happened before in any tournament, anywhere?

 

Yes, the previous Gold Cup, and possibly the one before that. This is the first time we have qualified for the knockout stage since they made this roster-rule change, so it tough to remember which edition it started with but this definitely isn't the first time the Gold Cup has done it.

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3 hours ago, SkuseisLoose said:

they would get destroyed by their press and that's match fixing so they could get huge fines or banned from tournaments or something

http://www.concacaf.com/article/scoreless-draw-with-mexico-sees-honduras-progress

They drew Honduras at home in in semis qualification for the WC, in a match we would have needed them to win in pretty well every scenario. They would and could not give a shit, and definitely believe Honduras would be a tougher rival than us. 

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Not surprising, actually completely expected, but it seems like the Americans got a bit of help from the ref to get their needed 3 goals to finish in first place and avoid a match with Costa Rica which might result in early elimination and less profit for the tournament. The ref awarded 2 penalties (both saved) and gave a red card (two yellows) to Nicaragua as the US searched for the crucial 3 goal win to finish in first and avoid Costa Rica. The first penalty is really scandalous, clear dive on minimal contact and not convincing at all, ie. no excuse for the ref to call that. The second penalty was to me ball to hand as the player was sliding in and Bedoya played the ball back towards his arm but it could be called although I am pretty sure in the Gold Cup the US always gets the benefit of the doubt in calls such as this. Can't really complain about the second yellow though as that was a body check by Copete.

https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-07-15-nicaragua-vs-us-mens-national-team/details/video/110609

"After the break, it seemed as though perhaps the referee had decided to help the USA towards its three-goal target. Dom Dwyer won a soft penalty.."

 

https://www.onceametro.com/2017/7/15/15977508/2017-concacaf-gold-cup-group-b-round-3-round-up-panama-martinique-usa-nicaragua-highlights

 

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3 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Not surprising, actually completely expected, but it seems like the Americans got a bit of help from the ref to get their needed 3 goals to finish in first place and avoid a match with Costa Rica which might result in early elimination and less profit for the tournament. The ref awarded 2 penalties (both saved) and gave a red card (two yellows) to Nicaragua as the US searched for the crucial 3 goal win to finish in first and avoid Costa Rica...

The first one was definitely very soft although technically legit as there was clear contact with no legitimate attempt at a tackle involved, but didn't see much wrong with the other two decisions. Not enough going on there to launch a conspiracy theory.

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42 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

The first one was definitely very soft although technically legit as there was clear contact with no legitimate attempt at a tackle involved, but didn't see much wrong with the other two decisions. Not enough going on there to launch a conspiracy theory.

In isolation maybe not, one could just say it was a very bad penalty call. In the context of years of watching how this tournament is run and reffed, I think there is little doubt that a prime goal of the tournament is to make as much money as possible which necessitates a US-Mexico final and while both teams are the tournament favourites they are also given numerous nudges to help them along to ensure the desired result. It is one of many factors that hurts the legitimacy of this tournament as a continental championship. Once the game entered the 2nd half with the US leading 1-0 I thought to myself that the ref was going to help them and voila. It was totally predictable and what we have come to expect from this tournament.

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Watching the two PK misses, and Bruce Arena's reaction to them, was hysterically funny IMO.

Nicaragua has improved their technical skills, but other than the keeper & Barrera, most of them didn't look like they knew where they were supposed to be on the field or who to pass to. Some incredibly atrocious and naive and/or downright stupid defending, absolutely suicidal at times. Worst team of the tourney, IMO.

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I am as keen to rip on the US as anyone (and more keen than many), but I didn't see a lot of bias in the calls during the period I watched.  The 2nd yellow was absolutely a card - the defender leaped into the guy with a full force body check and no intent to play the ball whatsoever.  And the 2nd PK was pretty clear cut for me as well - the defender was on the wrong side of the guy, reached around him, and pulled firmly on his inside shoulder which started him twisting.  Maybe the US player went down a bit easy, but it wasn't some flopping dive - anytime someone grabs you and twists you around like that (especially when they are grabbing you from behind) in the box and slows/stops your forward run, the smart play is to go down because to the ref is is an easy call.  Didn't see the first PK or the apparently soft first yellow, but Nicaragua were definitely responsible for the fouls I saw awarded.

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5 minutes ago, theaub said:

The US not calling in a defender is baffling to me

Agree big time. I really wanted the boys to take a run at them in our current form on their soil in the QFs or Semis...... Might still see them, anything can happen! Lol

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The first penalty was soft but other than that the game was officiated fairly...that 2nd yellow was blatant the second PK was a blatant handball.....the US just took two very poor attempts on the PK...the last goal was a perfect ball from Zusi and Miazga buried it

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3 hours ago, apbsmith said:

Agree big time. I really wanted the boys to take a run at them in our current form on their soil in the QFs or Semis...... Might still see them, anything can happen! Lol

Yup, obvious that they needed an upgrade at RB and CB. Shows how little the US cares about this tournament. Arena sent home two of their best players in the group stage because he wanted to be fair to some of the MLS teams he took multiple players from and their roster now only has 2 of their European-based players...who haven't gotten caps in years.

It only CONCACAF could do something to make the big teams care about the Gold Cup. *cough* move it to once every 4 years *cough* don't allow 6 changes *cough* invite 4 international teams to raise the level of competition. 

2 hours ago, mrstepp817 said:

The first penalty was soft but other than that the game was officiated fairly...that 2nd yellow was blatant the second PK was a blatant handball.....the US just took two very poor attempts on the PK...the last goal was a perfect ball from Zusi and Miazga buried it

Yea I don't get this "the US was helped by the ref" narrative at all. One 50/50 penalty call, one sure thing, and a clear second yellow. 

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The first penalty was a blatant dive on minimal contact. If that is a penalty then there will be 30 penalties per game. The 2nd would be a handball if the ball stayed on its present course and the Nicaraguan slid through and hit it with his arm. When Bedoya turns the ball and plays it into Bedoya's arm as he is sliding through it becomes ball to hand not hand to ball. Admittedly at the speed of play that may be hard for the ref to spot so I will give the ref some leniency on that but my point is that once the US is in a position that they need a certain result in this tournament the ref starts looking for things to call and they are going to get every single 50/50 call. We have seen it against us before and believe me we were not very happy about it here on the Voyageurs when it happened. We are lucky we can not play the US unless it is the final. As I said, as soon as the game went into the 2nd half with the desired result in danger I said to myself there were going to be a few decisions like this that help the US because I have seen it so many times before. Even the article I posted which is American stated that the ref helped the US and many Americans have been making similar comments on various forums. 

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21 hours ago, dsqpr said:

I remember a couple of teams tip tapping the ball around like that in the last group match at a World Cup, to get a mutually beneficial result. Germany and Austria, perhaps? Anyway, no fines or bans.

But I agree with the seeming consensus that Mexico don't care who they play in knockout and will play to win.

wasn't that like 40-50 years ago

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35 minutes ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

No wonder!  They look a mess out there right now.  Fortunate to be leading 1-0 because Curacao is bossing the game and rattling the crossbar repeatedly.

Yeah after watching that Mexico does not scare me.... I'm very excited for the knockout rounds... buckle up folks it's gonna be a good one!!!

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8 minutes ago, Alex said:

Yeah after watching that Mexico does not scare me.... I'm very excited for the knockout rounds... buckle up folks it's gonna be a good one!!!

They did not play well but almost none of the players who played will be starting in the next round. Also even with the poor play one can see the skill in their goals so a team that can put together plays like that is always dangerous and can win games they are outplayed in.

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All in all playing Jamaica is the best draw for Canada, based on our group stage performance.

I think we are an overall better team for this particular match up, and better equipped to score/attack against a Jamaican B+ squad. 

Cavallini should start, and Larin comes off the bench hungry asf.

We'll be good - calling a 2 goal win.

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