GC: Canada vs Mexico - Thursday, July 29th, 10pm Eastern / 7pm Pacific - Houston TX

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Canada vs Mexico
Thursday, July 29th
10pm Eastern / 7pm Pacific

Broadcast on ONESoccer

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Yellow cards are reset
https://stconcacafwp001.blob.core.windows.net/media/vu5ahqsc/2021_concacaf_gold_cup_regulation_-_eng.pdf
but it seems that Cavallini & Vitória are suspended.

Akinola and Larin have left the camp injured.
Akindele has been brought in for either Akinola or Larin .
https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/concacaf-announces-medical-replacement-option-for-gold-cup-knockout-stage/
No word on if the CSA selected a second replacement for Akinola+Larin.
No word yet on if Gutiérrez will be brought in.

Canadian players that have yet to play any minutes:
St. Clair (GK)
Leutwiler (GK)
Sturing
Paton
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Mexico's roster:
https://miseleccion.mx/noticias/3533/Noticia-Convocatoria de la Selección Nacional de México para Copa Oro
Rodolfo Pizarro has been brought in to replace Hirving Lozano:
https://miseleccion.mx/noticias/3568/Rodolfo%20Pizarro%20es%20convocado%20a%20la%20Selecci%C3%B3n%20Nacional%20de%20M%C3%A9xico%20para%20Copa%20Oro

No other injuries or suspensions that I am aware of for El Tri.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[PegCityCam]

OneSoccer did good on this one.

[Floortom]

Essentially a home match for Mexico. Even with our best squad would be hard pressed to get a victory but with injuries, suspensions, and no shows my expectations are pretty low. Hopefully we can keep it close and put up a good fight at least

[Alex]

I’ve been waiting all day for @Olympique_de_Marseille to start this thread 😂 

 

Also, if you told me we would play USA, Costa Rica and Mexico back to back to back I’d take it in a heartbeat. This is excellent prep for wcq. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Alex

[dyslexic nam]

19 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Essentially a home match for Mexico. Even with our best squad would be hard pressed to get a victory but with injuries, suspensions, and no shows my expectations are pretty low. Hopefully we can keep it close and put up a good fight at least

Maybe I am caught up in the hype train, but I am not going in with low expectations.  Don’t get me wrong, it will be a tough game.  But I don’t think we are going in just happy to be there.  Despite the absences, we have some quality players who are playing at a pretty high level and the team overall looks really comfortable.  

Will we beat Mexico? I don’t know, and have to admit it is unlikely.  History just isn’t on our side on this one   

But do I give us a chance (to the point where I won’t be shocked if we pull it off)?  Hells yeah.   

[Obinna]

6 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Maybe I am caught up in the hype train, but I am not going in with low expectations.  Don’t get me wrong, it will be a tough game.  But I don’t think we are going in just happy to be there.  Despite the absences, we have some quality players who are playing at a pretty high level and the team overall looks really comfortable.  

Will we beat Mexico? I don’t know, and have to admit it is unlikely.  History just isn’t on our side on this one   

But do I give us a chance (to the point where I won’t be shocked if we pull it off)?  Hells yeah.   

Would it be a surprise if Canada beats Mexico? Yeah. Would it be a shock? Not really.

That's how Doyle put it on ETR's post game show last night.

[AvroArrow]

My main concern is that I can't see us being able to shut out Mexico, though stranger things have happened.  I also would not be optimistic if it becomes a goalfest.  Which means we'd need a 2-1 win or something like that.

Henry will be in the back line, and its a toss of the coin every time he goes in for a tackle in the box.  I am not as concerned about Cavilini being out, as I think Hoilett and Tajon are our top two attackers currently on the roster anyways.

My measuring stick for a good Gold Cup was getting to the semis and we are there.  Getting to the finals is an added bonus.  But man, do I want us to win.

[PegCityCam]

12 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Maybe I am caught up in the hype train, but I am not going in with low expectations.  Don’t get me wrong, it will be a tough game.  But I don’t think we are going in just happy to be there.  Despite the absences, we have some quality players who are playing at a pretty high level and the team overall looks really comfortable.  

Will we beat Mexico? I don’t know, and have to admit it is unlikely.  History just isn’t on our side on this one   

But do I give us a chance (to the point where I won’t be shocked if we pull it off)?  Hells yeah.   

We picking and choosing "history" now? 😜

[TGAA_Star]

Unfortunately I don't really hold out much hope for us especially against the likes of Mexico. I see our tournament coming to an end and us losing to Mexico either 1-0 or 2-1.

[Stanley]

 

[Atlantic]

Mexico should win but they also drew to Trinidad and Tobago and didn’t look great against El Salvador, so anything can happen is my mentality going into this game!

[costarg]

1 hour ago, Floortom said:

Essentially a home match for Mexico.

Good news is it will certainly be a home match for Mexico, however without the disadvantage of playing in the upper atmosphere that is the Azteca. 

I'll take that, not sure which is their biggest home advantage, the altitude or the fans.

[Grandbloke]

My apologies if this has been discussed before, but I’m wondering how many of Mexico’s best players are missing from its Gold Cup squad? Have they brought what is essentially their A team, or not?

[Floortom]

14 minutes ago, Grandbloke said:

My apologies if this has been discussed before, but I’m wondering how many of Mexico’s best players are missing from its Gold Cup squad? Have they brought what is essentially their A team, or not?

It’s a strong squad for them..obvisuly they are now missing Lozano due to injury and a few other guys at Olympics. But it’s much stronger relative to their full squad than what the US, or even we, brought 

[dyslexic nam]

1 hour ago, PegCityCam said:

We picking and choosing "history" now? 😜

Going back to 2000 it looks like we have 1 win, 3 draws, and 6 losses (we have lost the 4 most recent matchups).   I would definitely say that history doesn’t favour us.  

[costarg]

16 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Going back to 2000 it looks like we have 1 win, 3 draws, and 6 losses (we have lost the 4 most recent matchups).   I would definitely say that history doesn’t favour us.  

Hmmm i'd say if we lost 4 in a row we're due for a good result!  At least that's what the logical odds suggest.

[PegCityCam]

16 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Going back to 2000 it looks like we have 1 win, 3 draws, and 6 losses (we have lost the 4 most recent matchups).   I would definitely say that history doesn’t favour us.  

GC history does though no? 😉

[trc2014]

I didn’t watch the Mexico/Honduras QF in detail, is it more fair to say Mexico looked really good (I saw some clinical finishes) or Honduras looked really bad or both?

[frmr]

Winner gets Flores?

[Gian-Luca]

1 hour ago, costarg said:

Good news is it will certainly be a home match for Mexico, however without the disadvantage of playing in the upper atmosphere that is the Azteca. 

I'll take that, not sure which is their biggest home advantage, the altitude or the fans.

I guess it depends on how many times the match will get delayed because of puto or racist chants from the crowd. 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

18 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

I didn’t watch the Mexico/Honduras QF in detail, is it more fair to say Mexico looked really good (I saw some clinical finishes) or Honduras looked really bad or both?

Honduras looked hopeless but they were ravaged by injuries and covid.

[Kadenge]

I really wanted Cav to start vs Mexico. You just know he would have been super pumped to play them and looked really  down when the ref reached for his pocket vs CR. Cav  only plays and talks one way...full metal jacket. Will never be a politician or win the lady Byng trophy. Was his tackle reckless and stupid? Yes,  but that's just the type of player he is. What you see is what you get. We will miss him

[dyslexic nam]

4 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

I really wanted Cav to start vs Mexico. You just know he would have been super pumped to play them and looked really  down when the ref reached for his pocket vs CR. Cav  only plays and talks one way...full metal jacket. Will never be a politician or win the lady Byng trophy. Was his tackle reckless and stupid? Yes,  but that's just the type of player he is. What you see is what you get. We will miss him

Look, I like Cav’s passion, but that is a dumb play - full stop.  He knowingly tackles a guy where the follow through will cut him down in a way that is always called and generally results in a yellow.  Passion is one thing.  An inability to control yourself when the situation demands it is another.  

[Floortom]

2 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Look, I like Cav’s passion, but that is a dumb play - full stop.  He knowingly tackles a guy where the follow through will cut him down in a way that is always called and generally results in a yellow.  Passion is one thing.  An inability to control yourself when the situation demands it is another.  

The fact that EVERYONE knew that was coming and Cav still picked up a yellow really says it all. Zero common sense and he really hurt the team.

no disrespect to Tesho but the fact that we have to face Mexico with our 5th choice striker is disappointing.

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, Floortom said:

The fact that EVERYONE knew that was coming and Cav still picked up a yellow really says it all. Zero common sense and he really hurt the team.

no disrespect to Tesho but the fact that we have to face Mexico with our 5th choice striker is disappointing.

Agreed. Trying to see it as an opportunity to cement our depth. Akindele has a chance now in a big game. Win or lose, the experience will be valuable. If we do need Akindele in the Ocho, he'll be more useful to us now, at least in theory.