Gold Cup 2019 Match Previews – Inside World Football

Jamaica offer biggest test yet for US in quest for Gold Cup final spot

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 11:11:16 +0000

July 3 – The United States and Jamaica will battle for a spot in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Final at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville tonight.

It is a rematch of the 2017 final in Santa Clara (which the US won 2-1), but also of the 2015 semi-final in Atlanta which Jamaica won 2-1, before going on to lose in the final to Mexico.

Mexico await the winners after their 1-0 victory over Haiti.

‘Comeback Kings’ Haiti ready to bring their nation more joy

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 04:52:05 +0000

By Paul Nicholson at the State Farm Stadium, Phoenix

July 1 – The Gold Cup semi-final against Mexico in the State Farm Stadium tomorrow night is not just another game of football for Haiti, the ‘Comeback Kings’ of this tournament.

Three times they have looked to be going out of the tournament, three times they have come back to win. The three stunning second half goals that reversed a two-goal half time deficit to knock Canada out,

Martino says Mexico’s possession game will counter Haiti’s physical one

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 04:10:55 +0000

By Paul Nicholson at the State Farm Stadium, Phoenix

July 2 – Mexico start the Gold Cup semi-final against Haiti at the State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, as nailed on favourites, not just to make it to the final but also to win the competition, and for Mexicans to preferably win against the US at Chicago’s already sold out Soldier Field.

But they do have to get over a Haitian side that Mexican coach Gerardo Martino says has been a “revelation”.

US wary of Curacao’s giantkilling. Jamaica and Panama evenly matched

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 15:51:16 +0000

June 30 – The US and Curacao will decide the final slot in 2019 Gold Cup semi finals when they meet at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on tonight.

It is the first time the two teams have every played each other and is a classic David vs Goliath encounter. A nation of 327 million playing a Caribbean island of just 160,000.

Curacao is getting used to giantkilling. They beat regional powerhouses Honduras and followed that up with a last minute goal against Jamaica to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Costa Rica’s Matosas warns Mexico his team are adapting to new system

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 05:35:40 +0000

By Paul Nicholson at the NRG Stadium, Houston

June 29 – The Gold Cup quarter final between Mexico and Costa Rica pitches the two best Spanish language speaking teams of the past 10 years in the Concacaf region against each other.

Both teams have new coaches and both are reinventing their styles of play. Costa Rica are not yet the team of World Cup 2014 but coach Gustavo Matosas – who spent five years coaching in Liga MX – is adamant that these are early days but that his team can win,

Beauty and the Beast: Canada and Haiti promise contrasting styles

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 00:14:53 +0000

June 28 – Opening Gold Cup quarter final play in Houston, Texas, are Canada and Haiti, an intriguing fixture between two aspiring Concacaf nations who have both made their mark in different ways so far in this tournament.

It will be a match of contrasting styles. Canada have built their style of play around their European-based players and a passing game spiced up by the mercurial brilliance of Alphonso Davies on the wing and the goal scoring find of the tournament Jonathon Davies.

Grp D: US and Panama square off in sold-out Kansas City

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 12:20:31 +0000

By Andrew Warshaw at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City

June 26 – The United States and Panama, two of Concacaf’s fiercest rivals, square off Wednesday for the right to win Group D at the Gold Cup and keep momentum going as they enter the business end of the tournament.

Apart from the occasional blip, the US has dominated matches between the pair with a 13-1-6 record but there is no doubting how much it must have hurt to see Panama strutting their stuff at the World Cup in Russia last summer after their own ignominious failure to qualify.

Grp C: Curaçao ready for more giant killing

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 05:30:30 +0000

By Paul Nicholson at the Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles

June 25 – Curaçao caused the upset of the tournament so far when they beat top seeded Honduras 1-0 in Houston. It was a giantkilling act that put Honduras out of the competition and put Curaçao in a position to make history against Jamaica in Los Angeles.

A Curaçao win would guarantee them a place in the next round against either the US or Canada.

The post Grp C: Curaçao ready for more giant killing appeared first on Inside World Football.

Grp B: Haiti and Costa Rica battle for top billing

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 05:44:56 +0000

By Andrew Warshaw at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey

June 24 – It’s a winner-takes-all Group B showdown in New Jersey on Monday with one huge extra incentive for Costa Rica and Haiti – avoiding big-hitters Mexico in the last eight.

Haiti, an impoverished nation where football is still very much used as a tool for social wellbeing, are playing in their seventh Gold Cup and fifth in the last seven editions.

Grp A preview: Mexico gave Canada a lesson, did they learn it?

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 14:03:29 +0000

MEX vs MTQ; CAN vs CUB

June 22 – The Mexican roadshow is in Charlotte, Sunday, with Martinique looking like the unlucky victims for the form team of the 2019 Gold Cup so far.

Mexico swept aside Cuba 7-0 in a classic display of controlled, creative football. They then gave Canada a lesson in possession football and a 3-1 score line that flattered the Canadians.

Canada had put four past Martinique with their own brand of possession play but by the end of their game against Mexico they had been unpicked and blown to all corners of the stadium.