USA Soccer Coming to Baltimore This Weekend
By Joe Serpico
The United States men’s soccer team is looking for its second consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cup championship and the next stop for Jurgen Klinsmann’s team is M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
More from The Baltimore Wire
- What other Baltimore Orioles Offseason Storylines will you be interested in seeing?
- Baltimore Orioles to Face Numerous Playoff Contenders Down the Stretch
- Baltimore Orioles Showing Encouraging Signs During Recent Wins
- The Baltimore Orioles and the Expanded September Roster
- Maryland Football: Terps honor Jordan McNair, beat Longhorns 34-29
Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and the rest of the U.S. squad will take on a Cuba team that very few predicted would make it to the knockout round. The USA are 8-1-1 all-time against the Cubans, including a perfect 4-0-0 in Gold Cup action. The last meeting between the two was in 2013 with the U.S. earning a 4-1 win.
The two teams have previously faced off in a quarterfinal match back in 2003 in which the U.S. once again downed Cuba by a score of 5-0. Landon Donovan scored four goals in the game, becoming one of just four players in U.S. history to have four goals in a game.
The U.S. won Group A following their 1-0 victory over Haiti last Friday with Dempsey scoring his second game-winning goal to earn the win. They drew with Panama on Monday, 1-1, to close out Group A play. It was a rather sloppy effort the last time out, largely in part because the team knew they had already advanced to the knockout rounds.
This is the second time that M&T Bank Stadium will host the Gold Cup knockout stage with the U.S. team on hand, also taking part in a 2013 quarterfinal that took place in front of 70,540 fans. The USA defeated El Salvador, 5-1, in the contest leading up to the fifth Gold Cup title for the United States.
The remaining teams in the competition are the United States, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama and Costa Rica.
Klinsmann has made three roster changes for the remainder of the tournament, with the most surprising being the exit of Jozy Altidore. The Toronto FC striker is recently returning from a hamstring injury and was not playing well during the group stage.
“We believe that Jozy’s just not there yet,” Klinsmann explained. “Jozy never really got into this tournament and never really picked up the rhythm. He’s just simply not in the shape right now to help us.”
Greg Garza and Alfredo Morales are the other players who also will not participate in the rest of the competition. Alan Gordon, Joe Corona and the Demarcus Beasley will join the group in Baltimore. Beasley is coming out of international retirement to join the club.
Cuba advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Guatemala to make the quarterfinals in consecutive Gold Cups. Few expected the Cubans to advance following a 6-0 thrashing by the Mexicans and a 2-0 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago. The team also had issues with six players and their coach Rual Gonzalez due to issues with their visas. They also had a player defect prior to the first game of the tournament.
The winner will take on the winner of the match between Haiti and Jamaica that will also take place at M&T Bank Stadium following the finish of the previous game. The USA game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., with the following contest set to start at 8 p.m.
The U.S. should benefit from a great draw that pits them against some of the weaker teams in the tournament. Meanwhile, Mexico and Costa Rica, the other favorites in the tournament, will face off on Sunday. The U.S. would not have to face either opponent until the final which is scheduled for July 26 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Live Feed
Playing for 90
Bradley and the rest of the U.S. internationals should have little problem taking down the Cubans. While they did not play particularly well their last time out, Cuba is an opponent that the U.S. has manhandled in their last two meetings by a combined score of 10-2.
Baltimore has historically been a hotspot for soccer fans in the country. The over 70,000 fans that were in attendance for last matchup in Baltimore, an impressive number for sport many feel doesn’t have a strong following in the U.S. Coming off the momentum of the U.S. women’s team taking home the Women’s World Cup, the number might be even higher this weekend.
Three players will also be making a “return” to Baltimore this weekend when the team comes to Charm City. Omar Gonzalez and Graham Zusi were teammates from 2006 to 2008 at the University of Maryland, and Kyle Beckerman grew up in Crofton, Maryland.
“Maryland is a second home for me,” Gonzalez told ussoccer.com. “I have a lot of great memories here. Winning the 2008 National Championship is probably tops.”
If all goes according to plan, Gonzalez should be celebrating another championship in a matter of days in Philadelphia.
Next: Top Uncommitted Maryland High School Football Prospects