Venezuela opened the Copa America on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 with Group A–Uruguay giving up 3 goals to Peru while Venezuela and Bolivia played to a 2-2 draw.

Group B followed on Wednesday with Chile out-blasting Ecuador 3-2 and the real shock of Mexico defeating Brazil 2-0.

The press has slated Uruguay’s opening loss as a shock, but, in truth, the land of Francescoli has lacked a traditional edge for a number of years now while Peru, with players like new Chelsea-man Pizarro, might just make a name for themselves.

The Bolivian draw was more the surprise as it was the recall for the MLS striker, Jaime Moreno, to pull the National jersey on once again, and the DC United striker paid back his country’s faith by providing the 1st goal in Bolivia’s persistence to equate the game as they came back each time from a goal behind. There were shouts of penalty at the end for Venezuela that made the Gold Cup affair look like the touch of a feather.

After the Gold Cup, only so much can be said of all the media upheaval and speculation about Hugo Sanchez and the failures of Mexico.

It looks like the Mexican expatriate knows how to show the class when it really counts. Of course he promised a Copa de Oro medal, but that was down to horrible officiating, rather than team class.

For some reason I think that for the Mexicans it is a sweeter win [against Brazil] than a victory over the United States would have been if it meant the Gold Cup Champions. At least for Neri Castillo and Co., the quality and class in each strike outweigh almost the sum of all the goals produced in the Gold Cup.

Ecuador was looking to build off their success in the World Cup in Germany last summer, but fell in high-power action to Chile and will have to climb in the next two games to have a chance for progression.

In Group C it was raining goals in the opening 2 matches. Paraguay totalled ripped to shreds Columbia behind the hat-trick of Santa Cruz. The US also felt the pain as Argentine outshined the stars-and-stripes 4-1 even after going behind to Eddie Johnson’s penalty strike.

A Hugo Sanchez-inspired Mexican side was defeated as the US National Team, thanks to the help of Carlos Batres, continued its regional dominance over Mexico.

Carlos who? Surely not Carlos Bocanegra as he showed once again his lack of refinement with elbows and hackings a plenty. I am talking about the notorious middle-man, who seemed to show to obviously the winner he had picked in his mind before the occasion.

One should never complain against the referees some would say, but one really can’t be too surprised, by the same token, as the Americans rode the advantage of the favors of the referees all the way to the finals.

Luckily, we get to see the see the real deal in a few days in the Copa America, and when US face off against Argentina in Venezuela, I don’t think that the US will enjoy such targeted prejudice.

Mexico, notorious for its snail-pace possession football, came immediately off the blocks on Sunday perhaps emulating the desire of their manager, ex-great Sanchez, to finally claim prizes.

Mexico dominated proceedings in the 1st half, creating through the dribbling runs of Castillo, the availability and crossing of Atlas’ Guardado, as well as the wing play of both defenders Salcido and Osorio. Confining the US to just a number of chances, keeper Oswaldo Sanchez still had to be available to keep both Beasley and Dempsey off the score sheet in the 1st half.

Mexico was rewarded for its enterprise in the 44th min. when the winger Guardado slide home an upper ninety after Castillo turned and dribbled on Onyewu in the box to slot home a pass at the back post. However, in the end the Mexicans were defeated by a 2nd set of rules that exist around the US National Team in Regional tournaments as well as a blistering volley by youngster Benny Feilhaber.

The Guatemalan referee totally turned the game around when he called upon the phantom penalty in the 2nd half when Brian Ching miraculously went down in the penalty area under honest defensive pressure.

But the Americans have been around long enough to know to not look a gift horse in the mouth, and Donovan coolly slotted past the wiggly, frozen Sanchez.

Speared on by Ching’s theatrics and the referee’s whistle, Feilhaber killed off the game in the 73rd min., with a superb 1st time volley just outside the edge of the 18 after Mexico tried to clear a US corner, helping America go on to claim its 4th Gold Cup title.

 

It only took the 1st half for the US to match my predicted score before the game. However, don’t let that fool you savages, as Canada was hard done by with 2 late goals from Bradley’s crew and then totally cheated by the refs in injury time at the end of the game.

After weathering some early pressure by the US, Canada came into the game and controlled the rhythm, forcing the US into some defensive capers as they twice played Keller into trouble, both Hejduck and Bocanegra playing questionable back passes, that forced the veteran keeper into unneeded pressure.

Canada was definitely hard done by when Bocanegra escaped with only yellow after an ex-rated two-footed tackle on De Guzman in the midfield. Earlier the defensive end, used both hands to pull down Ali Gerba who had found some space behind the Fulham defender. The dividends would apply later as the game remained 11 vs. 11.

Canada’s hard luck turned to bad luck as Frankie Hejduck scored from just outside the 18 after the US kept alive a corner-kick, Donovan setting up the Caniggia-hair-like defender for an important goal. Donovan added the 2nd with a down-the-middle spot kick after Beasley beat defender Stalteri on the outside for speed and was taken down by the keeper Onstad in the box.

Donovan should have added his 2nd at the start of the 2nd half, but completely whiffed on an empty net when played in by Eddie Johnson, but the Americans were content to continue their war of attrition putting together next to nothing in midfield.

Canada, on the other hand, continued their dominance of play and created a number of chances before their breakthrough in the 76th min. when the substitute Hume finished off a Canadian counter-attack with a curling left-footer past Keller.

Unable to get anything from the run of play, the US almost had a 3rd goal from off a corner, but Dempsey’s header was cleared off the line by the goalscorer Hume.

American tactics showed up again in the 89th when the coach’s son, Michael Bradley, cynically took down De Guzman from behind and received a straight red. It seems the referee got it right this time.

Playing 1 man up, even with just a few minutes, Canada almost made up for the the 50+ min. they could have enjoyed by scoring a goal in injury time.

However, the referee again made the wrong decision by disallowing what was a perfectly legitimate goal; the muscle bound Onyewu was spared blushes as it was his deflected header that played in Hutchinson for what should have put the game into overtime.

Stack all the cards for America again in this one.

 

Boca heaped more misery on Gremio as they defeated the Brazilians 0-2 in Brazil to add a 6th Copa Libertadores title to their pedigree, only 1 behind compratrioits Independiente.

Requilme struck a brace in the 2nd half of the 2nd leg to add to the 3 unanswered goals Boca scored in the 1st leg in Argentina.

The on-loan veteran Requilme, who hit 3 of the 5 goals, will be celebrating the end of his return with the return of trophy-winning form for Boca, as they have endured a small title draught since the loss of manager Basile a few seasons ago.

The victory now puts the Argentine giants on course for the World Club Championship later in the year to keep their trophy drive alive.

The taste of trophies should, however, push Boca to recapture their league form. With 2 consecutive 2nd place finishes in the Argentine league, Boca will now be looking to set their league form aright when the league championship resumes.

 

The Aluminum semis kick-off tomorrow in the Gold Cup–with the cross-border rivalry between the USA and Canada while Mexico takes on the inspired island-side Guadalupe.

I think I pigeonholed it before the opening of this CONCACAF tinsel-tourney, calling on the dark horses to fulfill their destinies. But in truth, both teams have shown quality in their build-up to the finals while the usual suspects have seemed more than ordinary.

Canada has followed suit with National rebuilding as the slow, stiffened, and fragmented Canadian style of play of old is beginning to show a progression toward proactive, flowing football. With players like De Rosario, Ali Gerba, and De Guzmán, Canada has shown that they can be lethal in attack and have perhaps created the best team goal thus far of the tournament in their quarterfinal trouncing of Guatemala.

The US has won all its games of course, yet have lacked the brilliance, relying on bravado as usual to take them through. Canada could really make this one interesting with another power performance, but I feel that a return to form of their second game is more likely, with the US coming away with a 2-nil-er.

On the other hand, the Caribbean is never without a turn of pace or creativity, downfall always coming down rather to discipline or structure. Guadalupe has shown to be the more steady of the Caribbean sides in this cup, as they have combined scoring goals with defending, even coming from behind to secure points when necessary.

Secretly, Mexico will feel that Guadalupe is the weakest of teams that they will have faced, but in a Semi nothing is impossible. Of course Mexico should put on a multi-goal display, but don’t really look up for it so far in this tournament. 2-1 Guadalupe is what the Romantics would say, but dagger says 3-1 Mexico.

And the return of fireworks in another Ameri-Mexi Finale.

 

Having barely edged past Cuba 2-1 in their 1st game, Mexico went into its 2nd game against Honduras with a stronger line-up–Hugo Sanchez, Mexican manager, looking for a more believable victory to overshadow the Mexican blushes.

And for large amounts of the game Mexico held the advantage over their modest Central American neighbors with possession and passing that lacked the speed and cutting edge that is typically an Achilles heel when it comes to Mexican National sides.

The Hondurans showed that they could play counterattacking football and kept patience, not frustrated by the amount of Mexican possession. Apart from Honduras’ early penalty miss, the Mexicans looked comfortable enough as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead through Blanco’s converted penalty and seemed as if they had everything in control going into the break.

Blanco’s heroics turned sour though in the 2nd half when he was shown red for his atomic elbow during some corner-kick shannagins, supplying his critics with a renewed reason to call time on his International career.

True the Honduran defender blew a few kisses into his ear, but the middle-aged maestro should have kept his cool on this one because as it played it out, it was the difference in the game–as Honduras made their man advantage count, punishing Mexico with 2 unanswered goals.

Honduran striker Carlos Costly provided the lethal touches, scoring a superb volley early in the 2nd half and a clinical header at the death to pull the shock upset.

Mexico now must defeat Panama in the third and final game to claim progression to the knockout stages of the Gold Cup.

 

The Gold Cup got underway this week, and no matter which way you want to spin it, the quality of play will not be the gold standard after which the cup is named.

With no foreign invites this time around, the US and Mexico look almost locked into a finals appearance, unless of course you have money on either Canada or Guadeloupe as the fabled ostrich.

But still, Dempsey was as surprised as the rest of us as he put the US ahead 1-0 in the 1st half against Guatemala. The ease with which Twellman found Dempsey was a shock welcome to an early lead. But I would be surprised if they believe they can force possession so easily in the advanced Copa tourney next month.

El Salvador edged out Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 in the other Group B match-up. Trinidad hit a bomb of a free-kick before El Salvador came storming back with 2 unanswered goals. On Saturday US will play Trinidad while El Salvador will play Guatemala.

Canada pulled off a true shocker in Group A as they defeated (2-1) Costa Rica, arguably one of the best that CONCACAF has to offer. Modest Haiti and almost unheard of Guadeloupe played to a 1-1 draw. The next round also plays on Saturday, and hopefully, manager Hernan Medford can get Costa back on the map.

Group C kicks off today with Panama facing Honduras in the 1st match with Mexico facing Cuba in the second game. Your best best is to tune to a local cable Spanish channel with kickoff starting at 7 pm.

 

It was always going to take a bunch of goals–just as I predicted–for my teams to get into the Finals, and goals it was as both Santos and Boca Juniors, finding themselves at the foot of the mountain after the 1st leg, hit for 3 at home.

Having lost 3-1 in Colombia, Boca needed a scoreline of 2-0 back at home (as they had the luxury of an away goal) to get past Cinderella-side Cucuta. Riquelme scored the 1st goal right before half-time while Palermo put Boca in the driver’s seat in the 2nd half. Substitute striker, Battaglia then added the insurance, and the smooth sailing, into the Finals at the final whistle.

Santos also scored 3 as they too faced a 2 goal 1st leg deficit at the hands of Gremio; unfortunately, it was only after Gremio had opened the scoring to get the vital away goal in the 2nd leg. Three goals down, Santos finally started to get its offensive engine running as they scored 3 unanswered goals in vain–as Gremio stole the limelight (despite the loss) and have booked their Finals appearance.

So, as most would anticipate, it’s Brazil vs. Argentina again this time around, and while Brazil usually edges out Argentina in the National side of things, this time it will be Buenos Aires over Porto Alegre in another Boca Copa Libertadores conquest.

Well, going by my earlier words, this is the game where it all falls apart for Barcelona in their quest to bring home a 3rd consecutive La Liga Title.

The Spanish title is now the Holy Grail for David Beckham (a chance to finally win a trophy with the most trophy-winning club side in the world) before he gets lost in the MLS forest–to become the Paris Hilton of the Western Conference, where only his reputation as a footballer will find the way.

To make matters worse for Barcelona, they are in a derby match against cross town rivals and Uefa Cup Runners up Espanyol. With Ronaldinho missing the game through suspension, these guys are in a slump. Contrary though, maybe with Ronaldinho’s lack of charisma on the field, a suspension is probably what Barcelona needs–life without R20 ( A.C. Milan come a callin’).

It would be a fairytale for Espanyol’s once-Barcelona play-maker, Ivan de la Pena, to be the nemesis to Frank Rijkaard’s ambitions and inflict an immediate loss to help both Sevilla and Real.

Rarely will both Real and Sevilla slip up to drop a point, where Barca is at least poised to drop two. So, regardless of the Soccer Totem Pole, Barcelona may be down at the butt .

Seems like Sevilla will make a race as they are so close to the ambrosia. Can Freddy Kanoute hold the flame without burning himself? This week should decide the beginning of the end for one club.

Where next week you let everything ride on the best side in La Liga.

Posted in Soccer World, Spain | No Comments »