The league season for pretty much everybody besides MLS is over. However, even though we don't have the FIFA World Cup this summer, we do have a couple of international tournaments, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The winner of this tournament will get to play in the Confederations Cup in Brazil one year prior to the next FIFA World Cup.
Here's is Puddle's preview of this year's Gold Cup action.
CONCACAF GOLD CUP
Dates: June 5th-25th, 2011.
Host Nation: USA
Current Holders: Mexico
Most Successful Nation: Mexico: 5 titles.
GOLD CUP FACT: Since it's inception in 1991, no country other than Mexico (5 titles), USA (4 titles) and Canada (1 title) has ever won the Gold Cup.
Group A
Costa Rica
Cuba
El Salvador
Mexico
Group B
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Jamaica
Group C
Canada
Guadeloupe
Panama
USA
Obviously the favorites will once again be Mexico and the USA. Canada should field a good team, with several MLS notables, and I look for Costa Rica and Honduras to perhaps be dark horses as well. Costa Rica in particular will be very motivated.
As for the USA, Bob Bradley is going to be under a lot of pressure here. The team hasn't done that well in it's friendlies since South Africa, and there are a host people (myself among them) that think Bradley has taken the USA as far as he can. the defense in particular has been suspect and we'll also wonder who is going to score the goals. Charlie Davies might have been tapped for the squad, but that might be in doubt because of his last injury. I'm sure we'll have Altidore, and probably Agudelo. Findley has been hurt, and he probably wasn't in the mix anyway. Perhaps Bunbury will be called? We'll find out soon, but I don't think Altidore is the answer at striker.
My prediction is somewhat unpatriotic, as I predict Mexico will defend their title. I can't wait for the matches to begin!
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