The Gold Cup at Rio Tinto: My Experience.

Kyle Beckerman provided another quality ball for a Wondo goal (SL Tribune)

First off, I'd like to thank everyone at Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake, and US Soccer for working to bring the US Men's National Team to Utah not once, but twice this summer for World Cup Qualifying and the Gold Cup.  It really was a special opportunity for the soccer fans in Utah, and I am very glad that I took advantage.

The ride down to the RioT from Ogden was punctuated with good news.  It was announced that all three of our RSL men, Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, and Tony Beltran would start for the national team against Cuba.  That was certainly a nice present for all of the RSL fans heading to the RioT.  Once we arrived we took our seats in the South end, front row, right at the bottom of the boom cam that was being used for the TV broadcast.  Our season tickets for RSL are in section 30, so it was interesting to get this view.  I hadn't sat in the south end since my first game at the RioT in 2010, after I moved back from Florida.

The start of the match was hammered by thunder and a pretty good sized cloud burst, but it didn't dampen the spirits of the American Outlaws, who were in the same section.  We joined the chants as the match got underway.  Overall I'd say the crowd and the "atmosphere" were better for this match than they were for the World Cup Qualifier.  There was definitely more chanting and YSA only reared it's head a couple of times.  After that, "USA" seemed to be the popular chant by most folks in the south end on goal kicks.

The first half wasn't what you would call glorious from the USA.  They had plenty of possession, but failed to make a connection in the final third.  Then the unthinkable happened. Late in the first half Cuba went on a counter attack, torched our left side, and managed to sneak a goal past Nick to give Cuba a 0-1 lead.  That seemed to wake the US up though.  Just a few minutes later they earned a PK, which Landon Donovan promptly converted to tie the match at 1-1.  The shouts of "USA, USA" became somewhat deafening from the Rio Tinto crowd, it was, just for a minute, one of the loudest chants I've heard in many games at the RioT.

The US took charge in the second half.  Brek Shea went out, and I'm sorry to say for him that it was a pretty dismal performance.  He didn't look great from where I sat in the south end, but when I got home and watched the broadcast, the scope of his failure was all to clear.  The Yanks earned several quality set piece chances early in the second half, but they weren't able to convert.  Finally Joe Corona hit a gorgeous goal in the 57th minute to give the USA the lead.  Corona looked great throughout the match.  Chris Wondolowski checked in and provided the USA with two more goals, including one off of a great pass from Kyle Beckerman, to make the final margin 4-1 and send the US folks home happy.

But wait, there's more.  In the second game of the double header, Alvaro Saborio started for Costa Rica against Belize.  I'd say about 2/3 of the crowd left after the USA match.  Many of the remaining folks filed over to the west side of the stadium to get out of the sun.  I should have done that, as I ended up with a second degree sunburn.  Oh well, I regret that I have but one epidermis to burn for my country.

The match wasn't great by any stretch and Costa Rica were obviously the better side, but still Belize managed to keep them out of the net into the second half.  The Ticos' lone goal came in the 49th minute in the form of an own goal from a Belize defender, and it was all Costa Rica would need.  Belize had a great chance to equalize in stoppage time from a corner kick, but the header just missed and Costa Rica sealed the 1-0 win.

The victories for both the USA and Costa Rica seal knockout round places for them heading into the last group match in Hartford, where they will face off.  That happens tonight, but I'm still caught up in the glow of watching my national team, and it's representatives from my club, shine in my stadium!  This summer of International soccer is something I'll never forget.