June 6, 2007
John F. Molinaro, CBC Sports

Bragging rights in the CONCACAF region will be on the line when the 2007 Gold Cup kicks off in Miami on Wednesday.

From June 6 to 24 in six cities across the United States, 12 countries will compete in CONCACAF’s most prestigious tournament, with an eye on building momentum for next year when the 2010 World Cup qualifiers begin.

CONCACAF, the soccer region that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, is among six continental confederations of FIFA, the sport’s international governing body.

No less than four teams (the U.S., Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, and Costa Rica) that participated in last year’s FIFA World Cup will be vying for the Gold Cup this summer, with the U.S. looking to repeat as champion and capture its fourth title overall.

Canada will also be present, looking to improve on its disappointing performance from two years ago when it bowed out in the first round.

The Gold Cup also has serious ramifications on Major League Soccer as many players have been called upon to represent their country, making them unavailable to play for their MLS clubs. Expansion franchise Toronto FC have lost four players, including starting goalkeeper Greg Sutton, to the Canadian national team.

CBC Sports Online offers this breakdown of the main teams and players to watch on the road to the final on June 24 in Chicago.

CANADA

The Canadian roster is a mix of Toronto FC stars, USL First Division players and players from overseas.

Sutton, as well as defenders Adam Braz and Marco Reda, and midfielder Chris Pozniak join Canada from Toronto FC. Other MLS players include Houston Dynamo playmaker Dwayne De Rosario, and defender Ante Jazic and midfielder Kevin Harmse of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The most notable European-based players on the team are veteran defender Paul Stalteri (Tottenham Hotspur, England) and creative midfielder Julian de Guzman (Deportivo la Coruna, Spain).

Noticeable by his absence is national team mainstay Jim Brennan, who turned down the invite to play for Canada to remain at Toronto FC.

Canada played a tuneup game in preparation for the Gold Cup, battling to a 2-2 tie with Venezuela in an exhibition game in South America on June 1.

Canadian under-20 men’s soccer coach Dale Mitchell was officially named coach of Canada’s men’s senior team last month. Mitchell, 49, will remain at the helm of the Canadian junior side through July’s FIFA U-20 World Cup, which Canada will host.

Under-17 coach Stephen Hart, a native of Trinidad and Tobago who resides in Halifax, will guide Canada’s senior side at the Gold Cup.

“Everyone is looking forward to the Gold Cup competition,” Hart said. “We have assembled a squad of players that work well together. We hope to build on these playing relationships in Venezuela and in the United States as the competition progresses.”

Canada, which won the Gold Cup in 2000, is 94th in the monthly world soccer rankings released by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body. It will compete in Group A at the Gold Cup alongside Costa Rica (ranked No. 52), Haiti (No. 85) and Guadeloupe (unranked).

At six-foot-six-inches, Greg Sutton towers over the average opponent. (Ian Barrett/Canadian Press) Greg Sutton will serve as the last line of defence for Canada. (Ian Barrett/Canadian Press)

The top two nations in the three opening-round groups, along with the top two third-place teams, advance to the quarter-finals.

Costa Rica should win this group with little trouble, which means Canada and Haiti will battle it out for second place (minnows Guadeloupe have little chance of drawing a game, let alone winning one).

Canada’s final game of the round robin against Haiti will likely decide second place in the group. It’s a contest Canada can ill afford to lose, as it would stand less of a chance of advancing as one of the third-place teams.

Even if Canada progresses from the No. 3 spot, it would likely face Mexico or the U.S. in the quarter-final, two teams that Canada has historically struggled against.

Canada doesn’t have a great deal of depth, especially up front, or experience, as the majority of its players don’t see regular first-team action for their pro clubs.

What’s more, the Canadian Soccer Association has basically written off the importance of this tournament.

During a recent conference call, CBC Sports Online asked CSA president Colin Linford why it took 11 months to name a new coach - former coach Frank Yallop quit last June - pointing out that the CONCACAF Gold Cup was just around the corner.

Did the CSA not see the Gold Cup as an opportunity to build some momentum for a national program that has been lacking in direction?

Apparently not, as Linford essentially shrugged off the importance of the CONCACAF tournament, stating qualification for the 2010 World Cup was Canada’s top priority and that the CSA was putting all its eggs in that basket.

With all of this in mind, it’s hard to imagine Canada advancing beyond the quarter-finals - and reaching the final eight might even qualify as a minor miracle.

THE FAVOURITES

United States: The defending champion is loaded with quality players at every position.

Tim Howard (Everton, England) and Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany) are two outstanding goalkeepers, while DaMarcus Beasley (Manchester City, England), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England) and Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids) serve as the backbone of a solid midfield.

The U.S. also has plenty of attacking options up front with strikers Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards) and Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution).

Anything less than a semifinal appearance by the U.S. would have to be considered a major shock. More than likely, the Americans will meet Mexico in the final and, considering they have home-field advantage, will repeat as champions.

Mexico: Mexico comes into the tournament as the top country in the current FIFA rankings (No. 20 overall).

Like the U.S, Mexico has great depth in all areas of the field, especially at the back where Rafael Marquez (FC Barcelona, Spain) and Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven, the Netherlands) will marshal the defence.

Mexico is also dangerous in attack and will rely on veterans Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Jared Borgetti (Cruz Azul, Mexico) and Jose Francisco Fonseca (Tigres) to supply the goals.

Mexico looks a sure bet to reach the semifinals.

THE DARK HORSE

Costa Rica

Costa Rica crashed out in the first round of last year’s World Cup and was dealt a big blow when Paulo Wanchope, the country’s most dangerous scorer, retired from the national team after the festivities in Germany.

Don’t overlook Los Ticos, though. Costa Rica beat Panama in February to win the Copa De Naciones (Central American championship) and boast a potent attack, led by midfield creator Walter Centeno and forward Rolando Fonseca.