The two worst teams in the Copa America are now about to face each other to decide who the best team in CONCACAF is. Mexico and Jamaica will meet for the first time ever in a Gold Cup final, in a game that will be played at PPL Park in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.
Mexico was less than 60 seconds away from having to face the United States in the game for third place when the referee called a handball inside the big box and a penalty was given to Mexico. For most people, that handball did not exist and something similar happened when Mexico played against Costa Rica.
El Tri had been playing with all its eleven players against 10 from Panama since the first minutes of the game. The team from Central America was able to make use of one of their few shots on goal to get on the scoreboard before Mexico in the 60th minute. Mexico did not even seem to try and tie the game after that.
Mexico only had a good showing against Cuba, a team they had to beat by a lot and they did. After that, Miguel Herrera's team suffered to get past the group stage. They did not seem to have any idea on how to play and pass the ball. They missed plenty of chances in front of the net and Mark Geiger saved the day for El Tri in the semi-final.
If soccer was fair, Mexico did not deserve to be in the final for the eighth time since the creation of this tournament. They now have a chance to win their seventh title and also a ticket to the playoff game against the United States to see who qualifies for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
Mexico has only lost one Gold Cup final, and it was against the United States at the Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Andres Guardado and Carlos Esquivel are probably the only Mexican player that are having solid performances so far, with the rest of the team really performing under the expectations set on them.
Guardado could fight to become the tournament's leading scorer. He is just one goal behind Clint
Jamaica is much more motivated than Mexico for this game. They are the first
Winfried Schafer has done an incredible job with his team since he took charge in 2013. The German manager has been working from the ground up and now finds a great reward for his work building a team that is very limited in personnel but highly capable in other aspects like their physicality.
Giles Barnes and Gareth McCleary both have two goals in their personal accounts so far in this tournament. Barnes is the most highlighted player in Schafer's squad since he plays for an MLS team (Houston Dynamo), while many of his teammate only play in Jamaica's professional league, made out of 12 teams.
The Reggae Boyz did not even participate in the 2013 Gold Cup. In
Gold Cup Final: Team sheets for Mexico vs Jamaica
Mexico's lineup: Ochoa; Aguilar, Rodríguez, Alanís, Reyes, Layún; Dos Santos, Dueñas, Guardado; Corona, Peralta.
Jamaica's lineup: Michael, Morgan, Barnes, Mcanuff, Watson, Austin, Dawkins, Mariappa, Lawrence, Mccleary, Thompson.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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