Posted on 07/08/2017 11:59:46 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Hello darkness, our old friend. The beginning of the Gold Cup for the US sees them facing Panama again.
And in looking ahead to the match-up, which kicks off the Yanks’ campaign on Saturday at Nissan Stadium (4:30 pm ET | FOX and Univision), nobody’s coming in hot or headstrong.
“Panama’s extremely a tough opponent, especially right out of the gate,” said defender Matt Besler, of Sporting Kansas City, on Thursday afternoon, after the US’ last training session at Nashville’s Lipscomb University. “We seem to have played them a lot in recent years, and every single game’s been different, and they’ve all been very tough, physical battles.”
For some at US camp, a tough opponent to start is a little like ripping off a bandage, with a positive result steamrolling into some momentum in a tournament that could be winnable. But, yes, even a draw will definitely require laser focus.
“They’re a very familiar opponent… It feels like we see them every couple months,” said defender Graham Zusi, also of Sporting Kansas City. “They’re a dangerous team. They play the counter pretty well, and their set pieces are very dangerous as well. This is a game we’re gonna have to be locked in for a full 90 minutes.”
(Excerpt) Read more at mlssoccer.com ...
Ping!
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Watch #USAvPAN like never before!
Introducing Social Virtual Reality, available through the free FOX Sports VR App. #GoldCup2017 pic.twitter.com/opBl43yAZz— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 8, 2017
I’ll certainly be watching, but this is really just a “B or B+” team the US is putting out there. Same for Mexico (and maybe some of the other teams) far as I can tell.
Results either way, except for a totally horrible or totally dominating performance, will be of somewhat limited value in assessing the US team’s chance in the WC.
Tournaments like this will, however, give you some games that are fun to watch in a surreal kind of way (like Canada vs French Guyana last night).
Thanks for the ping.
You Welcome!
Lost me there.
It’s July.
It is. What does supporting gay pride have to do with soccer?
Half Time: 0-0
but with some very close shaves.
None of these match-ups over the last two years have proved easy; both of them in the 2015 Gold Cup, both in the group stage and the third-place playoff, yielded a 1-1 draw. The same scoreline followed this past March in World Cup qualifying.
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