Thursday was the five-month anniversary of Jürgen Klinsmann’s appointment as head coach of the United States men’s national team. In that short time, he has presided over seven games and has a paltry 2-1-4 record.

He has also instituted some controversial player-selection policies, in some instances preferring European-born players to Americans. This has led to some backlash, most recently this morning from U.S.-born professional player Preston Zimmerman that started some discussion on Twitter about Klinsmann’s policies:

Preston Zimmerman (from Pasco, Wash., currently playing for SV Darmstadt 98 in Germany's 3rd Liga) lashes out at Jürgen Klinsmann on Wednesday morning on Twitter.

On Nov. 10, Brian Straus of Sporting News published an interview with Klinsmann ahead of the 1-0 U.S. loss in France. In it, Klinsmann made some assertions that implied the U.S. is better off with Europeans on its national team than Americans.

For example:

“It’s a different part of American culture. It’s the global picture that America represents. Those are kids who came through military families or for whatever reasons, working reasons of their parents, then they grow up with a different educational system, which gives them in soccer terms an edge ahead of American kids growing up in the U.S. They go through thousands more hours of playing the game than the American kid because the American kid only plays organized [soccer]. They come through different systems that gave them, especially, a technical advantage, an advantage in terms of how they read the game, anticipate the game, because the more you play the more you read things ahead.”

But the fact that he’s selecting foreign players is not his fault; it’s society’s:

“Now you live in this dual-citizenship world that is normal. It’s globalization. It’s just the way it is.”

Klinsmann obviously has a disdain for the grassroots of the American soccer system. He doesn’t seem to understand that it is different here; the same things that work in Europe or South Americ will not work in the U.S. The landscape is changing toward a more hybrid system with European allusions, but it will never be exactly the same.

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy is expanding, with Major League Soccer clubs taking a greater interest in youth soccer than ever before. However, most of these players will continue to go to college than straight to the pro ranks when they turn 18. The very top players who are ready for it will make the jump to the first team; others will get four more years (some less, if they leave early) to develop as players before taking that leap.

Looking at the last three U.S. World Cup rosters, the American system has fared just fine. Just six players out of 49 grew up in what could be considered a non-American system (youth play outside of the country):

Click on the image for a full-size version of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 U.S. World Cup rosters.

These American-born players made their mark on the college system before becoming professionals, and they made it to the quarterfinals in 2002 and won their group — which included England, a nation that exemplifies the club youth academy system — in 2010.

Evidently, being a non-American does not necessarily make a player better.

Those 2002, 2006 and 2010 players who did not play in college played for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., which is the precursor to and a model for the current U.S. Development Academy system. IMG still has two teams participating in the new system, but graduates of the old academy include Landon Donovan, Damarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore.

The academy system developed from that early start, and now all clubs under the Development Academy umbrella receive support from the U.S. Soccer Federation, not just IMG. To continue finding quality youth players, this system has to keep developing.

It’s off to a fine start — most NCAA Division I recruits played at an academy, and 16 of the 20 members of the U-17 national team that just won the 2011 Nike International Friendlies play for an academy side.

Additionally, Klinsmann has to realize the right balance between the European system and the existing American system. Imposing too much change will destroy all the work that has been done up to this point to find a system that is uniquely American but still effective on the global soccer stage.

Finally, a few more MLS selections to U.S. friendly squads would be nice, instead of European-born and -based players of whom nobody has heard or seen play.

Hopefully, the U.S. will be holding the World Cup in 2014, and Klinsmann will look like a genius despite his rocky first few months in charge. But that’s a far cry from the current look of things. If World Cup qualifying starts slowly for the U.S., changes have to be made quickly.

Sacrificing this World Cup cycle for future cycles would be unacceptable because the talent the U.S. has right now demands that success be immediate, not sometime in the future.

Liviu Bird is a goalkeeper for Seattle Pacific University and editor-in-chief of The Falcon, Seattle Pacific’s student newspaper. Follow him on Twitter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

On Wednesday night, the U.S. National Team ushered in the Jurgen Klinsmann era with a 1-1 tie against Mexico in Philadelphia. The new U.S. coach spent most of the evening with a smile on his face, and although the first half of his debut was less than promising, the second half provided plenty of reason to be optimistic.

The U.S. started in a 4-2-3-1 formation that is designed to spring into a 4-3-3 on the attack and sink into a 4-5-1 on defense. It is primarily a possession formation that engineers attacks from the back to the front.

However, in the first half, the U.S. was not getting enough players high to make the formation truly effective. The 4-2-3-1 works only if the team is able to attack with numbers. At times, only three to five U.S. players would go up against seven or eight Mexican defenders. All of the attacking players, the defensive midfielders and at least the strong-side outside back must be involved in the attack.

Working out of the back, the U.S. was not finding the outside backs enough in the build-up. They were doing a good job of pulling high and wide, and the center backs were pulling to the width of the 18-yard box, but Mexico was able to sit centrally for most of the game because the outsides were not involved enough. Getting the ball wide opens up space in the middle for the defensive midfielders to check to the ball in the 4-2-3-1 formation.

However, in a formation set up for possession, Kyle Beckerman was Klinsmann’s most shrewd selection. He always plays simple, does not lose the ball and gets stuck in on tackles defensively. Beckerman excelled in this game, especially during a shaky first half. Finding his feet in the middle allowed Jose Torres and Landon Donovan to get the ball wide in the attacking half when not much was going on for the U.S. in that space.

Physically, the U.S. was still imposing, minus on the Mexico goal. The team is not afraid to get in on tackles. The U.S. goal was a result of Brek Shea’s ability to hold off his defender physically and slot a ball across the goal to Robbie Rogers, who scored on his first touch of the game.

Speaking of Rogers, the substitutes really sparked the U.S. in the second half. Juan Agudelo dribbled at players, Shea created chances and Rogers put one away. Shea assisted the goal and got behind the Mexican defense in the last 10 minutes. Rogers got taken down behind the defense and should have drawn a red card, using his pure pace to beat a defender who had two or three yards on him at the start.

The U.S. got much better on the attack toward the end of the game, largely due to the substitutions. Donovan, who was quiet for the majority of the first hour, was more involved in the latter stages. When Clint Dempsey comes in for the U.S., the attack will only get better.

All in all, it could have been a lot worse for a team playing under a new coach, coming up against an established team with recent success such as Mexico. Now, it is time to iron out the details. The U.S. was shaky on set pieces, both offensively and defensively, including the Mexico goal and Rafael Marquez’s near miss at the far post in the second half. Of course, not all U.S. personnel was available for selection; it will be interesting to see what Klinsmann will do with a full roster at his disposition.

Nonetheless, it is clear from this game (and the history of the U.S. team in general) that Klinsmann might do well to find a style that better suits the physicality of American players and appeals less to the technical side, which is lacking in comparison to the rest of the world. The U.S. found success against Mexico in the final third using its speed and power, not its technical ability. Perhaps it is time for Klinsmann to embrace that as the “culture” of the U.S. team and not get too caught up in playing pretty soccer.

Liviu Bird is a goalkeeper for Seattle Pacific University and editor-in-chief of The Falcon, Seattle Pacific’s student newspaper. You can follow him on Twitter here.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Also See: Jurgen Klinsmann: The making of an icon.

Also See: Klinsmann: USSF wouldn’t give me 100% control of USMNT.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The annual Cosmos Copa is once again on the horizon with 16 ebullient teams gunning for glory. In what will be its third consecutive year, the tournament is one of the most prominent amateur adult soccer tournaments in the United States. Situated in one of the world’s great cosmopolitan meccas, Cosmos Copa was created to bring New Yorkers together to enjoy the city’s rich cultural diversity through the spectacle of soccer.

Run by America’s legendary soccer franchise the New York Cosmos, this unique concept cosists of community based ‘national teams’ whose players play for their respected nationality, heritage and culture in a FIFA World Cup-esque tournament.  The 16 teams vying it out to be ‘Cosmos Copa City Champions’ are:

• NYC Colombia
• NYC Croatia
• NYC Ecuador
• NYC El Salvador
• NYC England
• NYC Greece
• NYC Haiti
• NYC Ireland
• NYC Italy
• NYC Ivory Coast
• NYC Jamaica
• NYC Kosovo
• NYC Mexico
• NYC Poland
• NYC Senegal
• NYC Trinidad & Tobago

2011 Cosmos Copa Schedule

A qualification process that involved 22 teams battled it out at the beginning of the month for eight remaining spots – with the other eight having already qualified based on their performance and participation last year.

The final tournament will kick-off on the weekend commencing July 9^th up until the 24^th of the same month.

Reigning champions Poland will be hoping to win a consecutive title as 2009 champions Albania failed to make the grade this time around.

The opening weekend will consist of  the group stage fixtures. Starting at 8am and finishing at 8pm at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Cosmos Copa will feature 24, 1-hour matches (2, 25-minute matches, 10-minute halftime) with each 2011 NYC Team playing 3 games in their group on fields 8-9 at the park. The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the quarter finals.

GROUP A: NYC Jamaica, NYC Senegal, NYC Trinidad & Tobago, NYC Ecuador

GROUP B: NYC Haiti, NYC El Salvador, NYC Kosovo, NYC England

GROUP C: NYC Poland, NYC Ivory Coast, NYC Croatia, NYC Mexico

GROUP D: NYC Ireland, NYC Colombia, NYC Italy, NYC Greece

The qualifying teams will advance to the quarter-finals the following weekend and so forth up until the final two meet in the championship match on Sunday July 24^th.

For more information visit the official Cosmos Copa Website.

Additionally check out the latest goings on at New York Cosmos.

Follow Ross Mackiewicz on Twitter: @RossMackiewicz

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Mexico is king of CONCACAF for another two years and there’s no second guessing this time. After beating a US “B” team in the 2009 final, El Tri demolished the best the US had to offer in an entertaining 4-2 final Saturday.

With the tournament over let’s take a look at where some teams go from here and some thoughts on who impressed and who has work to do heading into World Cup qualifying.

Are we heading into the golden era of Mexico soccer?

A much respected colleague of mine is convinced that this is the best Mexico team we’ve seen. From an attacking standpoint he could be correct. The combination of Gio Dos Santos – who Tottenham would love to be as good at the club level as he is with the national team –, Chicharito, Pablo Barrera, Andres Guardado and Aldo de Nigris is the best group of attackers El Tri has ever seen.

While they’re great going forward Mexico’s future is bright in the back. With Captain Rafa Marquez likely to be moving away from national team duty a back line of Efrian Juarez, Carlos Salcido, Hector Reynoso and Jorge Torres Nilo could provide the type of defense that could put Mexico into the upper-echelon of world soccer.

US exposed?

While Mexico is flying high after the final win the US and Bob Bradley is left to figure out just what went wrong. To find the answers Bradley & Co. need to look at the back line first. With Steve Cherundolo – who had an excellent tournament – going down in the 11^th minute the US was left to rely on Jonathan Bornstein on the left side. The move showed just how shallow the lack of depth is on defense for the US and the team gave up four goals in the loss.

With the US showing their creative side in the attack with Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and the resurgent Freddy Adu providing a spark, the concern should shift from the attacking core to the back line. That’s where the questions lie that will define Bradley’s second tour of duty.

Tournament surprise

Early in the Gold Cup it looked like Jamaica would be the up-and-coming team from the tournament, but the team that impressed the most as an underdog was Panama. They twice took the game to the US and showed that they can play the type of organized, stingy defense that propelled a team like Paraguay to World Cup success in 2010.

Tournament disappointment

Costa Rica was expected to be a serious challenger for the Gold Cup and the Ticos were anything but. Their stars Bryan Ruiz and Alvaro Saborio never got on track. They’re futility was evidenced by their elimination where the team missed a penalty kick in regulation and then lost out in a shootout.

Best XI

GK: Jaime Penedo (Panama)

DEF: Steve Cherundolo (US), Felipe Baloy (Panama), Carlos Salcido (Mexico), Carlos Gallardo (Guatemala)

MID: Andres Guradado (Mexico), Clint Dempsey (US), Gio Dos Santos (Mexico), Gerrado Torrado (Mexico)

FWD: Javier “Chichartio” Hernandez (Mexico), Rodolfo Zelaya (El Salvador)

Honorable Mention: GK Tim Howard (US), DEF Christian Noriega (Guatemala), MID Gabriel Gomez (Panama), Omar Daley (Jamaica), FWD Pablo Barrera (Mexico), Jerry Bengsten (Honduras), Dane Richards (Jamaica)

MVP: Gio Dos Santos (Mexico)

Runners-up: Andres Guardado (Mexico), Rodolfo Zelaya (El Salvador)

That’s it. Thanks for following and reading during the Gold Cup. It’s been fun and I hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In 24 hours we’ll know how the latest edition of CONCACAF’s best rivalry went down as another US-Mexico Gold Cup finale is upon us. With previews and analysis filling the internet there’s a number of issues and storylines being written about. Here I will provide some of the more interesting ones along with some keys to Saturday’s finale and my prediction.

US changing of the guard?

Overall, most who’ve followed the US during the Gold Cup would say they’ve been uninteresting. The Yanks haven’t blown anyone out – actually they dropped a group stage game – and haven’t been truly dominant.

But one storyline is cropping up: Is this Clint Dempsey’s team now? Landon Donovan has long been considered the face of US soccer. The star that fans, media and teammates gravitate too while with the team.

But 2011’s Gold Cup has been about Dempsey. The Fulham man has been the player that’s made things happen for the US both in the build up and the attack. On the other hand Donovan has been placed in the role of “super-sub” the last two games.

With Dempsey taking the lead on the field, a big performance in the finale could signal that Dempsey and his friend Donovan may be switching places in the hierarchy of the US squad.

Down a few stars

On the topic of Donovan, a day ahead of the finale the LA Galaxy playmaker admitted to the media that he’s not been told if he’ll start or come off the bench. It’s lunacy on the surface but with his impact off the bench being better than his impact in games he’s started it’s not out of the question.

A decision to start the game with Donovan on the bench could either enhance Bob Bradley’s image – which has improved this week – or completely kill any good feelings he has built. This could truly be a make or break decision for Bradley’s public image.

On the Mexican side, playmaker Andres Guardado and defender Carlos Salcido are question marks for the game. Guardado suffered an ankle injury in the second half of Wednesday’s semifinal and Salcido is fighting a lingering heel injury from his EPL season.

Both players will be tough to replace but Guardado has been spectacular in the tournament. For my money he’s been the best Mexican player and missing him could hurt El Tri’s advantage in possession and distribution.

Is fatigue a factor?

The Gold Cup is a tough tournament because of the short timeframe and long travel involved in playing games across the US. With both teams playing a tough semifinal opponent and Mexico going into extra-time and only two rest days how will the effort be on Saturday night?

Keys to the game

For the US this game is about staying organized and creating quality chances. I emphasize the word quality. When the US get possession and go forward they need to make the most of it. Also, they need to shut the lanes down and kill the space for Mexico’s talented midfield to find their talented attackers. If the US can win the midfield battle they’ll win the game.

For Mexico it’s simple: Play your best. If both teams play their best Mexico will win. They’re a better squad – not by as much as it looked like in the group stage but they are better. With their talent and ability in the attack El Tri will get their chances and if players like Chicharito, Aldo de Nigris and Gio Dos Santos get in behind the US they need to punish the US. The main concerns for Mexico should be that the US has a solid and physical midfield full of workers. The space will be much tighter.

Prediction

This is a tough one because I don’t think either team’s playing its best soccer right now and there’s questions surrounding the participation of three of the game’s best players. Going on the information I have I believe it’s going to be a very tight game with Mexico pulling it out in the end.

Mexico 2-1 in the end.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There were a number of questions facing the U.S. heading into their Gold Cup quarterfinal against Jamaica. A regional power that was considered by some to be an underdog, the U.S. entered the match as a team struggling to finish and without their best player Landon Donovan in the starting lineup.

Yet the Yanks took advantage of their strength in midfield, dominating possession and controlling the flow of the match. Adding a few finishes in the second half, and benefiting from a questionable red card, the U.S. put on their best performance of the Gold Cup and advanced to the semifinals to be played in Houston Wednesday night.

Coming into the match the U.S. were understandably wary of Jamaica’s ability to counter attack. Aware of the Reggae Boyz speed, the U.S. put their foot on the ball and played keep away for much of the match. The U.S. successfully carrying out that game plan limited the Jamaicans to only a handful of counter attack chances.

While the U.S. dominated possession from the beginning the finishing took some time to show up. After a number of quality chances were squandered in the first half the U.S. finally broke through in the second half.

It took 49 minutes but Jermaine Jones – who was on a yellow card – hit a low driving shot toward the Jamaican goal. The shot seemed destined to find goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts but a deflection off Houston Dynamo defender Jermaine Taylor redirected the shot above a lunging Ricketts for the U.S. game winner.

Jones and Taylor found themselves connected again 17 minutes later when the streaking American midfielder sold a foul on the Jamaican earning him an ejection. With Taylor the last line of defense, an apparent foul from behind caused the referee to reach for the red card despite the replay showing little to no contact and changed the complexion of the match.

Down a man and a goal the Jamaicans pushed for an equalizer and were caught forward in the 79^th minute and paid for it in the way of a Clint Dempsey goal. The final tally was the product of a good counter attack and a nifty feed from first half sub Juan Agudelo – who entered early in the match for the injured Jozy Altidore who left with a left hamstring injury – and secured the win for the Americans.

Match Thoughts

- Anderlecht midfielder Sacha Kljestan put in a standout performance today linking well with his teammates. His only downgrade would be his inability to get shots off.

- Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey arrived in the wee hours of Sunday morning and were concerns for the match. Reports on twitter had Dempsey arriving at 2AM and still able to make the start. However, the same report had Donovan arriving at 7AM and that contributed to his starting on the bench. Bedoya put in a very good 65 minute shift in place of the LA Galaxy and US star.

- Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was the man of the match for the Reggae Boyz despite the score line. The LA Galaxy stopper was very good and was the only reason Jamaica was in the game at half time.

- Commend Carlos Bocanegra and the U.S. back line. At a distinct speed disadvantage the U.S. defense was solid technically and with their positioning and kept the Reggae Boyz from getting behind them.

Now the U.S. awaits the winner of the nightcap between Panama and El Salvador to know who they’ll face in Houston Wednesday night.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

On the day of the U.S.’ Gold Cup quarterfinal against Jamaica it’s seems like ages since the 2010 World Cup. Despite a tough extra time elimination at the hands of Ghana, the U.S. soccer program was riding high coming home from South Africa. Then the plane touched down and reality set in.

A lackluster year and three underwhelming Gold Cup group stage games later and the U.S. are facing a tough opponent in a match that they’re not a favorite in. With Jamaica standing in the way of a semi-final berth, Bob Bradley’s U.S. squad will have to fight a team that’s more athletic and in better form.

Previewing the match has been a tough order. The parts are there for the U.S. to be successful. Bradley has quality players at his disposal but there are two legitimate questions that come to mind surrounding the squad.

- Slow Starts?

Getting into the flow of matches has been a tough task. While it seems simple enough the concentration and energy has lacked for the U.S. coming out of the gate in recent years. The issue caught up to the squad in South Africa and has done the same in the Gold Cup. How can the U.S. overcome the slow starts? That’s a question Bradley and Co. need to answer and quick.

- Motivation?

The U.S. has not looked bad in the Gold Cup. Actually the play has been good and the passing has seen long stretches where it’s been top quality. Still there’s a lack of urgency. The team seems to be moving a step slow. Nowhere is it more evident than in front of the net where the U.S. has been anything but clinical.

Answering these questions will go a long way towards securing passage to the semi-finals. In their way will be a Jamaican team that will look to run the U.S. into the ground. With that said, here are three keys for the U.S. to come out victorious.

1. Keep Jamaica in front of them

Keeping the speedy Jamaican squad in front of them is key for the Yanks. At a significant disadvantage in the speed department when comparing Jamaica’s attack to the Yanks back line, the U.S. will need to avoid defending while facing their own goal. If the game becomes a series of foot races, the U.S. will surely come out on the losing end.

2. Control the tempo

Despite Jamaica’s speed, the class or quality on the ball favors Bradley’s squad. The U.S. will need to dictate the pace of the match and attempt to grind the pace of the game down. If Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones can provide a steadying influence and distribute the ball to Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Alitdore the U.S. will be at the advantage.

3. Finish, finish & more finish

Can Jozy Altidore find the net again Sunday?

Finishing is a simple and common key. But in a match of two teams that can generate chances at will the ability to convert will be key. For the U.S. that means putting away easy chances which was not a given against Guadeloupe. If the U.S. is to advance Dempsey and Altidore will have to put the ball past Donovan Ricketts or risk being caught on the counter. With Jamaica likely to push forward and not “park the bus” – something the U.S. has not seen this Gold Cup – there will be space and opportunity to score.

With that said, the U.S. will face its toughest test in the Gold Cup to date on Sunday. The way the team responds from the first kick will provide a look into the team’s make up and the coach’s ability to get the team ready. If the team comes out flat and gets behind early it could mean disaster and will raise even more questions about Bradley’s status as head coach.

Needless to say there’s a lot on the line for Bradley and Co. Sunday afternoon.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Sunday’s quarterfinal matches show just how imprecise predictions can be. Teams that were considered to be favorites in the Gold Cup coming in are now underdogs and an unlikely group winner looks to continue a good run. So while Saturday features tournament favorite Mexico and a clash between Costa Rica and Honduras, Sunday offers a bit of role reversal for those involved.

USA versus Jamaica

Entering this tournament I think it’s safe to say the consensus was that the U.S. was a favorite to reach the Gold Cup finale. Yet after a disastrous friendly loss against Spain and three underwhelming performances in the group stage – including a loss to Panama – the U.S. finds itself an underdog against Jamaica in Sunday’s matinee.

U.S. Coach Bob Bradley

The Yanks enter the game with negative momentum – if there’s such a thing – as critics and fans seem to concentrate on the negatives of the first round of the tournament. Unfortunately, those critics and pessimistic fans have evidence for the position: the team’s form. The U.S. has not played at a high level since the World Cup last summer. And playing against a team that’s streaking and pose significant matchup issues, the U.S. finds themselves in a tough position.

While the U.S. is reeling the Reggae Boyz are looking to get stronger. They’re the fastest team in the tournament and have some quality technical players going forward. For all their speed going forward the Jamaicans are a powerhouse in the back. Jermaine Taylor and Shavar Thomas are rocks in the middle and Donovan Rickets could be the second best ‘keeper in the tournament. It seems as though all signs are pointing to a Jamaica win.

Impact player: Ryan Johnson, Jamaica

In game where there are a number of good players on the field Johnson could be the most important. Jamaica has speed, power and flair. However, Johnson – a winger for Sporting Kansas City – is the only forward that’s shown to be a goal scorer. Can Johnson punish the U.S. center back pairing and finish the chances that Jamaica’s speed creates? The answer could decide the match.

Prediction: This is very difficult. Go with the recent form or history? History says that even though Jamaica has played better, the U.S. will find a way to buckle down and win. Form says that Jamaica’s the favorite. I’ll go with history – because I think the U.S. will finish its chances this time, but it’ll be close. Very close. U.S. wins 1-0.

El Salvador v. Panama

This is the match that many could be underestimating. Panama won group C but were far from dominant. They’ll be rested having played just five of their starters against Canada Tuesday. The combination of Blais Perez and Luis Tejada has been very good for Panama and they’ll present trouble for an El Salvador defense that showed it’s susceptible to quick attackers.

El Salvador is a plucky team with a forward who’s playing like a star. Rodolfo Zelaya has made his presence felt in the Gold Cup scoring three goals and could be one of the most dangerous players in the tournament. Around him is a cast of players who have technical skill and the ability to create on the counter. After their opening 5-0 loss against Mexico the prognosis wasn’t good. But it looks like that was a case of Mexico being really good and their following 1-1 draw against Costa Rica and 6-1 destruction of Cuba showed that.

Impact Player: Rodolfo Zelaya, El Salvador

The 22 year old Zelaya is likely on the wish list of any club that’s scouted the Gold Cup. His speed and finishing sets him apart from many other players in the tournament. If the youngster gets his chance he will make Panama pay.

Prediction: This has the potential to be an open game with lots of goals. I will bank on a talented but overshadowed El Salvador in what is a mild upset – if you throw the tournament records out. 3-1 El Salvador.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With the Gold Cup taking a break before the quarterfinals begin Saturday afternoon there’s some down time for the teams to settle in, rest and reboot for the start of the knockout stages. For the U.S. and Mexico there’s also some player news.

The U.S. has two of their most important players on the team set to miss Thursday and Saturday training sessions to attend separate weddings this weekend. Front line attackers Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will be away from the team to attend the nuptials of family members but will be back in time for the team’s match against Jamaica.

With their experience with the team the stars’ absence will not matter much on the field. With the team’s recent performances their break may be welcomed to recharge their batteries as the team looks to raise their level of play against a tough opponent.

While the U.S. knows they’ll be at full strength for their match Mexico still has players missing due to a failed drug test. Those five players were at UCLA to get the results of a second drug test which came back negative. The test was administered to the five players June 10 – a day after they were removed from the squad due to original failed test – but the Mexican FA has not decided the groups fate.

Now the situation will shift to the Mexican FA getting a “B” or back up sample given in May to be tested. With the investigation ongoing, it’s not clear what will happen to the five players ahead of this weekend. While everything has gone very well for El Tri they have not been able to replace the five players without a decision being made.

Whether the second test is run will likely determine the fate of the five, something the Mexican FA would likely prefer to happen sooner than later.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com during the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News