I know this is somewhat of a B team matchup for both countries, but a 10:22pm kickoff is pretty rough for those of us on the other side of the country.
Debating whether to watch or not, just a money grab friendly, not affecting either team’s decisions for Nations League or Gold Cup. I have LAK at EDM tonight, so, I could record both and alternately watch them over the evening.
The 18 yard tickets versus Mexico are now $165. Ridiculous that the ticket prices move AFTER they go on sale.
Retiree declares for USMNT.
on phone so can’t easily paste.
Here:
This guy seems more of a real deal: Folarin Balogun
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Judging by the reaction on twitter, this is a good thing. I don’t follow much club soccer in Europe, but he’s apparently a big deal.
IMO, you don’t have to (I don’t watch Ligue Uhn), in order to understand that doing well in a top league there is far better than playing well in The MLS.
Now, who on the USAMNT is he replacing? Plays striker. Here is an analysis of USAMNT strikers:
Balugon is last noted --this was in December – and he was still hoping for ENG aspirations.
Also, a decent question is why he’s doing this. Has hardly any connection to the USA program. Guessing he wouldn’t play much for England for the next ten years, while he’ll likely start right away for the USAMNT. Less pressure with USA vs ENG. Might not even get called up every break for ENG (which might actually be a good thing to get some rest in the middle of seasons). USAMNT need to put him on Nations League roster and play him. Downside is the travel to and from USA nearly every single break.
It seems like a big deal for the USMNT.
Historically there were many good Canadian players with dual citizenship who opted not to play for the Canadian national team. One thing that changed the Canadian team’s fortunes in recent years was some of these people opted to play for Canada. Sort of a momentum effect that improved the team.
Start of the backlash wave for USMNT players: Pulisic could leave CHE and get paid less (JUV).
Oh, and new interim coach!
WTF is Berhalter doing? Rumors are Swansea, but seems like irreconcilable differences with USMNT.
Meanwhile, USMNTU20 play URU in the U20 World Cup on Sunday.
Second match, at 7PM EDT (my listing doesn’t have the team names yet, but wiki knows).
Gah! It was the first match!!
They lost. Bummer.
A decent article on the USMNT who play abroad.
Gold Cup rosters announced.
ESPN editors are non-existent:
Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner and Club America attacker Alejandro Zendejas headline the 23-player roster that will represent the U.S. at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, which starts Friday and runs through July 16.
Um,. they start a week from Saturday, 6/24/2023. Prelims start 6/16.
Continuing…
The USMNT is part of Group A in the Gold Cup along with Jamaica, Nicaragua and a team that will be determined through the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims, and it will play all its group matches at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Um, according to Wiki, Match 1 is at Soldier Field, Match 2 is at City Park (StL), and Match 3 is at BofA (Charlotte)
BofA is a turf field. They brought in grass when CHE played there last year. Twitter says grass will be brought in again. Was grass until 2021.
Regardless, wondering why we are capitulating on this by using so many MLS players. Nations League, I guess, is far more important, though I fail to see why. Next year, the Nations League semifinalists are granted inclusion in the Copa America, being played in the USA, cuz safer than anywhere in South America. (Poke.)
Oh, fun: Gold Cup Finals are a SoFi in Inglewood. Turf field again, will probably roll in the grass for its not-wide-enough field.
For World Cup 2026, SoFi would have to remove seats to fit a proper pitch, which would then lower the capacity below 80,000, the minimum necessary to host a World Cup Final.
GODDAMMIT! I cannot watch Nations League semi’s cuz it’s on CBS Sports Network, and I now don’t get that, cuz of my Cable Card and Tuning Adapter issues.
Do you get Univision?
I looked but couldn’t find. It might be a “special” channel that requires the Tuning Adapter.
Berhalter still favored among the players, so I wonder what is the hold-up? I can assume he wants some protection from the soccer moms.
I can’t get it either. Will do a pub visit if it is Canada and the US in the final on Sunday.
Found Univision. Will watch both matches.
Vieira? Interesting.
Not sure what Clint Dempsey means by this:
“I think that they need to hurry up and make that decision because we’re running out of time,” Dempsey said. “I think we took too long in terms of appointing our sporting director and we’re taking a little bit too long in terms of appointing our manager, because time is of the essence.”
Dude, we have three years. We are guaranteed a spot in the MWC. There is absolutely no reason to hurry this. Just give Berhalter whatever he wants (within reason).
Now, we do want a spot in the Copa America next summer and that is not guaranteed even though we are hosting. We will need to get to the Semi-Finals of 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League.