Gold Cup 2023 Match Previews – Inside World Football

Mexico hunt 9th title; having beaten the US, Panama look to continue reordering of Concacaf’s elite

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 02:15:09 +0000

July 14 – With the dust settling around the semi-finals and the US loss to Panama in the penalty shoot-out in San Diego, attention is switching to 100 miles up the road and the magnificent SoFi stadium where Panama will meet Mexico.

In June Panama and Mexico met in the third-place play-off in the Nations League with the Mexicans winning 1-0.

Since then both teams have played five matches to get to the Gold Cup final,

Mexico and Jamaica eye each others strengths as Las Vegas heats up for another big night out

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:12:31 +0000

July 11 – Mexico and Jamaica have some similarities, and a whole host of differences as they approach what is a fascinating semi-final match-up in the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas tonight in the semi-final of the Gold Cup.

Mexico go in having suffered a loss in their final group game against Qatar, before comfortably overcoming Costa Rica in their quarter final. Jamaica go in to the match unbeaten despite being pushed to the end by Guatemala.

Martinique seek to exploit waning of Costa Rica

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 00:01:01 +0000

July 4 – Martinique are targeting their first knockout spot since 2002 in their final Group C game against Costa Rica, who remain under pressure to not miss out on the quarterfinals for the first time since 1998.

The Ticos have endured a poor campaign, with only a point from two matches after a 2-1 defeat to Panama and a 0-0 draw with El Salvador, and the pressure on their coach Luis Suarez has almost become untenable with the press corps and fans repeatedly calling for his exit.

Guadeloupe’s Angloma says Guate are favourites but his team are making history

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 23:11:37 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in New Jersey

July 4 – Guadeloupe coach Jocelyn Angloma says his team have nothing to fear ahead of a crunch clash against Guatemala and are already writing history with the winner guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals.

Group C has been a wildly chaotic, with 2026 World Cup hosts Canada sitting in third place behind both Angloma’s charges and Los Chapines, with four points apiece,

No identity crisis in the US with 17 of CNL squad on holiday and Berhalter still to return, says BJ

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 01:18:50 +0000

July 1 – US interim coach BJ Callaghan says the United States will “stick to their own identity” as they go in search of goals against Trinidad and Tobago to ensure top spot in Group A.

Unbeaten after a 1-1 draw with Jamaica and a 6-0 thumping of debutants St. Kitts and Nevis, the United States is not guaranteed of first place in the group. The Jamaicans defeated Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 which means that if both teams finish on the same number of points goal difference will decide the group winner,

El Salvador and Costa Rica coaches battle for Gold Cup redemeption

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:30:26 +0000

June 30 – All eyes at the Red Bull Arena tonight will be on Costa Rica and their beleaguered coach Luiz Suarez, who is under huge pressure to get the Ticos’ Gold Cup campaign back on track against El Salvador and save his own job.

Defeat will aggravate the crisis in the Ticos camp with elimination from the Gold Cup looming around the corner and Suarez’s position becoming untenable.

Following the defeat against Panama,

Costa Rica’s Suarez feels the heat in Fort Lauderdale after Panama loss

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:30:58 +0000

February 27 – Costa Rica coach Luis Suarez will need to pick up the pieces with growing calls for his resignation following a dismal 2-1 defeat in their Gold Cup opener against Panama.

Out played and outclassed for much of the 90 minutes, the Costa Ricans were lethargic and a shadow of their former selves, a respected powerhouse in the region and a regular at World Cup finals, including the 2022 edition when they lost heavily against Germany and Spain to exit in the first round.

Guatemala confident in homegrown team but recognise Cuba threat

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:17:20 +0000

June 27 – Guatemala coach Luis Tena believes that the Gold Cup will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase the strength of his national team, but warned that Cuba will be a stern test for his side in Group D.

In 2021 Guatemala lost in the preliminary play-offs, initially missing out on a place in the group stage before being called back in after Curacao were withdrawn after the bulk of their squad tested positive for covid.

Process or transition? Costa Rica are struggling with both

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 01:04:05 +0000

June 25 – Costa Rica manager Luis Suárez (pictured) has demanded some credit amid heavy criticism over the Ticos’ recent results as he seeks to rebuild his side after the World Cup.

On Monday, the Costa Ricans play Panama in Group C’s headline match.

The Central American nation has endured a torrid 2023 so far, winning just one game out of four. They were defeated by Guatemala and Ecuador as well as Panama,

Reid says Jamaicans have bought into Hallgrimsson philosophy and are ready for US

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 02:33:14 +0000

June 23 – Ahead of the Gold Cup’s opening match with hosts the United States, Jamaican forward Bobby Reid has said the Reggae Boyz have bought into the philosophy of their Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who believes his team can do “something big”.

The Jamaicans have a strong record in the Gold Cup, reaching the final of the tournament in 2015 and 2017 to finish runners-up and in the last edition, they were eliminated in the last eight by the United States,

Callahan wary of Jamaica threat to his untested US squad

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 02:01:07 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in Chicago

June 23 – On the eve of the Gold Cup opener, US interim coach B.J. Callaghan has hailed opponents Jamaica as “very talented” and “a great test” for his young team which is playing “to win” the tournament.

On Saturday, the American hosts take on the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica in the curtain raiser of Concacaf’s 2023 flagship tournament and Callaghan has a singular message for his roster of inexperienced players after the United States maintained only five players from last week’s Nations League victory against Canada in the squad.

US drop Vegas starlets for Gold Cup title defence opening against Premier League-looking Jamaica

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 01:23:11 +0000

June 23 – The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage kicks off this Saturday in Group A with defending champions USA taking on Jamaica at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. It is a big opener for the US who are under scrutiny after a magnificent performance at the Nations League finals in Las Vegas a week ago.

Despite the joy of that win, somewhat inexplicably, the bulk of the squad that played an expansive and explosive brand of football that has rarely,

US to kick off 2023 Gold Cup at Soldier Field, Mexico open hostilities in Houston, as title chase hits 14 cities in 22 days

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:37:45 +0000

April 19 – The USA kick off the group stages of the 2023 Gold Cup at the 63,000-capacity Solder Field in Chicago on June 24 against Jamaica. The US are looking to defend the title won in 2021 against Mexico. In 2019 the US lost at Soldier Field in the final to Mexico.

The following day the group of death – Group B – will open with a double header at the 72,000-capacity NRG Stadium in Houston,