Gold Cup 2021 – Inside World Football

Montagliani says Gold Cup has evolved and Concacaf’s old order is facing insurrection

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 06:41:35 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

August 6 – With the Gold Cup having finished in dramatic style after extra time in Las Vegas last Sunday, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has reflected positively on a tournament that delivered theatre on the pitch and a series of record breaking metrics off it.

For Montagliani the measure of the tournament is primarily “always about what happens on the pitch. We have seen a number of teams rise to the occasion like Canada,

US snatch Gold Cup from Mexico in an extra time Las Vegas thriller

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 12:49:03 +0000

Gold Cup Final: USA 1 Mexico 0 (AET)

August 2 – They say that lightening doesn’t strike twice but in Concacaf it does. Having lost the Nations League final to the US in early June by a goal scored in extra time, Mexico relinquished their Gold Cup title by a goal in extra time scored by Miles Robinson with just three minutes left on the clock.

It was the fifth win by a US team that won five of their six game 1-0 and conceded just once in the tournament.

Herrera shatters Canadian dreams with dramatic last gasp winner to send Mexico to final

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 01:10:00 +0000

Semi-final: Mexico 2 Canada 1

July 29 – In a passionate and feisty display of end-to-end action Mexico squeezed past Canada deep in added time to set up a repeat of the 2019 Gold Cup final against the US in Las Vegas this Sunday.

It was a cruel end to Canada’s Gold Cup run and their dream of taking a full seat at the top table of football in the Concacaf region.

Zardes strike sends US to Gold Cup final. Qatar rue missed chances

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 00:00:52 +0000

Semi-final: USA 1 Qatar 0

By Jhannet Sanchez in Austin, Texas

July 29 – A dramatic late goal by Gyasi Zardes fired the USA into the final of the Gold Cup to be played this Sunday in Las Vegas, sending Asian champions Qatar home wondering what might have been if they had taken their chances.

The very first meeting between Qatar and the took place at the Q2 stadium in Austin,

NRG stadium in Houston and Q2 stadium in Austin sold out for Gold Cup semis

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 03:42:09 +0000

July 29 – Concacaf have the two Gold Cup Semifinal matches, to be played today, July 29, at Q2 Stadium in Austin and NRG Stadium in Houston, sold out.

Qatar vs USA is the first semi in the 22,730 capacity Q2 Stadium in Austin, while 72,200 will be packed into the Mexico vs Canada later in the days.

The final on Sunday, August 1 at the 61,000 capacity Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is already sold out.

Concacaf and Generation Amazing launch major coach education initiative for region

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 01:35:45 +0000

July 28 – Concacaf have launched a Football for Development initiative in partnership with Generation Amazing, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee’s legacy programme.

The Gold Cup has seen ties with the Qataris grow stronger. Not only has the Qatar national team reached the semi-finals, but it has fostered a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways as well as the development initiative for coaching education that Jason Roberts, Concacaf’s director of development, said “will benefit all our members”.

Canada ready to re-order Concacaf hierarchy against Mexico in Houston

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 01:27:36 +0000

July 28 – The Gold Cup semi-finals kick off tonight with Houston’s NRG Stadium hosting a sold-out tie between Mexico and Canada where an upset could be on the cards.

Mexico are defending their title won in 2019, while a fast-improving Canada are looking to establish themselves as a major force in the Concacaf region. To do that Canada need to take a big scalp – Mexico’s would be the biggest statement they could make.

USA vs Qatar: Will the guests spoil the host’s party?

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 01:20:10 +0000

July 28 – The Asian Champions Qatar face the USA in the first semi-final of the Gold Cup tonight at the newly minted Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.

It is a major inter-continental between showdown between the Asian Cup winners and the inaugural Concacaf Nations League winners.

The US will start as favourites in their own backyard but it is a very much a developmental team drawn primarily from the MLS (the US’s European-based stars were returned to their European clubs after the Nations League final) who collectively are short on international experience.

Mexico’s two-match ‘puto’ sanction will not be shared with women’s team, says de Luisa

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 06:49:44 +0000

By Jhannet Sanchez

July 28 – The furore over Mexican fans’ homophobic ‘puto’ chant has plunged the federation into even deeper controversy over the handling of the two-match sanction from FIFA requiring the country to play two home games without fans in the stadia.

Mexican FA president Yon de Luisa was initially rumoured to be considering sharing the punishment across the men’s and women’s teams, with talk that the women’s national team directed by Monica Vergara would pay part of the punishment by playing one of the matches behind closed doors.

With Gold Cup reaching closing rounds, Concacaf launches new player awards

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 01:16:42 +0000

July 27 – Concacaf has launched a new annual awards programme that will focus on just the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year.

The new awards will be based on the performance of players in 2021, and the winners will be announced in early 2022.

The awards criteria will take into account Domestic league play for clubs; performances in Concacaf competitions; performances in FIFA competitions (including Olympic Football Tournaments), performances in Concacaf Qualifiers for FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cup,

Grubhub enters big event sports sponsorship with Gold Cup deal

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 00:53:12 +0000

July 27 – US food delivery service Grubhub has formally announced their first major sports sponsorship, becoming the official food delivery partner of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.

The sponsorship mirrors the marketing strategy of Just Eat Takeaway.com, Grubhub’s parent company, that in June was a major sponsor of the Euros and has taken a further sponsorship of UEFA’s major club and national team competitions.

During the Gold Cup Grubhub has had in-stadium signage on the LED boards,

US edges Jamaica to set up semi-final showdown with Qatar

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 15:37:27 +0000

Quarter final: Jamaica 0 USA 1

By Jhannet Sanchez in Arlington, Texas

July 25 – The US and Jamaica renewed a rivalry that has seen the two nations face each other in the last three Gold Cup stages. The US made it a third win in a row tonight in a quarter final that made up for in intensity what it lacked at times in quality.

“I thought it was a tough game,

Canada redefines Concacaf pecking order with landmark win over Costa Rica

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 14:53:52 +0000

Quarter final: Canada 2 Costa Rica 0

By Jhannet Sanchez in Arlington, Texas

July 25 – Both Costa Rica and Canada were fired up for a defining battle at the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas, last night as their eyes were firmly set on reaching the semi-finals of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. Canada were looking to cement a place at the region’s top table while Costa Rica were seeking to prove they still held it.

Mexico turn on the style to sweep aside battle-weary Honduras

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 15:41:48 +0000

Quarter final: Mexico 3 Honduras 0

July 25 – Mexico brushed aside a battered and bruised Honduras in their quarter final of the Gold Cup at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in front of a packed house of 64,211 mainly Mexican fans. They now head for Houston and a semi-final clash with either Costa Rica or Canada.

Honduras had arrived in Arizona, after two fierce group encounters with Panama and Qatar that had left them short of key forwards Alerth Elis and Romell Quioto,

Qatar cling on for semi-final spot in face of gutsy El Salvador comeback

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 12:25:52 +0000

Quarter final: Qatar 3 El Salvador 2

July 25 – If the football world wasn’t paying attention when Qatar won the Asian Cup in 2019, it will be now. Even so, Qatar showed two sides of their football personality to beat El Salvador 3-2 at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, to set up a semi-final clash with either the USA or Jamaica in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.

It was a game of two halves.

Montagliani says Gold Cup is delivering a major return to football for fans and partners

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 06:37:46 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

July 23 – The Gold Cup is now shifting from the hectic daily schedule of double header group games to the quarter finals this weekend in Glendale, Arizona, and Arlington, Texas. Big stadiums worthy of big achievements, something that this Gold Cup has been delivering with regularity.

Not least in the achievement of getting it actually getting played. Even before a group stage ball was kicked Concacaf had to negotiate the tricky decision of removing Curacao from the competition and calling Guatemala back (they had failed to qualify losing on penalties in a preliminary round).