(Image source: ISI Photos)
BY JOSH FRYDMAN
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It’s not the granddaddy of them all in soccer, but the Gold Cup final featuring the U.S. and Mexico for the third straight time, will be held at the Granddady of them all—the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California—on Saturday night.
The U.S. Men’s National Team punched its ticket to a fourth straight Gold Cup final, with a defensive, gritty 1-0 victory over Panama Wednesday in Houston. The win vindicated a 2-1 loss to Panama in the group stage 11 days earlier.
U.S. midfielder Clint Depmsey—who scored the decisive goal—said the hard fought rematch wasn’t easy, but showed his club’s true character.
“It was a frustrating match in the sense that it was real tight, we found it difficult trying to get the ball in between the lines, they are a very organized team. That’s why they’re in the semifinals because of that. I think we showed our quality in being able to grind out a result, even when it wasn’t our best game, and now we find ourselves in the final.”
In an unexpected move by Manager Bob Bradley, the U.S.’s most notable face, midfielder Landon Donovan did not start for the second straight game, coming off the bench as a second half substitute.
But the decision paid off, as Donovan delivered a perfect pass to Dempsey in the 76th minute that resulted in the only goal of the match.
ESPN Soccer Analyst Alexi Lalas said the performance was quintessential Donovan.
“He’s not necessarily a player that’s going to control the game and control the rhythm of the game, he comes in and he provides those sparks and those moments that become legendary, and he did it again tonight. It’s not that he came in at halftime and he was all over the place, but when the moment came to be special, and to be big, he was there and he was part of that play.”
Another surprising tactic by Bradley worked for the U.S., calling on Freddy Adu—yes that Freddy Adu—for the first time in the tournament in the second half…And what does Adu do? Deliver a cross-field pass to Donovan that set up the winning goal.
A FoxSoccer.com blogger rated Adu’s performance as one of the best from the night.
“In 24 minutes, Adu showed off all the promise that his biggest fans have believed he can show, and impressed plenty of folks who had long written him off. His touch and passes were perfect, and as good as his pass on the Dempsey goal was, he could have also had an assist on an earlier sequence.”
But a soccer columnist for Sports Illustrated isn’t sold yet. He says despite the win, the U.S. still has to improve if it's going to beat Mexico.
“The U.S. still needs to sharpen up if it's going to have a chance of winning Saturday's final….Everyone expected the U.S. to make the final. Now that the Yanks are there, they'll have to play their best game of the tournament to raise the trophy.”
The biennial tournament has been dominated by U.S. and Mexico, with the teams winning nine of the last 10 Gold Cups, with the U.S. taking the trophy in 2007, and Mexico in ’09.
The winner of Saturday’s Gold Cup final earns a berth in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, an opportunity to play some of the crème of the soccer crop, in preparation for the 2014 World Cup.
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