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The most recognizable names of many of the world’s top players and not part of this weekend’s kickoff, the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Unlike the World Cup, the Gold Cup is often contested by B and C teams due to holidays, injuries and youth call-ups.
“We have a lot of young players,” Canada coach Jesse Marsh said ahead of this year’s North and Central America and the Caribbean championships. “We’re looking to use tournaments to broaden our player pool and strengthen what we’re doing with our team.”
Defending champion Mexico will hold a 16-country event with the Dominican Republic on Saturday in a first-round group that includes Costa Rica and Suriname. The opening game is scheduled for Saturday night at Sophie Stadium in Inglewood.
Gold Cup matches will be held at 14 stadiums in 11 areas, avoiding the East Coast. The championship will take place in Houston on July 6th.
The first four-game winning streak since 2007 has caught up in the United States, starting on Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago, then invited Saudi Arabia and Haiti.
Canada is grouped with Honduras, El Salvador and Curacao, while Panama is with Jamaica, Guatemala and Guadeloupe.
“We have an obligation to be our favorites. We have to accept that title,” Javier Aguirre, hired last summer for his third stint as a Mexican coach, said through a translator.
Mexico won nine Gold Cups, including 2023. The US won seven titles, including 2021, and Canada won in 2000. The tournament will be held at the same time as the Club World Cup.
“If someone is not here now, it’s not that they’re not here next year,” Aguirre said. “There can be a lot of things happening in a year.”
El Tori misses the progress of hiring “Chucky” Rozano and Henry Martin with hamstring injuries.
Canada doesn’t have Starwinger Alfonso Davis. He tore the right ACL during the third place match in the Conca Caffenations League on March 23rd.
The US roster is as well known to those who are missing as they are now. Americans don’t have Star Christian Pupilicic (vacation is required). Yunus Musah (personal reasons have not been revealed); Weston McKenney, Tim Weir, Geo Reina (heading for the Club World Cup). Antony Robinson, Tyler Adams, Foralin Balogun (injured); Celjo Desty (fitness recovery).
“I don’t think we’re denying that some of our performances are lacking over the past year to 18 months,” defender Walker Zimmerman said. “If you look at the Gold Cup and see some players, even the Gold Cup and new guys join the team, if you can spend a month in front of the staff, get a lot of quality training and get a rhythm where you can put everything on the line and create a World Cup team, then you’ll always have a great opportunity.”
The US won the group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups along with a second-place finish to Panama in 2011, with its group stage record of 40 wins, 1 loss and five draws.
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