Monday Morning Buzz: Gold Cup & More
CONCACAF announced today that it will use a record number of U.S. venues - 13 - for the Gold Cup set for July 3-26, including the opening doubleheader of the tournament July 3 in Carson at Home Depot Center.
What teams will play where will be announced at a later date.
"While 13 cities create logistical challenges, we think the benefits of reaching out to more venues are clearly worthwhile," CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. "The ability of so many people to see national teams play we feel is well worth the effort."
Allow me to translate: "Playing in 13 cities will allow us to extract even more money from a tournament that clogs up the soccer calender and is diminished even further in importance because it is not played every four years in the manner of such legitimate events such as the European Championship."
The U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team played to a scoreless draw with Honduras Sunday and now needs at least a tie with El Salvador Tuesday to advance to the next round of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, the qualifying tournament for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk recorded the shutout, while Chivas USA's Jorge Flores did not get off the bench.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Is there any chance that they chose 13 venues as part of the bid for a World Cup? You know, to prove how many soccer-ready facilities the US has on a short notice. Otherwise, I can't see any other reason for doing it. Previously, they held doubleheaders just make sure people will attend and if Mexico and US aren't involved then they're only 1/2 full.