HexagonalBlog

Not surprising, but very interesting nonetheless

I read the news of the ratings for the Gold Cup final (hat tip to Chuck Pearson), and I have to admit that I'm pleased but not surprised.  Soccer on Univision, and occasionally on the ESPN family as well, has achieved better ratings than NHL matches in the past.   I would imagine that this occurs a lot more often now that the NHL is no longer on ESPN and is coming out of a very self-destructive lockout.  USA vs. Mexico matches rate especially high - I don't have the stats in front of me, but I would not be surprised that at least two of those matches are among the highest-rated telecasts in Univision's history. 

I also would not be surprised if the ratings measure Latino audiences only.  You could end up with big ratings points, but translated to number of viewers is much smaller than the average audiences for mainstream cable TV.   We have no way of knowing how many Anglos tuned into Univision just to watch the final (and there were some). 

Nevertheless, I think the ratings will be interesting to some, and will give Univision a good feeling heading into the SuperLiga.

To the folks in Miami

That guy you saw skipping through the terminal at the airport, pumping his fist and laughing hysterically?  That was me.

I still haven't seen the match yet, and I don't think I'll be able to see it soon.  Hopefully after watching the highlights and reading the match summaries I'll have something to say.  From first impression, it was the best match both teams played during the Gold Cup and probably the best USA-Mexico match in a very long time.

Photo: Tasos Katopodis/AFP/Getty Images

In the airport

Greetings from the Orlando airport, where I'm waiting for my connecting flight.  I haven't found a TV that's showing the Gold Cup final, but thanks to wireless internet I'm able to follow the USA-Mexico match.  It reads like it's a very entertaining game.  Both teams have had their chances, but Mexico has had more of the possession.  Crowd is very pro-Mexico and borderline anti-US, as expected.  A typical USA-Mexico match, then.

I'll be in the air during the second half...but it's possible that the match may not have a winner by the time I land.

Advisory for Sunday's final

I will not be able to watch or liveblog the Gold Cup final on Sunday -- I will be on the plane to Miami during that time.  I'll try to follow the match when I can from my PDA, although most web sites still aren't written for PDAs in mind.

Gold Cup, Semifinal #2

The second semifinal between Mexico and Guadeloupe is coming up.  I'm going to liveblog that match as well.  More upcoming...

• Sorry for the delay, I was on a long phone conversation so I turned on to the match while it was already underway.  Not much going on, although Mexico had a couple of good chances.
• 35': One-way traffic from the Mexicans but still 0-0.
• 36': Strong high boot challenge on Blanco -- how is that not a yellow card?
• 39': A Guadeloupe player (Angloma?) attempts an overhead kick with three defenders surrounding him in the box.  Yeah, that's going to work.  A header would have been a better choice.
• Guadeloupe is starting to put together some quick counterattacks here.
• 43': Borgetti has a bleeding cut on his nose, and is asked to leave the field to close up the wound.  A bandaid is placed on it, and he's good to go.
• HALFTIME.  Mexico 0-0 Guadeloupe. Mexico has more talent than Guadeloupe but hasn't been able to break through.  And watch for those counterattacks!
• 2nd half.  Guadeloupe to kick off.  Close to 51k at Soldier Field tonight.
• 50': A very good chance for Mexico, Pardo takes the free kick on the left but Blanco's header shoots wide of the left post.
• 53': Another dangerous chance for Mexico.  Borgetti's cross is beautiful, but Medina's shot is well defended and goes wide of the far post.
• I expect Mexico's depth and experience to wear down Guadeloupe as the second half progresses.
• 55': Blanco's cross finds Bautista, but his powerful header is parried away by Grandel.
• 68': Halfway through the second half...Mexico is still controlling the action, but if they don't score anytime soon, all it takes is a deflection or a successful counter for the complexion of the match to change.
• 70': GOAL!! And just as I say that, Pavel Pardo takes the ball from Arce and makes a perfect right-footed strike from outside the area, and the ball rockets past Grandel into the net.  Mexico 1-0 Guadeloupe
• Guadeloupe has surprised a number of their opponents with long-range strikes, and now it's Mexico's turn to surprise Guadeloupe.
• 81': Ten minutes to go.  Mexico has maintained their possession dominance.  Guadeloupe had a counter but the finish was very weak.
• If the match finishes this way, Mexico would have achieved all of their victories by a single goal.
• 88': Pardo strikes a beautiful cross from the right, and Bravo lashes on to it and sends it over the ball.  Too bad, but I've really liked Pardo's service this match.
• 90': The match is now in stoppage time - three minutes remaining.
• Guadeloupe still pushing up, still trying hard.  But I think equalizing is a task beyond them.
• 90'+2: Another close call for Mexico as Guadeloupe scramble for an equalizer.  The Mexican defenders manage to swat the ball away.
• 90'+3: One last chance for Guadeloupe, but that effort falls flat and....
• FULL TIME.  Mexico 1-0 Guadeloupe.  Mexico controlled the tempo and had all of the goal-scoring chances, but they made it harder than it had to be to score.  In the end Mexico are through to the final thanks to a fantastic long-distance strike by the captain Pardo.  And now we have the final that everyone expected and CONCACAF dreamed.

Gold Cup, Semifinal #1

The first semifinal between Canada and USA is about to start in about 5 minutes, and I've decided to liveblog it.  Some pre-game stuff: Canada and USA are coming out in 4-4-1-1 formations, but there's a bit of a surprise for the USA in that Dempsey and Donovan will switch places on the field, and Johnson will be the lone striker.  Canada has the same lineup as the quarterfinal match against Guatemala, and DeRosario will play up front behind Gebra.

I think this could be an interesting match -- USA has the greater depth, but Canada is creative and disciplined enough to cause a surprise.  This is a welcome change from previous Canada sides.

• USA kicks off.  Canada's looking to defeat the USA for the first time since 1985.  Archundia will be the referee.
• USA are the more aggressive side at the beginning, but besides Donovan's long-range strike haven't put together anything truly threatening.
• 12': USA are pressing wayyy up.  Canada was able to establish a sustained sequence of possession, but couldn't do much with it.  Michael Bradley has played very well for USA; Martin Nash for Canada.
• Keller did not look comfortable on the ball at all.   Canada might want to attack those pass-backs the rest of the game.
• 17': A fantastic sequence starting on the left (Bornstein?) had a lot of promise, Johnson played a very clever dummy through to Donovan, who laid it back to Bradley, but his shot was too weak and Onstad smothers it.
• 20': Yellow card to Bornstein.
• 28': USA are more active, but too disjointed up front.
• 29': Bocanegra just sent De Guzman cartwheeling, and is lucky to still be on the field.   Archundia charitably shows him a yellow.
• 31': Another horror show in the back as Keller and Onyewu try to figure out who is going to handle a long ball in the area.  In the middle of this springs Gerba, whose effort Keller barely parries away for a corner.
• 32': Just great...Onyewu foul outside the box, De Rosario to take it.  Or will it be Nash?  De Rosario takes the free kick, and it caroms off three players (one US, two Canada) and off the post.  It wouldn't have counted because of an offside, but let that serve as a warning.
• 36': Canada is under a nice spell here, probing both sides of the field for an opening.  And with the American back line as it is, there will be some.
• I haven't seen Michael Bradley play much, but the more I see of him the more I like him.
• 40': GOAL!!  Frankie Hejduk? Are you kidding me?!  Beasley takes a free kick that goes over everyone's heads, but the play is saved by Mastroeni on the left.  Donovan takes possession at the top of the box, lays it back into space, and Hejduk strikes it first time off the left post and into the net.  USA 1-0 Canada
• That goal came at a very important moment, because Canada was looking confident and dangerous.
• 41': Contact between Nash and Donovan in the Canadian half, and Archundia gives Donovan a yellow card for diving!  Donovan's not above taking a dive, but I don't think he did that time.
• 43': A great ball from Dempsey sends Beasley charging into the area, Onstad challenges but clips Beasley's ankles...Archundia points to the penalty spot.  Donovan says a little prayer, kisses both wrists, stands up, shoots...and scores.  USA 2-0 Canada
• So instead of the USA getting complacent, they stay aggressive, draw a penalty, and get a two-goal cushion.
• Onstad did get a yellow card, but I'm not sure if it was for the foul or the protesting afterward.
• HALFTIME.  USA 2-0 Canada.  The USA looked the stronger and more organized side, but they just weren't on the same page up front.  But just when Canada were starting to look dangerous, two quick goals put the Americans in front.  Time to get something to eat.
• 2nd half, Canada kicks off.  Sorry for being late, but the turkey breast sandwich was yummy!
• 50': I just don't believe what I saw...first Beasley is found all alone against Onstad, and he leaves it wide against Donovan, but he tried to sidefoot into the net and slipped!  It looked like he whiffed on the ball.  Then a long ball finds Gebra behind the backline, who slots it to DeGuzman, but his shot is frantically blocked by Hejduk.  Two more shots are blocked as well!  Very nervous moments in the back for both teams!
• The stadium was not at all full at the start, but is filling up as the hour of the Mexico match approaches.
• 62': Donovan is assuming more of a central role now. His ball that releases Johnson is the right idea, but a little too strong and Onstad grabs on to it.
• 68': Hejduk climbs over DeRosario to head the ball and fouls him.  They get into a bit of a tussle and both get shown yellow cards from Archundia.  Hejduk's yellow is more important because he will now be suspended for the final should the USA advance.
• I don't know if Hume is a designated enforcer for Canada, but he's moving into that role rather nicely.
• 76': GOAL!  And a very nice counter from Canada, as Hutchison working from the center sends a ball to Hume on the right.  His shot crosses the box and goes into the net, Canada's back in business.  Big roar from the Mexican contingent at the stadium.  USA 2-1 Canada
• 78': A trip in the box and all eyes on Archundia.  He doesn't call a penalty.
• I had a feeling that Canada would score a goal; the USA were starting to lose their focus a bit.
• 79': Corner kick to USA...Donovan's ball finds Dempsey, whose header is saved off the line by Hume!  Ian Hume has been so influential since his arrival on the field.
• Hume's save off the line is even more dramatic when you watch it on replay.
• 88': Twellman enters the game for Dempsey.  Canada are feisty, but the USA is doing a better job defending and smothering the play in the middle. 
• 89': Oh no!!  Bradley makes a professional foul on De Guzman, which prevents a Canadian counter, but the red card is inevitable.  A real shame because Bradley had played so well tonight, but he deserved to be sent off for that challenge. 
• Four minutes of stoppage time.
• 90'+1: Canada just lost possession two times rather needlessly.
• 90'+2: Everyone defending for the USA.
• 90'+4: Looks like one last thrust for Canada...was Hutchinson onside on that goal?  The referee says he was offside, but in the replay it looked like he was even with the defender.  The Canadian players are upset to say the least, and I can't blame them.
• FULL TIME.  USA 2-1 Canada.  USA are through to the final after plenty of suffering and a little help from the ref at the end.  The loss of Bradley and Hejduk will hurt them.

Gold Cup, Quarterfinal Day 2

Mexico has just booked their place into the Gold Cup semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica.   I wasn't able to watch the match -- it was on Univision which my cable provider doesn't get -- but from reading the text commentary it seemed that Mexico was dominating the play with Costa Rica reduced to 10 men after Allan Alemán was sent off at 42'.   Even so it took a very long time for Mexico to score, and it took 98 minutes before Jared Borgetti converted a Bautista cross.  Costa Rica lost their composure in the extra time period as Alvaro Saborío and later Mario Camacho were sent off.

So it's on to face the winner of Honduras and Guadeloupe.

UPDATE:  Oh wowwwww this Gold Cup continues to amaze.  I asked during the group phase if Guadeloupe's win over Canada was the biggest upset in the history of the Gold Cup.  Now Guadeloupe have conjured up an even more shocking victory in their 2-1 triumph over Honduras.  Honduras were actually playing well in the opening minutes, but Guadeloupe struck back with two goals in three minutes.  Jocelyn Angloma exploited space left by Honduran defenders covering a right wing cross to score the opening goal, then Richard Socrier connected on a beautiful header from another cross from the right.  Carlos Pavón pulled one back in the second half, but Honduras could never get closer to an equalizer.  I never got a sense of urgency on the part of the Honduran players, and their forays upfield lacked coherence.  Actually Guadeloupe had two chances to put the game away in the dying minutes!

So Mexico will believe that they lucked out by facing Guadeloupe in the semifinal, and they have to be favorites.  But who knows what will happen after today!

Two Cuban defections

There always seems to be at least one defection by a Cuban player when Cuba appears in the Gold Cup, and this edition is no exception.  Telefutura's Contacto Deportivo is reporting that two players deserted the team before tonight's match with Honduras and have elected to seek asylum in the USA -- striker Lester Moré left in New York, and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso in Houston.

UPDATE: The Houston Chronicle has more, and according to the article both players sought asylum in Houston.

UPDATE #2:  This AP report corroborates the Contacto Deportivo story that I heard.

Quarterfinal matchups

I'll update this post after the Mexico-Panama game.  (23:34 - Okay, the Mexico game is done.  Here are the quarterfinals.)

QF1: Canada vs. Guatemala
QF2: USA vs. Panama
QF3: Honduras vs. Guadeloupe
QF4: Mexico vs. Costa Rica

Semifinal round:

QF1 vs. QF2
QF3 vs. QF4

The good news about Mexico's win tonight is that it keeps them and the USA apart until the final.   Mexico has the more difficult half of the draw, but Panama will be a tough opponent up front for the USA.  Mexico-Costa Rica could be the match of the round, depending on which team shows up.

On resolving ties in group play

CONCACAF has some slight changes to deciding places to teams equal on points which can be confusing to those used to the competitions in Europe and South America.  And I was confused as well!  To clear things up here are CONCACAF's regulations for the Gold Cup:

At the end of group play, if two or more teams are equal on points (including ties among third place teams), the manner in which teams will advance to the next round will be resolved as follows:
a.  The result of head-to-head competition between the tied teams (where applicable);
b.  The greatest difference between goals for and goals against from all group matches;
c.  The team having scored the most goals from all group matches.

On that basis, a win gives Mexico second place, and any other result puts them into third.