Soccer By Ives

Morning Ticker: Castillo loaned, Messi hurt and Man U eyeing a striker

The news never stops in the soccer world, does it?

There are plenty of news stories to discuss today and I will try to go over some of them, as well as other nuggets, this morning. Before I get to that, I will make the now daily reminder to readers to take part in the SBI Reader Roll Call if you haven't already.

Let's get started. Here are some soccer news tidbits to start your day off (including a story after the jump that could affect the future of one of the U.S. national team's best young players):

Nery Castillo going to Manchester City. No, really. He's going this time. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Yes, the on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again marriage between Mexican striker Nery Castillo and Manchester City appears to be on for real finally. After some posturing from Shaktar Donetsk in an attempt to jack up Castillo's loan price, Donetsk and City finally agreed to a deal.

Monday Morning Center Back: The hangover

Oglooni mend everybody (That's Mongolian if you were wondering. SBI has at least one reader there so I decided to show him some love.)

The American soccer news front has slowed to a crawl. No, Juan Carlos Osorio still isn't officially the Red Bulls head coach and yes, Juan Veron really did leave D.C. United at the altar. The U.S. Under-23 team posted its second tie in two matches against China (and please, no sky is falling commentary, they were friendlies) and well, that's really it.

If you are wondering about the headline, no, I didn't go on a drinking binge this weekend. It is just in reference to a weekend chock full of high-quality soccer action. Whether it was the intense EPL clashes, the entertaining La Liga fixtures, AC Milan's masterful victory against Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup, or Wake Forest's NCAA title-clinching comeback on Sunday, there was something for everybody.

Here is a look back at the weekend:

This weekend's soccer on TV

 

The weekend is almost here and if you are starving for some high-profile matches, this is your weekend.

English Premier League fans will be downright giddy as the top four square off in a pair of Sunday blockbusters. Manchester United travels to Liverpool while Chelsea make the trip across London to face arch-rival Arsenal. It doesn't get much better than that.

There are quality games elsewhere as well. Red-hot Bayer Leverkusen meets a reeling Werder Bremen side in a Saturday morning tilt while Juventus faces Lazio in another quality encounter.

Before we get to the weekend though, there are matches this evening. The NCAA Final Four is tonight on ESPNU and if you have that channel you have no excuse for not at least TIVOing and watching them later.

Here are this weekend's matches on TV:

Morning Ticker: Arena wants a job, Lippi eyeing England, USC women win title

Bruce Arena wants a job.

The former U.S. national team and Red Bulls coach has expressed his interest in the vacant Scotland job. It is a pretty smart move by Arena because coaching a UK national team is one way to score a club manager job in England, which I believe is Arena's ultimate goal.

Does he have a real chance of getting the job? I really don't think so. Not because he doesn't have the credentials, but because one thing Scotland doesn't have a shortage of is coaches. The tiny nation must produce the most soccer coaches/managers per capita of any top soccer nation.

You have to wonder whether Arena's interest in the Scotland gig will lead New England coach Steve Nicol to throw his hat into the ring. Why shouldn't he?

This weekend's soccer on TV

If you were hoping to see some high-profile European club matches this weekend, I'm afraid to break it to you. There aren't any can't-miss encounters.

That doesn't mean there isn't still some good soccer to watch. Fiorentina at Palermo and Espanyol at Zaragoza are two of the better matches on offer this weekend, while EPL lovers can turn to Liverpool-Reading and Manchester City-Tottenham for good match-ups.

Here is the rest of the weekend's soccer on TV:

The 50 most exciting teenagers in soccer

If you missed the November issue of World Soccer magazine you missed a cover story on the 50 Most Exciting Teenagers on the Planet. It was a great piece with quality information, especially for those of you who relish knowing about the best up and coming talents in the game.

Some of the players you would expect were on the list, including Sergio Aguero, Alexandre Pato, Micah Richards, Giovani Dos Santos, Bojan Krkic and Anderson, but there were two players who were NOT on the list that left me scratching my head a bit.

Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu were nowhere to be found.

Now I'm not saying it's a travesty that neither is on the list. I just found it interesting that neither made it, particularly after how both performed at the Under-20 World Cup. Altidore nets two goals against Brazil and Adu was on fire, but neither made the list.

If you are wondering what players WERE on the list, here they are:

Where are they now: Mamadou Diallo

So I was going through my TIVO the other day, trying to get through all the shows I've missed in recent weeks, and I stumble on some Futbol Mundial episodes. One of them focuses on the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup when I see a familiar face in one of the clips.

It was none other than former MetroStars striker (and Mike Ammann hacker) Mamadou Diallo. He was the captain of Senegal's beach soccer national team. He was red carded during his team's quarterfinal loss to France after he attempted to turn and volley a shot only to kick an opponent in the face. Some things don't change apparently.

It was an interesting blast from the past to say the least.

2010 World Cup Qualifying Draw: UEFA

You just knew there would be a rematch, didn't you? Just four days after Croatia ended England's Euro 2008 dreams, the teams have been paired together in the same UEFA World Cup qualifying group.

England-Croatia, Denmark-Sweden, Germany-Russia and Netherlands-Scotlands are just some of the quality match-ups you will see in European World Cup qualifying.

Here are the European World Cup qualifying groups.

2010 World Cup Qualifying Draw: CONCACAF

The U.S. national team's path to the 2010 World Cup will begin with a match-up against the winner of the Dominica/Barbados play-in qualifier. As you may recall, the US team faced Barbados in the second round of the 2002 World Cup qualifying cycle (winning both matches by a combined score of 11-0).

If you are wondering about Mexico, 'El Tri' will face face the winner Belize/St. Kitts and Nevis. Easy as cake right? Well, things get a wee bit tougher for the Mexicans in the next round, where they just may be in the region's group of death.

Here is a closer look at the rest of the CONCACAF Draw:

Coundoul makes Senegal's African Cup of Nations roster

(SBI EXCLUSIVE)

The Senegal national team has chosen Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul to be on its roster for the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Ghana starting January 20.

Coundoul was with Senegal for two recent friendlies in Paris, France, and he made his Senegalese national team debut last weekend in a 3-2 win against Mali. He played 45 minutes. He impressed enough in training and against Mali to take one of the three goalkeeper spots for the African Cup of Nations Tournament.

Monday Morning Center Back: The day after

Good morning folks. It is the day after one busy weekend of soccer action. You had MLS Cup, the US national team playing its last game and European championship and South American World Cup qualifiers going on. It truly was a soccer fan's paradise.

Here is a look back at some of the weekend's highlights:

Reader-Inspired Post: The CONCACAF Best XI

   

So who are the region's best players?

That was a question posed to me in the latest Q&A session, to name my CONCACAF Best XI.

It is a pretty tricky question because if you're talking about talent and value then you get one team, but if you talk about current form and production you can come up with a completely different team.

Either way, picking such teams will spark debate, which is always good to have around here.

So with that in mind, here is my CONCACAF Best XI and Second Best XI based on current form (people out due to extended injury like McBride, or who have missed a lot of time, like Marquez and Convey, were not considered.) I also threw in a Best XI if everyone were healthy and on form.

Some quality reading

I just read through the newest edition of 4-4-2 Magazine and it is a must-have, particularly if you are a Kaka fan.

This got me to thinking about the best soccer magazines out there. As you know, there seems to be a new batch of soccer magazines every time I hit the bookstore. Unfortunately, the list of top three magazines hasn't changed in years. For me, there are only three:

• Champions League- Quality writing, amazing photography, access to the world's best players and more in-depth tactical info and commentary than any other magazine. I first saw this magazine at a Manchester United Champions League match four years ago and was thoroughly impressed. It didn't reach American newsstands until a few years later. The price is high, but it has actually gotten cheaper ($8.50)
• 4-4-2- This English footy mag is heavy on the EPL and lower divisions but it always has outstanding features and very good investigative pieces. The Best XI feature, which asks soccer's most well known players and coaches to name their picks for a Best XI, is always a treat. It is also pricey ($8.50) but worth it.
• World Soccer- Some very good commentary from some of the sport's best critics and tidbits from all over the world. Their Talent Scout feature is a great place to learn about the sport's best young players to watch. Not as pricey ($6.95) but not cheap.

If you love European soccer and these magazines aren't already a regular part of your routine then you need to hit the bookstore and check them out.

I will look to do a monthly overview of these magazines in the near future so you know what's coming.

Coundoul called up to Senegalese National Team

Call MLS the league of the goalkeeper. You already know about former MLS goalkeepers Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann plying their trades in the English Premier league, and now you've heard about Brad Guzan being scouted by Arsenal. Now, Colorado goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul is starting to gain international attention.

Soccer By Ives has learned that Coundoul has been called up to the Senegalese national team for upcoming friendlies against Mali ion Nov. 17 and Morocco on Nov. 21. Both friendlies will be played in Paris, France. The call-up is Coundoul's first.

Add Australia to the 2018 World Cup mix

Just when you thought England was going to offer the toughest competition to a USA bid for World Cup 2018 comes word from down under that Austrialia is poised to bid on the event.

Having already covered a World Cup on the opposite side of the world in 2002 let me say that Australia would be a less than ideal alternative than England for American soccer fans, with the time difference being the biggest obstacle. It might be cheaper for American fans trying to attend (who knows how the dollar will compare to the pound (not Euro, sorry, had Germany on my mind) in 10 years) but it would mean that fans in the US would once again have to resort to waking up in the middle of the night or very early morning to watch the tournament.

Personally, I'd love to go to Australia, though more for a one-week vacation than five-week work assignment. I won't be turning down the chance to go if the Aussies do win the bid.

What do you think about Australia as a potential host? Share your thoughts below.

The odds of another USA World Cup just got longer

If you were already planning for the possibility of the 2018 World Cup being held in the United States, don't hold your breath.

FIFA has decided to scrap the rotation policy for hosting World Cups after Brazil hosts the 2014 World Cup. That means that rather than CONCACAF being assured of hosting 2018, the bidding for the 2018 World Cup will now be open to the highest bidder and provider of bribes perks).

England looks like the early favorite to host the event, but don't expect the US Soccer Federation to give up without a fight. Another World Cup in the USA would be a financial boom to several corporations so don't expect money to be the reason the USA doesn't win the bid.

What do you think of this news? Do you agree with FIFA's decision to scrap the rotation system? Where would you like to see the 2018 World Cup held? Share your thoughts below.

FIFA to name Brazil host of World Cup 2014

 

In what can be best described as one of the worst kept secrets in soccer, FIFA will formally name Brazil as host of the 2014 World Cup. No formal announcement has been made yet but sources have told me FIFA has completed the formality of choosing Brazil, the only South American nation to bid for the tournament. FIFA will make the formal announcement on Tuesday in Zurich.

No offense to South Africa, hosts of World Cup 2010, but I will be counting the days until the 2014 World Cup. Talk about a can't-miss event.

What do you think about Brazil hosting the World Cup? Share your thoughts below.

Who are your Top Five Players?

Good morning folks. Apologies for the slow posting but I had some blog-related work to do.

I was reading some soccer mags recently and stumbled on the issue of 4-4-2 that included a valiant though flawed list of the top 100 players in the world. The magazine's criteria wasn't based purely on current form only so some selections were a bit puzzling.

Another in that package was the magazine asking some of the world's best players who they considered the five best players in the world. That got me wondering what the consensus would be among you, the SBI readers.

So who would you rank in your five best current players in the world? Here is my list:

Women's World Cup: U.S. wins, North Korea ties

The U.S. Women's national team defeated Nigeria, 1-0, on Tuesday and will avoid facing defending World Cup champion Germany in the quarterfinals. North Korea suffered a 2-1 loss to Sweden and will now face Germany in the quarters.

Women's World Cup: Germany, England advance

Defending Women's World Cup champions Germany clinched its berth in the quarterfinals by beating Japan, 2-0 on Monday. England joined the Germans with its own 6-1 rout over tournament punching bag, Argentina.

Brazil Practice Observations

Hey folks, here are some observations from Saturday's Brazil practice:

Brazil worked on free kicks and Ronaldinho's placement was as deadly as you would expect.

Ronaldinho was asked about playing in MLS and he handled it diplomatically, saying his focus was Barcelona but that it's intriguing for all players to consider playing in the United States.

Brazil announces roster for USA-Brazil match

Ronaldinho, Kaka and Robinho will lead Brazil when it takes on the US national team on Sept. 8th in Chicago.

Brazil announced its 23-man roster on Thursday and the squad is a full-strength team. Here it is:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Doni (Roma), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)
DEFENDERS (8): Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Sevilla), Alex Silva (São Paulo), Lúcio (Bayern Munich), Juan (Roma), Alex (Chelsea), Kleber (Santos), Gilberto (Hertha Berlin),
MIDFIELDERS (8): Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Mineiro (Hertha Berlin), Josué (VfL Wolfsburg), Fernando (Bordeaux), Elano (Manchester City), Kaká (AC Milan), Julio Baptista (Real Madrid), Diego (Werder Bremen)
FORWARDS (4): Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Robinho (Real Madrid), Vagner Love (CSKA Moscow), Afonso (SC Heerenveen)

Brazil vs. Mexico at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 12th

   

The national teams of Brazil and Mexico will face off in a friendly at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on Sept 12th.

The match falls on an international fixture date, meaning both teams should field their full-strength squads. The match also comes three days after Mexico plays the US national team.

Brazil is expected to call in top European stars Ronaldinho and Kaka for the match. Mexico should also have its full complement of European-based stars.

Tickets go on sale on August 10th.

The Under-20 World Cup second round is set

The US Under-20 national team's dream run will take it into a second round match-up against Uruguay. That match, as well as the Spain-Brazil second round match, are the best games in a second round that should be entertaining and unpredictable.

Here is a rundown of the match-ups:

Trouble in the Mexico camp? Say it ain't so.

 

So much for Hugo Sanchez having things under control.

The Mexican national team is apparently in crisis as it prepares for Copa America. There are reportedly riffs within the team, with some players who were fans of former coach Ricardo LaVolpe forming one camp and supporters of Sanchez in another camp. There is even word that LaVolpe spoke to some Mexican players during the Gold Cup, offering them advice. Now Sanchez (admit it, you love that picture) is feeling the heat and needs his team to have a good Copa America or else he could be gone. Not exactly the drama you want heading into a tough tournament and very tough first match against Brazil.

Admit it, you love hearing this news. Share your thoughts on this latest development below.

Gold Cup Final: A Look back

Wow, what a game.

The U.S. national team comesbackfrom a 1-0 deficit to beat Mexico 2-1 (sorry, 2-0 is a habit I suppose) in front of a sold-out crowd at Soldier Field dominated by Mexican fans.

I've been to a bunch of US-Mexico games and today's was easily the best game of the bunch. Both teams played well, attacking in waves and both goalkeepers came up with clutch saves.

Here are some updates from after the match:

The comeback victory was the first for the U.S. team in the 73-year history of the rivalry.

Andres Guardado has been labeled healthy and able to go with Mexico to Copa America. I haven't heard about Jared Borgetti's status but his injury appeared more severe.

Jonathan Spector was taken to hospital for observation fer a mild concussion suffered in the same collision that left Guardado with a concussion.

Yes, that was Mexican defender Carlos Salcido who exchanged jerseys with Landon Donovan. A great gesture of sportsmanship, unlike Hugo Sanchez berating match officials and sarcastically applauding them during the trophy ceremony.

One Mexican player who did give the U.S. team credit after the match was none other than goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez. After a great performance in goal, Sanchez refused to call the penalty call questionable and stated that the Mexican team was to blame for its missed opportunity.

There were some ugly scenes of fighting in the stands after the match. In most cases, it was Mexicans fighting other Mexicans.

Here are some other observations from today's game:

Gold Cup Final: Running Commentary

Okay folks, I'm still not sure if I'll be able to handle a running commentary for this match since I'm trying to catch a flight after the game and need to write as much of my Herald News as possible but I will at least do a basic one. Let's get a roll call of readers who plan on following along and taking part. That'll help me decide whether to crank out a full commentary or not.

Please use the comments section of this post to share your own views on the match. I will begin posting shortly so stay tuned.

Gold Cup Final: Starting Lineups

Here they are folks, today's starting lineups:

USA

---------Ching------Dempsey--------

Beasley----------------------Donovan

------Mastroeni-----Feilhaber--------

Bornstein-----------------------Spector

-------Bocanegra---Onyewu-------------

---------------Howard-------------------

Gold Cup Final: Matchday is here

Hello all. It's three hours to kickoff of the Gold Cup final and I'll be heading to the stadium shortly.

Here are my Gold Cup final stories for the Herald News today:

Nothing nice about rivalry

and

Beasley: Mexico could be better

It's a cloudy day in Chicago but I don't think there will be rain for the match. I'll check back in when I get to Soldier Field. No word yet on the lineup. At this point i'm leaning toward the US team fielding this squad:

Argentina's Copa America Roster is LOADED

While we wait for the US national team's Copa America roster to becme available I think we need to admire Argentina's stacked Copa America roster.

Messi, Tevez, Crespo, Aimar and Riquelme. Wow.

Mexico's top players pulling out of Copa America

The Copa America rosters will be officially released on Thursday and the US national team won't be the only team missing top players. Several of Mexico's top players have asked to be excused from the Copa America roster. Pavel Pardo, Ricardo Osorio, Carlos Salcido and Nery Castillo have stated their preference not to play in the tournament, citing a need for rest and important European seasons ahead.

The US roster won't be known until the morning so keep an eye out for that.

Mexico edges Guadeloupe, 1-0, on Pavel Pardo blast

The dream Gold Cup final is now set. Mexico played some beautiful soccer but couldn't break through on Guadeloupe until midfielder Pavel Pardo delivered a 30-yard blast into the top right corner of the Guadeloupe goal to give Mexico a 1-0 victory on Thursday night.

The Mexicans will now face the United States in the highly-anticipated Gold Cup final on Sunday at Soldier Field. The match is already a sellout.

Mexico looked good in moving the ball around on an overmatched but inspired Guadeloupe team, whose goalkeeper, Franck Grandel, kept them in the match.

It's Mexico and the United States in a rematch of a friendly played in February in Phoenix. The US team won that match 2-0, but things will be different this time around. In this case, both teams have been together for two weeks now. Mexico will have all hands on deck while the US team will be without Frankie Hejduk and Michael Bradley.

What did you think of tonight's matches? Who do you see winning on Sunday? Share your thoughts below.

Sour Grapes or Valid Gripes?

If you haven't heard by now, the Gold Cup has been rigged by CONCACAF to be a showcase tournament for the US and Mexico, with the rest of the tournament's teams there just for show and to provide some speed bumps before the pre-determined final between the Americans and Mexicans.

At least that's what seemingly every other team in the tournament is saying after a week filled with questionable cards and bad officiating that didn't do much to hurt the US team or Mexico.

From Costa Rica coach Hernan Medford to several members of the Panama team, there was no shortage of opinions that the Gold Cup was rigged.

GOLD CUP: Mexico wins, Guadeloupe upsets Honduras

The second set of Gold Cup semifinals has been set after Mexico defeated Costa Rica, 1-0, and Guadeloupe upset Honduras, 2-1.

Mexico will face Guadeloupe in the second game of a Gold Cup doubleheader on Thursday in Chicago. The US national team will meet Canada in the first semifinal on Thursday.

Check in during the week for more Gold Cup coverage. I will be heading to Chicago for the semifinals and final so stay tuned.

A busy day in Foxboro

So I'm struggling to get out of bed today (casinos are the devil) but I will soon be ready to roll to Gillette Stadium for today's tripleheader, featuring a pair of Gold Cup quarterfinals and a Revs-Crew MLS match.

What do I see happening today? I think Canada handles Guatemala, let's say 2-1, the US team contains Panama's dangerous offense in a 2-0 win and the Revs thrash Columbus. Between my early tournament call of Canada being a title contender, the US team's fate determining whether I go to Chicago for the Gold Cup semis and final, and my starting of Adam Cristman, Andy Dorman and James RIley in fantasy MLS, I will have plenty of reasons to be interested in each of these three matches (though I'm not sure if I really plan on watching the Columbus Crew play without being forced to by my job.).

I will have the NYRB game on my computer while I crank out my Gold Cup stories so I will be posting on the events at Giants Stadium as well. I see a Red Bulls 2-0 win there as well. For those of you wondering where my MLS game previews for ESPN.com were, a schedule situation led to them not running this week. I will look to post some game previews on here this afternoon before today's games.

What are you most looking forward to from today's games? Share your thoughts below.

All 13 missing Haitian U-17 soccer players have been found

The crazy story of the missing youth team has ended with all 13 players being found. It will be interesting to see who gets into trouble for this stunt.

What do you think of this story? Share your thoughts below.

At least two Cuban players defect from Gold Cup squad

You knew it was going to happen. The question was when and where. Two players from the Cuban Gold Cup team defected, one in New Jersey and another in Houston. One of the players, Lestor More, was long regarded as the team's top forward, and was its star during the 2005 World Cup qualifying phase.

One player who appears to have stayed with the team is Reynier Alcantara, the team's top goal scorer during the tournament. He scored great goals against Mexico and Panama and looked like he could have easily found a home in MLS.

Let's see where these players turn up. It shouldn't be long before we find out.

Haitian Under-17 team disappears into New York

A truly crazy story emerging from New York City, where word has come out that half of the players on the Haitian Under-17 national team disappeared during a layover at JFK Airport on Wednesday.

It isn't too tough to figure out what is going on here. The Haitian team became its country's first to qualify for the U-17 World Cup and it boasts some seriously talented players on it. Some unscrupulous folks saw dollar signs (or maybe some well-meaning relatives saw a chance to get their family out of Haiti) and must have hatched this plan to get some of the better kids out of Haiti with hopes of finding them opportunities either in the USA or abroad.

It is a truly sad story because these players are likely to now miss out on competing at the Under-17 World Cup, a setting where they could have really creating some exposure for themselves. You can understand what can lead to something like this, what with the poverty in Haiti and players hearing from so many about the opportunities that await them in the rest of the world. This plan just doesn't seem that smart and could cost the players more opportunities than it helps them get.

What do you think of this situation? Feel free to offer your thoughts and opinions below.

GOLD CUP: Canada beats Haiti, 2-0

Houston Dynamo midfielder Dwayne DeRosario scored both goals for Canada to lift the Maple Leafs to a 2-0 win and berth in the quarterfinals.

Costa Rica also reached the quarterfinals by virtue of its 1-0 victory against Guadeloupe. Walter Centeno's highlight-reel free kick sealed it for the Ticos.

Canada will play the 1pm quarterfinal at Gillette Stadium on Saturday against the second place team in Group B, which could be the USA, El Salvador or Guatemala (and yes, could even be Trinidad & Tobago, if they beat Guatemala by two or more goals and El Salvador loses by less than what Guatemala does).  Costa Rica will face the second place team from Group C, which could be any of the group's four teams at this point (Panama, Mexico, Honduras or Cuba).

Guadeloupe is sitting on four points and must wait for the results of the other groups. They need either El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico or Honduras to lose their last group match (they can qualify if certain teams tie as well, but then we get into goal differential and goal totals). Yes, Guadeloupe could wind up facing the US national team, assuming the US wins its group. That will happen if the third place team from Group B qualifies.

Based on the tie-breakers set out on CONCACAF's website, Trinidad & Tobago would need to win by two or more goals and have El Salvador lose. That would leave the three teams tied for second. Since they would have all beaten each other the next tie-breaker would be goal differential (T&T is at -3, Guatemala and El Salvador are at zero). You can do the math from there. Could a third-place team in this group reach the quarters with three points? They could if either Mexico or Honduras loses, which would create a potential nightmare of tie-breakers.

Yes, I know, way too complicated. Just watch Tuesday's matches and things should clear up a bit.

Gold Cup power rankings

 

After watching more Gold Cup matches in five days than perhaps I have watched in the past two tournaments combined I can safely say that this Gold Cup has been the most entertaining installment of the tournament in years.

Here is how I see the 12 teams in the tournament looking so far this tournament (remember, just for the games of this tournament):

GOLD CUP: Honduras shocks Mexico, Cuba ties Panama

The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup is earning the name Tournament of Surprises after a pair of stunning results at Giants Stadium. Carlos Costly scored two goals, including a 91st-minute game-winner, to lift Honduras past Mexico, 2-1.

Mexican midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco lost his temper yet again, drawing a red card after elbowing Honduran defender Samuel Caballero in the 48th minute to force Mexico to play the rest of the match a man down. Honduras responded with two goals, the first a sharp-angled shot from Costly, who dribbled past Mexico goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez before beating him from a tight angle. The second came on a header in stoppage time that sent the fans in blue into a frenzied state.

The Cuba-Panama game was another solid performance by Cuba, though Panama had a chance in the 90th minute to steal a win. Panama captain Felipe Baloy drew a penalty kick but then he sent the kick about 30 rows into the stands ala Baggio.

What do these results mean? They mean that Mexico has yet to secure a quarterfinal berth and could still potentially finish in third place in the group and earn a quarterfinal showdown against the US national team on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

Mexico is sure to come out inspired against Panama on Wednesday and it won't help Panama that Baloy, their captain and best defender, will be missing the match due to yellow card accumulation.

So after two games there are only two teams out of 12 to secure a place in the quarterfinals. Most people would have figured the US national team but I can't imagine too many people having pegged Guadeloupe as the second team to have qualified.

Talk about a crazy and fun tournament, and things are only going to get better.

One great Saturday of soccer

Talk about a Saturday full of crazy soccer action. From the Gold Cup to MLS to the La Liga title race, there was something for everybody. Here are some of the highlights:

Real Madrid and Barcelona both tie, setting up title-deciding final weekend

Barcelona gave up a late goal and Real Madrid scored a late goal as both teams tied to stay atop the Spanish First Division standings heading into the final weekend.

Lionel Messi continued his great Diego Maradona impression by actually slapping a cross into the net for Barcelona's first goal. It wasn't enough as Espanyol scored a late equalizer.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored both of Real Madrid's goals in a 2-2 tie against Real Zaragoza. Now Madrid can win the league with a victory next week against Mallorca.

Guadeloupe upsets Canada, 2-1, to top Group A

Just when I go and peg Canada as a Gold Cup title contender tiny Guadeloupe steps in and spoils the party. The French island moved into first place in Group A with a stunning 2-1 upset of Canada in Miami.

Jocelyn Angloma (above, left), yes the 42-year-old former French national team player, scored to help push Guadeloupe into the driver's seat for a Quarterfinals berth. Canada must now beat Haiti to assure itself of a quarterfinal spot, though a tie might do the trick as well. I didn't see this game but I am hoping to catch a replay later on tonight.

I know a handful of Canada critics are gloating right now but it should be noted that both of Guadeloupe's goals came on stunning strikes, not from dismantling Canada's vulnerable defense with speed or sharp passing. Goals are goals in the end and Guadeloupe is on a roll.

What do you think of this development? Voice your opinion below.

Mexico holds off feisty Cuba

After an early Cuba goal stunned the pro-Mexico crowd, and led to Honduran and Panamanian fans cheering hard for Cuba, Mexico recovered and scored two goals to pull out a tougher than expected 2-1 victory at Giants Stadium on Friday night. Jared Borgetti and Nery Castillo scored goals for a Mexico squad that played without a handful of regulars.

Mexico came out flat in the first half but eventually their technical superiority helped them break down the tough Cuban defense.

The win moves Mexico into a first-place tie with Panama in Group C and drops Cuba into a tie for third with Honduras.

Mexico will face Honduras on Sunday and Panama will play Cuba.

GOLD CUP: Panama thrashes short-handed Honduras, 3-2

Amado Guevara worked his magic at Giants Stadium one more time, netting a nice free kick goal, but was the lone bright spot for Honduras, who fell to a solid Panama squad, 3-2, on Friday.

The win puts Panama in great shape to qualify for the Gold Cup quarterfinals and will force Honduras to find results in its next two Gold Cup matches.

Mexico's starting lineup vs. Cuba

For those of you eager to see what Mexico looks like tonight, here is there starting lineup:

------------Castillo--------Borgetti------------

--------------------Bautista--------------------

Guardado---------------------------------Arce

----------------------Pardo--------------------

Lozano----Rodriguez-----Magallon-----Castro

---------------------Ochoa----------------------

No Osorio or Salcido as Hugo Sanchez fields a B+ squad against a weaker Cuba team. It should be interesting to see how Nery Castillo does in an official game. I can't say I know a thing about Cuba so who knows how the game will play out. I'll go with Mexico, 2-0.

Gold Cup: Honduras vs. Panama

Hello all, I'm here at Giants Stadium and you will be surprised to hear that Honduran fans are making up a majority of the fans in the stadium so far. Then again, Mexican fans are probably just partying in the parking lot until it's time to watch 'El Tri' in the second game.

Amado Guevara is in the starting lineup for Honduras. We will see what he does tonight in his first match back at Giants Stadium since the Red Bulls' playoff loss against DC United last October. For those of you who hadn't heard, Chivas USA loaned Guevara to Motagua until the winter, which is the rest of his contract year for Chivas USA. Once 2008 starts Guevara will be a free agent since there is zero chance Chivas USA will pick up his option.

No running commentary from this game since I'm on-site and have to write a story.

I did speak to a Honduran reporter who told me that the general belief is that David Suazo's so-called injury is bogus. It's sad that he's not here but considering the amount of money that will be involved in his transfer I suppose you can't blame Cagliari for wanting to play it safe.

I'll post something at halftime so check back in for more from this game as well as the second game, Mexico vs. Cuba.

So much for seeing some protests

There were no Cuban protests outside Giants Stadium today, even though there was a designated protest zone. Maybe local Cubans weren't aware of tonight's match, or maybe they're waiting for Sunday.

Off to Giants Stadium for the Gold Cup

After watching all of the games of the Gold Cup so far I will finally get to see some matches in person tonight when Giants Stadium plays host.

Honduras vs. Panama, then Mexico vs. Cuba. We should have a tasty mix of fans, though Sunday's doubleheader is promising to draw a much larger crowd.

For those of you really into the Gold Cup, here is a column I wrote for ESPN.com on the first few days of the tournament. I name Canada as a championship contender after its impressive 2-1 win against Costa Rica. If you haven't heard by now the boys from the North are for real.

I'm not sure what I'll be doing from the stadium tonight on the blog yet but I'll let you know once I'm settled. Between catching up with Amado Guevara and talking to Cuban protestors (yes, people will be protesting the Cuban team, as if it doesn't have enough problems facing Mexico tonight), I'll be busy. I won't forget you guys though so stay tuned on here if you're unlucky enough to not be watching the games yourself, or if you're going to be out drinking and want to find a recap when you get back.

Stay tuned...

Trinidad & Tobago's Silvio Spann with a wonder strike

I hate to be a spoiler but T&T's Silvio Spann  hit a 50-yard free kick into the top corner of the net against El Salvador. Yes, 50 yards. Insane. You have to see it. I'll post it as soon as someone puts it on YouTube.

Tiny Guadeloupe outplays Haiti in 1-1 tie

Haiti was the heavy favorite and had the clear crowd advantage at Miami's Orange Bowl but they couldn't turn that into an advantage on the field as Guadeloupe outplayed the Haitians in a 1-1 tie in their Gold Cup opener.

If you didn't see the match you missed what was actually an exciting match. Guadelope has indeed succeeded in bring in its European-based players and the team's quality showed throughout the match. I think Haiti came in overlooking the underdogs and paid for it. Haiti showed some flashes but their defense and goalkeeper are suspect and I doubt they will have much of an impact in the later stages of this tournament.

After seeing Costa Rica tonight I think it's fair to say that these teams will be playing for third in the group and it wouldn't shock me if Guadeloupe pulled the shocker and reached the quarterfinals.

Julian DeGuzman's brace lift's Canada to 2-1 win against Costa Rica

Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Julian DeGuzman scored a pair of beautiful goals to lift Canada past Costa Rica in the opening match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. It was a well-played game that either team could have won and it's definitely a good tone-setter for the tournament.

DeGuzman hit a top of the box blast just a minute after Costa Rica's Walter Centeno hit a nice curling shot for the opening goal, then he added his second in the second half on a perfect chip over Costa Rica's goalkeeper.

Canada's defense is still a bit shaky for me but that Canadian attack could do some damage in this tournament.

I added the above picture when AP finally moved it. Interesting to note that three of the players in it are MLS players. Not bad.

Gold Cup: Matchday One

Tonight marks the first set of games in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and I can tell you that the opening match is an exciting one. Canada vs. Costa Rica. The second match, Haiti vs. Guadaloupe, isn't as appealing but it could wind up being just as entertaining.

Here is a closer look at these teams:

Get your Gold Cup fix here

The CONCACAF Gold Cup is set to begin on Wednesday and I know some of you can't wait for it to start.

If you're fiending for your Gold Cup fix, I've got the thing for you. Here is my preview of the tournament, with breakdowns of all 12 teams. Now it isn't overly in-depth. Obviously there were some issues getting information on some teams, but it's something good to digest before the tournament begins. I can tell you that, after researching all 12 teams, I'm all set for the tournament to begin and am actually more excited to watch it than I was two weeks ago.

I will be offering up some different Gold Cup tidbits throughout the tournament, such as TV schedules, game previews and things of that nature. Be sure to check here for your daily Gold Cup fix.

Diego's late equalizers helps Brazil tie England

Okay, so maybe it wasn't overly exciting, but the Brazil-England friendly still offered some good glimpses of skill and I think it suffered a bit from Brazil's players looking a bit tired and England's players looking a bit like they didn't want to get hurt before the next Euro qualifier.

No, there weren't any real Wow goals but just watching Kaka and Ronaldinho on the ball made the match worth watching. It was nice to see England step up its game in the second half, though I still get a feeling like the current England team just isn't as good as last year's World Cup squad. Owen looks flat and Frank Lampard still can't make an impact on the national team.

I thought David Beckham played well and it just makes Steve McLaren's decision to drop him last year look pretty dumb. Then again that decision probably lit the fire under Beckham that helped him find the stellar form he enjoyed this spring in Spain.

I must say that I was a bit disappointed with Afonso Alves, the Heerenveen striker. He seems a bit stiff but it was just one game and he's only now getting used to the idea of playing for Brazil. It will be interesting to see where he winds up this summer.

What did you think of the game? Share your thoughts below.