US aim to turn Gold Cup tables

– The United States and Mexico are hoping to unearth a new crop of talent as they attempt to extend their reign of dominance in the Concacaf Gold Cup which started last night.

The biennial football championship for North America, Central America and the Caribbean gets under way at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey with French Guiana taking on Canada before Honduras face Costa Rica.

The 12-team tournament is being staged at 14 venues across the United States, with the final to be held on July 26 at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team.

The US will be aiming to atone for the disappointment of their 2015 campaign, when they flopped in the semifinals of a tournament won by Mexico.

The tournament has been dominated by Mexico and the US ever since its inception in 1991. The North American rivals have won every edition of the championship between them except from Canada’s victory in 2000.

While history suggests another Mexico-US battle for the title this time around, the playing field may have been levelled by the fact that neither nation is fielding its strongest team.

US coach Bruce Arena (above), whose priority remains the ongoing 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, has opted to rest several first-choice players from duty.

Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio has adopted a similar approach, with El Tri only recently completing their campaign at the Fifa Confederations Cup in Russia.

“We have a large number of domestic players because our European-based players need a break,” Arena said.

“They had long seasons plus the June World Cup qualifiers, so they needed a break and then they need to start their preseasons in July. That was the appropriate move.”

The Americans warmed up for their tournament – which will kick off against Panama today – with a 2-1 friendly victory over Ghana last weekend. – AFP

Los Angeles

We have a large number of domestic players because our European-based players need a break.

Bruce Arena United States coach