Gold Cup Subplots Abound
Much to the consternation of tournament officials, this week’s Gold Cup semifinals are likely to be met with yawns by even the most soccer-loving Southern California fans.
The United States, Mexico and Guatemala already have been ousted from the 12-nation event--El Salvador failed to even qualify--leaving interest at a low ebb locally.
After all, who really cares if Colombia defeats Peru at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego tonight or if Canada beats Trinidad and Tobago at the Coliseum on Thursday night?
Colombia and Canada, for starters. Not to mention Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.
For Colombia Coach Luis Garcia, winning the tournament is secondary to his goal of preparing the team for its World Cup 2002 qualifying campaign.
“We are starting our preparation toward that first qualifier, against Brazil,” Garcia said after Colombia had knocked the U.S. out of the Gold Cup in Miami on Saturday. “The more games we play in the Gold Cup, the more time it gives me to work with the international players.”
Peruvian Coach Francisco Maturana has the same goal in mind. Upsetting his native country, Colombia, tonight would boost Peru’s morale considerably before the 10-nation round robin that is South American World Cup qualifying.
For Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, meanwhile, winning Thursday’s semifinal means a lot more than simply advancing to the final.
Since the other finalist will be South American--and hence, not a member of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF) region--the team that wins Thursday will be the de facto CONCACAF champion, even if it loses the final.
And that carries with it a more significant reward than the $150,000 Gold Cup prize.
As champion, Canada or Trinidad and Tobago automatically will qualify for the next FIFA Confederations’ Cup, likely to be held in Japan and South Korea next year as a prelude and trial run for World Cup 2002.
Mexico won the inaugural Confederations Cup last summer when the eight-nation event was staged in Mexico City and Guadalajara. As defending champion, Coach Manuel Lapuente’s team already has qualified for the next edition, despite its startling loss to Canada on Sunday.
But for Canadian Coach Holger Osiek and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Bertille St. Clair, the chance to be in such an event not only raises the profile of their respective teams but gives the players much-needed competition against high-level opponents.
So, even if the rain and lack of interest keep fans away, there are enough subplots left in the Gold Cup to at least hold the interest of the four remaining participants.
Tonight’s match in San Diego does give fans the opportunity to see the player rated by U.S. Coach Bruce Arena as the best on the field in Saturday’s U.S.-Colombia clash.
Faustino Asprilla’s career has taken him from Atletico Nacional in Colombia to Parma in Italy, to Newcastle United in England and most recently to Palmeiras in Brazil. The 30-year-old striker has two World Cup tournaments on his resume and has scored 15 goals in 43 games for Colombia.
“Asprilla was terrific today,” Arena said after Saturday’s game. “He was dangerous from the start. I sensed the other night that he went through the motions [in a 1-0 victory over Jamaica and a 2-0 loss to Honduras]. We know he’s a quality player.”
Garcia, Colombia’s coach, praised the forward’s leadership, saying he had noticed “the ability that Faustino showed to carry the team as the captain, the ability to take the team and lead it to victory.”
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
Gold Cup
SEMIFINALS
Today at San Diego
Peru vs. Colombia, 8 p.m.
Thursday at Coliseum
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Canada, 8 p.m.
*
CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday at Coliseum
Semifinal winners, noon
