USA and Mexico a game away from Gold Cup final – but beware the underdogs

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/22/gold-cup-usa-mexico-final-underdogs

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Though both teams have failed to impress, it seems that the inevitability of a USA-Mexico final is all but upon us, with both teams just one victory away from the final in Philadelphia. But as the semi-finals get under way on Wednesday, both USA and Mexico should be wary of their opponents, two sides that have earned their way to this stage thanks to some dogged performances.

On the back of a 6-0 drubbing of a hapless Cuba side, a confident USA will have visions of a sixth berth in the Gold Cup final. In their way, however, stands the surprise team of the cup: Caribbean champions Jamaica, a staunch defensive team that have yet to be defeated in this edition of the tournament.

This semi final clash will have a German tinge to it. US coach Jürgen Klinsmann and his technical adviser Berti Vogts will be taking on their compatriot Winfried “Winnie” Schäfer – and his luxuriant blond mane. It’s a coincidence not lost on Schäfer, all too happy to accept Jamaica’s role as outsiders: “Now it’s Berti Vogts and Klinsmann against me. This is difficult. We are definitely the underdog,” he said.

As always, the US will rely on 32-year-old Clint Dempsey, who’s been in fine form, leading all scorers with six goals in four matches. Against Cuba, he formed a good partnership with Aron Jóhannsson, who after some initial shuffling by Klinsmann seems to have finally secured his starting position with the side.

And a bullish Klinsmann is banking on Dempsey to see the US through. “He’s hungry for goals and that helps us,” Klinsmann said. “He has two more meals ahead of him.” But for the US, those ‘meals’ may be a bit more difficult to digest that initially hoped. Jamaica has only allowed two goals in the entire tournament, both of them in a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in their opening game.

Fitness, or rather the disparity of it between the two sides, should play a major factor. Their quarter experiences couldn’t have been more polarized. As the US cruised to a 6-0 victory over Cuba – a result that prompted some scathing criticism from Schafer: “When the States played Cuba, six players were out looking for passport in the States” – Jamaica suffered in a grueling 1-0 victory, their third consecutive win by that scoreline, over a physical Haitian side. At the end of that encounter players from both teams collapsed to the ground, clearly spent. Rest and recovery will be paramount for the Reggae Boyz, as they take on a US squad known for their stamina.

But straying from the pervading desire to strong-arm some Cool Runnings references into this preview, this Jamaica team is not a Cinderella story. Schäfer has meticulously and methodically built a disciplined, well-oiled machine, diversifying the talent by building around a core of talented British-born players with Jamaican ties.

This Jamaica squad has also benefited greatly from something not afforded to most international teams: time and familiarity. The bulk of the squad has been together for the better part of the last two months after competing in Copa América prior to this Gold Cup. Despite initially looking mismatched at that tournament, Jamaica impressed, especially against Uruguay, as they matched them chance for chance.

Their backline earned major plaudits for keeping some of the world’s best attackers – the likes of Edinson Cavani, Sergio Agüero and Lionel Messi – at bay. Led by the impressive Kemar Lawrence, who plays for the New York Red Bulls, they’ve become a ‘grind-it-out’ team, resilient and adept at absorbing pressure. It’s a style that’s inevitably led to some nailbiting moments for their fans.

Conversely, the US hasn’t exactly set the tournament alight thus far. They struggled in the group stage, seemingly stuck in first gear against inferior teams, and hardly resembling the squad that beat the likes of Germany and the Netherlands so recently. In many ways, the US are largely untested. In their only game against what could be considered a formidable opponent, other semi-finalists Panama, the US struggled to cope with the Central American side’s attacking prowess. It’s here Jamaica could find something to exploit. A pacey and skillful front line led by Houston Dynamo’s Giles Barnes could cause problems for the likes of Ventura Alvarado, whose continued starting berth seems like an experiment on Klinsmann’s part to forge a good defender out of the 22-year-old through his repeated mishaps.

This will be Jamaica’s first semi-final since 1998 and they have already made their nation proud. But this is a battle-tested team that’s only grown in confidence over the past few weeks and will be shooting for the finals. If Jamaica allow the US to dominate possession in and around the box it will only be a matter of time before the U.S. break them down. But Schafer is adaptable, and with the return from suspension of Darren Mattocks of the Vancouver Whitecaps, count on the Caribbean side to employ a more effective and aggressive strategy than they did against Haiti.

The other semi final will see a rematch at the same stage from 2013, when Panama shocked Mexico with a 2-1 victory in Cowboy Stadium. This is a Mexican side that many believe are lucky to be here. A dubious, to say the least, penalty converted by Andres Guardado in the last minute against Costa Rica, saw El Tri record a narrow 1-0 victory and book their place in the semis.

Panama scraped through as well, after outlasting Trinidad & Tobago in a nerve-racking penalty shootout. After such lengthy and grueling quarter-final matches both teams come into the game battered and bruised. For Mexico, Giovani Dos Santos, who was absent against Costa Rica after suffering an adductor injury in the previous game, is still questionable.

This game will be volatile. Panama still haven’t won a match in regulation at this edition of the Gold Cup, yet find themselves in the semi finals. As two-time runners =-up, including a second-place finish two years ago, Panama, scorers of only four goals thus far, will be relying on their defense to see them through.