Gold Cup Daily: It begins
The U.S. avoids a Gold Cup group stage defeat. PLUS: What to watch for tonight as Group B kicks off
Reporting from Chicago
As the game increasingly ticked toward the United States’ second-ever group stage loss in Gold Cup play, Brandon Vazquez was exactly what the U.S. needed. Vazquez is a goal scorer, and the U.S. needed a goal.
It feels too simple, but that’s how the forward saw it.
“The ball goes out wide. I know how to make the movement in the box. You know, I live for that. The ball gets whipped in really well, and it bounces right to me,” he said. “I did what I know how to do, and that’s hit the net.”
Despite a first half that lacked energy, the U.S. grew into the game as Jamaica tired, something the Reggae Boyz put down to the fact that MLS-based players like Vazquez are in the middle of their season while most Jamaica players are coming off their European campaigns.
No excuses would’ve been needed, however, had the U.S. not found the goal that gave them the 1-1 draw and sent both teams from Soldier Field with a point in the tournament opener.
Vazquez smashed in a ball that fell to him, with his instincts kicking in and saving the U.S. from what would’ve been a frustrating defeat.
A border kid who came through the Tijuana academy, the entrance into a major competition for the U.S. cap-ties Vazquez to the U.S. He also was eligible for Mexico.
“I’m so damn proud,” he said. “To see the quality of players we have in this group, the depth of players we have in the group, it makes me extremely proud.”
His international future being settled likely will not stop more approaches from all-Mexican club Chivas or other clubs in the Americas, even if Vazquez’s ambitions are to jump to Europe.
Before he considers an exit from Cincinnati, however, he must focus on finding a spot with this U.S. team, one that largely is composed of players not part of the first-choice team that just won the Concacaf Nations League.
After Vazquez’s exercise in efficiency Saturday, there efficiency are questions about whether he could take over as the starting forward. He could replace or play alongside Jesus Ferreira, the starting forward whose cross to the back post ended up being deflected in front of Vazquez for the goal.
“Brandon was able to step in tonight and do that job, and if he gets the opportunity to start, we would expect the same thing from Jesus,” U.S. manager B.J. Callaghan said after the game. “Both players can make a big impact throughout this tournament for us.”
With two opponents up next who - on paper - don’t boast as high of a level as Jamaica, and after some of the choices Callaghan made in the first match, rotation is coming.
Vazquez will keep getting his chances. U.S. fans hope he keeps doing what he knows how to do.
A Gray-t start
One of the reasons Jamaica has become a trendy pick to win the Gold Cup, and to set itself up for a run at the 2024 Copa América and a return to the World Cup, is its player recruitment.
Demarai Gray is the latest new addition to the Reggae Boyz, and despite training with the team for just two days, he made a near-immediate impact, assisting Damion Lowe’s opener with a well-measured free kick.
Prior to the contest, Jamaica manager Heimir Hallgrimsson had been coy about whether or not the Everton attacker would be ready to go into the starting XI with so little time spent with teammates, but after the match he admitted there wasn’t any concern about tossing him straight into the XI.
“We thought, ‘We can always take him off,’ if he didn’t fit in, but we have watched him a long time now and talked to him, so he knew what we wanted and we knew what kind of player he is,” the coach said. “In the end, it was no risk playing him.
“I think everybody can see that he will give us a lot. He gives us an extra dimension, kind of a similar player to Leon Bailey. It just adds to our options as well as our quality.”
That’s what building a national team is all about, finding as many players able to cope with the level of play as possible and constantly challenging them to grow personally and for the team to grow as a group.
While the Reggae Boyz continue to stockpile talent and grow chemistry, they’re also going to have to work out how to close out games like Saturday’s. While Hallgrimsson agreed that the result was fair, with the U.S. controlling play in the second half as it looked for an equalizer, Jamaica still was frustrated it wasn’t able to celebrate getting all three points.
Leon Bailey failing to convert the penalty to extend the lead to 2-0 stands out as a moment that would’ve all but wrapped up the win.
“It’s disappointing. I think we could’ve gotten all three points,” goalkeeper Andre Blake said. “Nonetheless, I’m thankful for a point. It’s still better than none. We have a very good team, and normally we take a little bit of time to get going.”
“We lacked the killer instinct,” he said. We needed to score that second goal.”
Today’s matches:
All times Central
Trinidad & Tobago v. St. Kitts and Nevis - 2:30p
Haiti v. Qatar - 5p
Mexico v. Honduras - 7p(ish)
After last night’s opener, the other two teams in Group A get started. It’s an historic moment for St. Kitts and Nevis, which is playing in the Gold Cup proper for the first time ever after
You’re going to hear a lot about how small of a country SKN is, and it is quite small with a population of just more than 47,000 people. Their arrival to this phase is a testament to the work put in on the island to provide facilities and push players out of their comfort zone. More on the Sugar Boyz coming soon in the newsletter.
Later, it’s the guest team Qatar looking to replicate last tournament’s run to the semifinals against a Haiti squad that went undefeated in Nations League B play, though they’ve switched managers since then.
And in the nightcap, Jimmy Lozano debuts as Mexico manager. He has to make do without the suspended Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga, but simply the shift from the unfamiliar and rigid Diego Cocca to the fun-time former El Tri midfielder Lozano will go a long way.
Oh yeah, he’s still got a fair amount of talent at his disposal, too - though the reports have him as the third consecutive manager to incline away from starting fan-favorite Feyenord forward Santi Gimenez.