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Soccer Capsules: No surprise: U.S. vs. Mexico for Gold Cup
Comments 0 | Recommend 0NEW YORK — This was the perfect Gold Cup for an outsider to steal. Honduras, perhaps. Or Canada.
Instead, Sunday’s final at the Meadowlands in New Jersey will have that familiar if not comfortable look when the United States and Mexico, by far the most dominant nations in CONCACAF, meet for the title.
Neither country sent its best team to the biennial event.
Among the Americans’ unproven players on the international scene, Stuart Holden, Kyle Beckerman and Heath Pearce have performed well after the big boys lost in the Confederations Cup final to Brazil last month.
Mexico is missing some key players, too, and it has been struggling in World Cup qualifying, sitting fourth behind leader Costa Rica, the Americans and Hondurans. Yet Mexico survived a difficult group stage in the Gold Cup, beat Costa Rica on penalty kicks in the semifinals, and has every reason to believe it can walk off with the trophy for the fifth time in its sixth trip to the finals.
"The United States is always a very difficult opponent and it will be a challenge for us," said Guillermo Ochoa, whose penalty-kick save was the difference against Costa Rica. "But we played well (in the semifinals) and it gives us a lot of confidence for the final."
Ochoa was a backup when the Americans beat the Mexicans for the 2007 Gold Cup. With Mexico in dire straits in World Cup qualifying, and facing an Aug. 12 match in Mexico City against the U.S. — with all of its top players — Ochoa could do some positive for his career and his nation’s chances to make the South Africa 2010 field by beating the hosts.
But winning in the United States has been impossible for El Tri this decade: The Americans have won nine of the 11 games and drawn the others, with some of the games getting downright nasty in one of CONCACAF’s most heated rivalries.
"We need to be looking at this final, not the other match," Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.
Still, a win on Sunday, even with a vastly different lineup than each side will field at Aztec Stadium next month, would be huge for El Tri.
"I don’t think it sets a tone," U.S. forward Brian Ching said.
Ching is a rare veteran of international play on this U.S. squad, and wore the captain’s band in the semifinal. "But on a personal level, we’ve done well against them in the U.S. and you don’t want to be the team that lets them win at home."
Gold Cup gives Holden chance to shine
CHICAGO — Stuart Holden is a notorious practical joker, always hiding around corners in hopes of taking somebody by surprise.
Oh, he’s surprising people all right.
On a team of young and inexperienced players eager to make their mark, no American has stood out more in the CONCACAF Gold Cup than the 23-year-old midfielder. Holden has scored twice in five games, and he had assists on both goals Thursday night as the United States beat Honduras 2-0 to advance to its third straight Gold Cup final.
The Americans play archrival Mexico in Sunday’s final at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. It’s a rematch of the 2007 final, where the United States beat El Tri to win its second straight Gold Cup title.
"I enjoy this. It’s not only my job, it’s something I enjoy doing and the big games are what you live for," Holden said. "These are the kind of games I want to play in and want to be a part of.
"If you shy away from these, why would you want to play on this team and be at this level?"
Especially considering what it’s taken for Holden to get here.
Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Holden moved to Houston when he was 10 (his father, Brian, worked for Chevron). After two years at Clemson, Holden signed in March 2005 with Sunderland, then in England’s League Championship.
But after playing in just two games with the Black Cats’ reserves, Holden was attacked while waiting for a taxi with his brother, Euan.
"I guess they were trying to cut in front of us in the taxi line, and one of the guys in our group said something to them," Holden said. "Next thing you know, I was the one, the small guy who got hit."
Holden’s left eye socket was broken in three or four places, and he had double vision for three months. By the time he’d recovered, his contract was up and Sunderland was looking for more established players, having been promoted to the Premier League.
He had a tryout with Leicester City, only to break his ankle the first game.
"I’d always maintained the mentality I was going to give it the full go until I just couldn’t anymore. But I’d be lying to you if I said it never crossed my mind at one point or another," Holden said. "How am I going to play soccer if I see two balls every time I look in the air?
"It was tough at the time. I was 19, living by myself. But it’s worked out for the best."
When his ankle healed, Holden signed with the hometown Houston Dynamo. After playing in 13 games his first season, he had a breakout year in 2007 with five goals and a team-high five assists in 22 games.
Last year, as part of the U.S. Olympic team, he scored the winning goal in the Americans’ opener against Japan. That helped earn him an invitation to the senior national team training camp before a Jan. 24 friendly against Sweden.
U.S. coach Bob Bradley turned to his JV roster for the Gold Cup, giving most of his regular starters a break following their stunning run to the Confederations Cup final. Not only do the younger players get experience, the Gold Cup gives Bradley an idea of who might help in the lead-up to next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
But this is hardly a field trip.
The United States is the two-time defending champion, and Bradley made sure the youngsters understood the responsibility that came with their shirts.
"Anytime I’m on the field, I want to impress and I want to win," Holden said. "I’m a competitor and anything I can do to help the team win goes a long way."
His goal in the opener against Grenada was the first by an American in his international debut since Eddie Robinson against Sweden in January 2008. Holden salvaged a 2-2 tie against Haiti with a 25-foot shot in the first minute of second-half injury time.
And while he didn’t score Thursday, his contributions were no less important.
While the Americans were practicing corner kicks Wednesday, Bradley went to a spot in front of the goal and told Holden that was where he should deliver the ball. Sure enough, his corner kick went to that exact spot just before halftime Thursday, and Clarence Goodson headed it into the net for the 1-0 lead.
Late in the second half, Holden collected a back-heel flick from Ching and sent a cross to Kenny Cooper, who one-timed it for a 2-0 lead.
Off the field, he’s been key to that all-important team chemistry. With his practical jokes and killer impressions — Brian Ching, one of the few regular starters on the Gold Cup roster and Holden’s teammate in Houston, said Holden does good imitations of both Bradley and former U.S. assistant coach Peter Nowak — he has a knack for putting anyone at ease.
"Stuart is a player that has been on the verge of getting into our team for a while," Bradley said. "The timing of this tournament was good for him and, like others, he’s taken advantage of it."
-- Nancy Armour
MLS
Beckham fined $1,000 by MLS for gestures to fans
NEW YORK — David Beckham was fined $1,000 by Major League Soccer, which said his gestures toward taunting fans suggested that they leave their seats and come on the field.
The fine by MLS commissioner Don Garber on Friday came five days after the English star confronted Los Angeles Galaxy fans in a group called the L.A. Riot Squad. The Galaxy and AC Milan played to a 2-2 tie in an exhibition game. Beckham played with AC Milan this year and was booed through much of the game.
"We support our players interacting with fans, whether it is at clinics, charity events or by high-fiving their supporters in the stands while celebrating a goal," Garber said. "However, our players should never engage in conduct that can be interpreted as encouraging fans to come out of the stands and onto the field, regardless of the reason."
At halftime, Beckham walked toward the group while shouting and pointing. He challenged fans to meet him on the field and tried to lift himself over advertising boards before security intervened. Police arrested a fan who left the stands.
Then after a second-half corner kick in front of the Riot Squad’s section, Beckham immediately turned to those fans, put his index finger to his lips, shrugged his shoulders and blew them a kiss. The kick resulted in a goal.
Beckham has been unapologetic about his actions.
"At the end of the day, I play my game," Beckham said Thursday. "If it’s not good enough for some people, as long as it’s good enough for myself and the team, nothing else matters."
The Riot Squad blamed Beckham for agitating the situation in a statement on the group’s Web site Thursday.
"Had David responded differently on Sunday, the booing and the chanting probably would have ended at halftime," the statement said. "We don’t believe questioning Beckham’s commitment to our team is over the line, but it’s clear that David feels otherwise."
Movsisyan scores 2 as RSL tops FC Dallas 4-2
SANDY, Utah — Yura Movsisyan scored twice and Real Salt Lake took advantage of an own goal by FC Dallas’ Daniel Torres to rally from a two-goal deficit and earn a 4-2 victory Friday night.
With the score tied at 2, Real Salt Lake (6-7-5) took the lead when Fabian Espindola’s cross hit off Torres and into the goal.
Movsisyan added his second goal of the match in stoppage time to seal the win over FC Dallas (4-9-5).
Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Real Salt Lake cut FC Dallas’ lead in half in the 55th minute when Movsisyan beat Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse on a one-on-one.
Robbie Findley pulled RSL even in the 62nd minute with a penalty kick after being fouled in the box by Jair Benitez.
Jeff Cunningham scored a goal and assisted on another against his former team for FC Dallas, but missed a second-half penalty kick.
Cunningham’s 13th-minute goal was the 108th of his career, moving him into a tie for third all-time with Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis. He still trails D.C. United’s Jaime Moreno (128) and Chivas USA’s Ante Razov (114).
Kreis was Cunningham’s teammate for four games in 2007 before retiring to become coach and quickly traded the forward to Toronto FC.
Dave van der Bergh gave FC Dallas a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute when Cunningham passed the ball to David Ferreira, who sent the ball across the goal box to van der Bergh.
Cunningham had a couple opportunities to pass Kries, with the best coming on a penalty kick in the 71st minute after Salt Lake defender Chris Wingert was called for a handball in the box.
Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando, though, saved Cunningham’s attempt.
Kreis was ejected from the match in the 73rd minute for verbally abusing the fourth official. FC Dallas’ Drew Moor was ejected in stoppage time after a hard foul on Tony Beltran.
DC United’s Simms, Khumalo have operations
WASHINGTON — D.C. United midfielder Clyde Simms and forward Thabiso Khumalo had surgery and both are expected to be sidelined for weeks.
Simms had sports hernia surgery on his right side in Germany and could miss up to three weeks.
Khumalo had an operation in Virginia to repair his broken right wrist and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.
He was hurt in injury time of D.C. United’s 2-1 victory over Rochester in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals Tuesday night. Khumalo scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute.
World Football Challenge
Zhirkov goal gives Chelsea 2-1 win over AC Milan
BALTIMORE — It was a rare post-game news conference: Both coaches sitting at the same table after a game that both men treated with the utmost importance.
Fortunately, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti and Leonardo of AC Milan are anything but antagonistic.
Yuri Zhirkov scored the tiebreaking goal in the 69th minute, and Chelsea defeated AC Milan 2-1 Friday night to provide their new coach a satisfying victory over his former team in the World Football Challenge.
"It was a difficult game because Milan played so well," said Ancelotti, who quit as coach of the Italian team in May and promptly signed a three-year contract with Chelsea. "I’m happy for the victory, but we have to improve."
Ancelotti won two Champions League titles and one Serie A championship with AC Milan. During that time he coached Leonardo, who is now the team’s coach.
"I lost my voice. I’m not used to being a coach," Leonardo said. "To play against Carlo is very, very special. We’re still good friends. That’s why it was very special today, this match between two of the best teams in the world."
With the score 1-all, Chelsea fired two close-range kicks at goaltender Zeljko Kalac before Zhirkov’s low-flying attempt from 19 yards landed in the left corner of the net.
AC Milan had two excellent chances to tie it during stoppage time, but Chelsea goaltender Petr Cech tipped away one attempt before another shot went wide.
The World Football Challenge is a four-team round robin tournament. Chelsea has also beaten Inter Milan, and AC Milan has also lost to Club America.
Didier Drogba also scored for Chelsea, and Clarence Seedorf had the lone goal for AC Milan.
Oguchi Onyewu, who earlier this month became the first American-born player to sign a contract with AC Milan, entered in the 67th minute. The defender (who’s from Olney, Md.) received cheers from many in the sellout crowd of 71,203 at the home stadium of the Baltimore Ravens.
"Guch today showed a different style," Leonardo said. "He’s a very smart guy."
Drogba gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute, shooting from the right side with his right foot and sending a rising shot into the left corner of the net. The goal was set up by a pass from John Terry.
AC Milan missed a chance to draw even in the 19th minute, when Andrea Pirlo fired a shot that was deflected by Cech to Ronaldinho, who was denied on a bicycle kick.
But the Italian team drew even in the 38th minute on a goal by Seedorf, who broke free at the penalty arc and sent a shot past the outstretched arms of Cech. Ronaldinho received credit for the assist.
Midway through the second half, however, Seedorf left with a leg injury.
-- David Ginsburg
Elsewhere
Gerrard cleared by court over bar room attack
LONDON — England midfielder Steven Gerrard was cleared of intentionally attacking a man in a bar and within hours of Friday's verdict he was back scoring for Liverpool.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court found the Liverpool captain not guilty of affray, accepting the footballer's explanation that he acted in self defense in punching businessman Marcus McGee at the Lounge Inn bar on Dec. 29 in a dispute over music.
"Can I just say how pleased I am with today's verdict," Gerrard said outside the court. "I'm glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now.
"I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for supporting me."
The trial forced Gerrard to miss Liverpool's preseason tour of Asia, but he went from the courtroom back to Tranmere to play for the youthful reserve team in a friendly. Before being substituted in the 63rd minute, Gerrard scored with a low drive from outside the box in a 2-2 draw.
The 29-year-old Gerrard has played for Liverpool for his entire career and last month contracted with the club until 2013.
After leading the Reds to their fifth Champions League title in 2005, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II and remains the key member of Rafa Benitez's team.
"We are really pleased," Benitez said from Singapore. "He is very important for us and he can now focus just on football. We are all pleased at the club and over here at the training camp.
"We have been supporting him all the time and were just waiting for the decision. Now, he can concentrate just on football and hopefully play at the same level as last year."
Gerrard was the only one of seven defendants to be cleared over the incident, which was described as an "explosion of violence" by the judge.
He showed no emotion when the jury foreman delivered the not guilty verdict after 70 minutes of deliberation.
"The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case," judge Henry Globe told Gerrard. "You walk away from this court with your reputation intact."
Gerrard was celebrating in the Southport bar near Liverpool after scoring twice in his team's 5-1 win at Newcastle. He was with a party of friends, including former Liverpool manager and player Kenny Dalglish.
Video footage from the bar showed Gerrard and his friends drinking beer, downing spirits and dancing while chanting football songs. But trouble flared at around 2 a.m. when Gerrard wanted to change the music on the CD player.
The 34-year-old McGee said Gerrard had tried to grab a music card from him after being refused control of the device.
Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only one connected. He said he only swung at McGee because he thought he was about to be attacked himself.
"What at first sight to the casual observer may seem to have been a clear-cut case against you of unlawful violence, has been nowhere near as clear-cut upon careful analysis of the evidence," Globe said.
The judge suggested it was unwise of Gerrard to approach McGee to resolve the earlier "trivial disagreement."
"You did not start the violence, it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends, John Doran," Globe said. "The victim's consequential actions of reeling backwards and then forwards and your actions in response to that movement forward has to be seen against that background.
"At all times you insisted that you only ever acted in what you believed was reasonable self defense to what you understandably, albeit you accept mistakenly, believed was an attempted attack upon you by Marcus McGee."
Five other men have already pleaded guilty in the incident and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior.
The six men will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Aug. 7.
-- Rob Harris
Maradona: 'We're playing for our lives'
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Diego Maradona said Friday what every Argentine football fan already knows — the next World Cup qualifier against archrival Brazil is critical.
"We're playing for our lives against Brazil. It's going to be a very tough game," Argentina's coach said on local television about the Sept. 5 match.
At Maradona's urging, the match will be played in Rosario, located about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires.
Argentine officials and FIFA officials approved moving the match from River Plate's Monumental Stadium after Maradona complained about the state of the playing surface.
Maradona described the field at Monumental Stadium as "disastrous" and a "pasture" before a 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Colombia on June 6. He also said the place needed a paint job.
But many considered his criticism biased as Monumental is the home of River Plate, the archrival of Boca Juniors, Maradona's old team.
With four rounds left in South American qualifying, Argentina holds the fourth and final automatic qualifying spot.
The group is led by Brazil on 27 points, Chile on 26 and Paraguay on 24, with Argentina on 22 points and facing competition from Ecuador (20), Uruguay (18), Colombia (17) and Venezuela (17).
The team finishing fifth plays the fourth-place team from North and Central America and the Caribbean for a spot at next year's tournament in South Africa.
Argentina's two remaining home qualifiers are on Sept. 5 against Brazil and Oct. 10 versus Peru. Argentina has away matches on Sept. 8 in Paraguay and Oct. 13 in Uruguay.
Granero takes pay cut to join Real Madrid
MADRID — Esteban Granero did something none of his new "galactico" teammates did to join Real Madrid this offseason — he took a pay cut.
The 22-year-old midfielder trained alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema — who along with Kaka cost Madrid nearly euro200 million ($285 million) in transfer fees this offseason — for the first time Friday after accepting a drop in salary to rejoin his boyhood club after two seasons at Getafe.
"I was going to accept the deal they offered me before it even landed on the table," said Granero, who lost out on a reported euro800,000 ($1.14 million). "Sometimes it's a rodeo to get to Real Madrid and, in my case, it meant going through Getafe, which worked out."
Granero, who joined Madrid's youth system at age 8, is the 10th midfielder at the club and has led to it declaring that it won't sign anyone else until it sells several players.
One such player is striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who returned to training after turning down a move to Bundesliga side Stuttgart on Thursday.
"It's true that I feel a great sense of responsibility," Granero said. "To be a part of this squad is hard and you have to earn your place. You have to shed your skin with every training because you always have to be conscious and respectful of the white shirt."
Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery have both been linked with Madrid, but Granero would still welcome them to the club.
"It's clear it'll be even harder to play, but you have to aspire in difficult moments and I've decided to take a step forward in my career," Granero said.
Flamengo fires Stival Cuca as coach
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Flamengo has fired coach Stival Cuca after a series of poor results.
Flamengo vice president Kleber Leite said Friday that Cuca was let go a day earlier.
On Wednesday, Flamengo drew 1-1 with Barueri to leave Brazil's most popular club 11th out of 20 teams in the first division. Fans at the game chanted "goodbye Cuca."
Cuca took over in December and guided the team to the Rio de Janeiro state championship.
Assistant coach Andrade will take over the club and will be in charge for this weekend's match with Santos.
Ibrahimovic to arrive at Barcelona on Sunday
BARCELONA, Spain — Zlatan Ibrahimovic will arrive at Barcelona on Sunday to seal his move from Inter Milan to the Spanish champion.
Barcelona said Ibrahimovic would undergo his medical examination on Monday.
Barcelona has also allowed striker Samuel Eto'o and midfielder Aleksandr Hleb to travel to Milan to finalize their moves to the Serie A champion, which was part of the agreed swap. Eto'o is set to join Inter for five seasons while Hleb would go on loan for one campaign.
Barcelona, which said it would reveal further details of Ibrahimovic's trip on Saturday, has also agreed to pay Inter a reported €40 million ($56 million) to help complete the move.
Albanian tycoon buys Bologna football club
TIRANA, Albania — Albanian businessman Rezart Taci has bought a majority stake in Serie A club Bologna.
The businessman, who runs Albanian oil company Taci Oil International, says he paid €43 million ($61 million) to buy 80 percent of the club in a deal that will take effect on Aug. 3.
Bologna's official Web site also announced Friday's deal, but did not disclose financial terms.
Taci told a local television station that the acquisition could serve as a "window of opportunity" for talented Albanian players.
Taci Oil International is part of a U.S.-Swiss consortium that last year bought 85 percent of state oil company ARMO with €128.6 million ($183 million).
Dortmund agrees transfer of striker Lucas Barrios
DORTMUND, Germany — Borussia Dortmund agreed the transfer of Argentine striker Lucas Barrios from Chile first division side Colo Colo on Friday.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc confirmed the deal but said Barrios still needs to pass a medical.
Neither Dortmund nor Colo Colo disclosed any further details.
According to reports in Chile, Dortmund will pay $6 million for the 24-year-old forward, who played 66 matches for Colo Colo in two years, scoring 58 goals.
"I'm satisfied, but I do not want to talk much about this until I undergo the medical tests," Barrios told Radio Cooperativa in Santiago.
Bolivian coach quits after playing 12-year-old son
LA PAZ, Bolivia — A Bolivian soccer coach has quit after drawing heavy criticism for playing his 12-year-old son in a premier division game.
Julio Cesar Baldivieso played his son Mauricio on Sunday in the final 10 minutes of Aurora’s 1-0 loss to La Paz.
The newspaper La Razon quoted Baldivieso as saying Mauricio played well, but much of the media and even the coach’s club questioned the performance and the decision to use the youngster. The boy turned 13 Wednesday.
Baldivieso said he and his club agreed he should resign. Baldivieso took over the team last year as a player-coach and only coached this year. He led the team into this year’s Copa Libertadores.
Baldivieso played more than 80 times for Bolivia until 2005.
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