After the shortcomings in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals, Mexico enters the Gold Cup under increased scrutiny and new leadership.
Mexico
Mexico enters the Gold Cup for the 17th time, having reached the pinnacle and winning the tournament eight times. They come into the Gold Cup off the back of a disappointing showing at the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals. They opened the Finals with a 3-0 loss to the United States before rebounding with a 1-0 win over Panama in the 3rd place match.
The poor showing resulted in the end of head coach Diego Cocca’s tenure after just over four months and seven matches in charge. Tasked with leading El Tri into the tournament is Jimmy “Jaime” Lozano. Familiarity and trust were gained by the federation as he led the U-23 squad to a Bronze Medal at the Tokyo Olympics played in 2021. Seven of the players in the squad for those Olympics games will be in the Gold Cup squad.
Names to Know
Santiago Gimenez is arguably the top striker in the Concacaf region. After entering the initial XI in the Nations League third-place game, he is expected to cement his place leading the line of the Mexico attack. Henry Martin will also see time through the center of the attack. Alongside them, Ozziel Herrera and Uriel Antuna will stake a place in the wide areas of attack. After withdrawing from the squad due to injury, Alexis Vega will be replaced by Roberto Alvarado.
There is no shortage of options in the midfield for Mexico. Luis Chavez started both games in the Nations League Finals. Following a transition to a midfield three in the 3rd place game, Chavez was paired with Luis Romo and Erick Sanchez. Edson Alvarez could also occupy a spot in midfield as a defensive anchor in the midfield trio. Also providing an option is Charly Rodriguez. Orbelin Pineda could see action in midfield or further up the pitch.
A transition to a 4-back system could see Jesus Gallardo and Julian Araujo enter the XI as natural fullbacks. Jorge Sanchez could also see time on the right side of the defense. Following an announcement from Concacaf, Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga are set to serve suspensions.
Montes will miss 3 games and Ateaga will miss 2 games. Israel Reyes and Johan Vasquez were the center-back pairing in the initial absence of Montes as he served his red card suspension in the 3rd place game. Victor Guzman is also an option. One of the most experienced players in the tournament will be in goal for Mexico. Memo Ochoca comes into this tournament with 137 caps, second only to Costa Rica’s Celso Borges (158).
Honduras – Sunday, June 25th
(NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas)
Honduras are making their 16th appearance in the Gold Cup. Their best finish is 3rd place, achieved in 2005 and 2009. They are led by head coach Diego Vasquez.
Names to Know
The forward corps is the strength of Honduras. The attack is spearheaded by Jerry Bengston who has 22 goals in 65 appearances. Alongside him, Rubilio Castillo (30 caps, 6 goals) and Alberth Ellis (57 caps, 12 goals) provide versatile options going forward.
Energy in the midfield will be provided by Bryan Acosta (58 caps). His experience in the center of the pitch is matched in the squad only by Alexander Lopez (47 caps). Other options in midfield stem from a younger generation of Honduran footballers. Jorge Alvarez and Joseph Rosales have impressed in their initial action for the national team. Bridging the gap between the generations is Deiby Flores who provides stability in the deep areas of midfield.
The experience further up the pitch is contrasted by naivety in defense. Omar Elvir (10) and Franklin Flores (11) are the most capped players in the backline. Luis Lopez remains the preferred keeper for Honduras. He has 56 caps for the national team, the 4th most in the squad. His experience will be impactful for an inexperienced backline.
Haiti – Thursday, June 29th
(State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
Haiti are making their 9th appearance in the Gold Cup. Their best finish is 3rd place, achieved in 2019. They are led by Gabriel Calderón Pellegrino.
Names to Know
The top scorer in the squad is Duckens Nazon averaging better than a goal every two games with 26 goals in 50 appearances. Proficient scoring is present elsewhere in the forward corps in the form of Frantzdy Pierrot and Carnejay Antoine. In 23 appearances, Pierrot has 14 goals. An even more impressive record is held by Antoine who has scored 10 goals in 13 appearances. Additionally, Antoine was the leading scorer in Concacaf Nations League B with 5 goals. Mondy Prunier maintains a positive goal-scoring record with 3 goals in 2 appearances.
The most prominent name for Haiti is Derrick Ettiene Jr. of MLS club Atlanta United. He has managed 7 goals in his 38 appearances. The other MLS product in the squad is Fafa Picault of Nashville SC. Additionally in midfield, Bryan Alceus and Steeven Saba are expected to feature in prominent roles. Wilde-Donald Guerrier is the most capped player in the squad (58) and has the potential to appear in midfield or defense for Haiti.
In defense, Haiti will have vast experience as well. The potential fullback pairing of Carlens Arcus (30 caps) and Alex Christian (42 caps) provides a solid foundation for the backline. Ricardo Ade (28 caps) is a veteran piece in the central areas of defense. Experience in goal is not a strong suit for Haiti. Their most capped goalkeeper is Josue Duverger (5). In their two most recent Nations League matches, Duverger and Alexandre Pierre each started 1 game in goal. That start was Pierre’s 2nd appearance.
Qatar – Sunday, July 2nd
(Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California)
Qatar rose to international prominence as the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In preparation for the World Cup, they were invited to participate in the 2021 Gold Cup. They have been invited again to participate in this year’s edition. Qatar is led by head coach Carlos Queiroz.
Names to Know
The talisman for Qatar is Almoez Ali. Ali leads the squad in caps (88) and goals (42) including 4 goals in the last edition of the Gold Cup. Another experienced player who will lead the line for Qatar is Mohammed Muntari. In his 51 caps, he has scored 14 goals. Yusuf Abdurisag has also featured frequently along the front three.
Qatar possesses a plethora of options that could be deployed in midfield. Ali Assadalla and Assim Madibo provide the most experienced options with 64 and 49 caps respectively. In addition to that pair, Mohammed Waad, Moustafa Tarek Mashal, and Madhi Salem bring youthfulness to the midfield. Waad has 27 caps at the age of 23.
Queiroz’s appointment to the head position has seen Qatar transition from a 5-man backline to a 4-man backline. In the backline, each member could possess over 30 caps. Homam Ahmed, Tarek Salman, Mussab Khidir, and Bassam Al-Rawi could stake a position in a very experienced defensive quartet. Behind that backline, Meshaal Barsham brings his own experience being the starting keeper for all 5 of Qatar’s fixtures at the 2021 Gold Cup.
For more information on the Gold Cup, click the links below;
For more football news this season, click the link below;
Check out Area Sports Network on Twitter & Instagram and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel. We just hit 1k subscribers and look to continue to grow the channel. Stay tuned for more content going forward!
