Latest news with #Concacaf
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
⭐️ Another team through: how the Gold Cup matchday wrapped up
⭐️ Another team through: how the Gold Cup matchday wrapped up The Gold Cup qualifiers are starting to take shape, as tonight, the United States joined Costa Rica and Mexico on the list of teams qualified for the quarterfinals. It was an intense day in Concacaf, and of course, we have the best summary of the second matchday of the group stage for you. Haiti shares points with Trinidad and Tobago The match started with Duverne's expulsion after committing a strong tackle while García was escaping alone with the ball to cause danger in the rival zone. Haiti was left with 10 men on the field, but that didn't stop them. Pierrot broke the deadlock to give his team the lead and also became the first Haitian to score in three different editions of the Gold Cup since 2013. However, Trinidad and Tobago reacted minutes later to equalize the score and obtain their first point in the competition. United States advances to quarterfinals The United States took the lead in Group D of the Gold Cup and, with an unbeaten record and six points in their pocket, secured their spot in the quarterfinals. The Stars and Stripes team only needed a goal from Chris Richards to defeat guest team Saudi Arabia in the 63rd minute to celebrate the victory. Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 Omar Vega - 2025 Getty Images
New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
The Club World Cup Scout, Part 1: Elias Montiel – a versatile midfielder who imposes himself on games
The big storylines from the opening round of group matches at the Club World Cup were the uneven pace of play, which ranged from 'pre-season friendly' to 'World Cup final' depending on the fixture, and existentialism prompted by the awkward sight of some half-empty stadiums. On the positive side, those 16 matches over the tournament's first five days also showcased some of the sport's best young players: Juventus' Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao, Oscar Gloukh of Red Bull Salzburg, Botafogo's Jair Cunha and Gonzalo Garcia of Real Madrid all scored. Advertisement Throughout the competition, The Athletic will use this series to highlight some of the rising stars you may not have noticed, giving you the lowdown on who they are, their key attributes, and what they've done to try to make sure their club are crowned champions of the world after the final on July 13. This week: Elias Montiel. Montiel is a 19-year-old midfielder who plays for Mexico's Pachuca. At 171cm (5ft 7in) tall, he is not the most daunting physical presence but is a versatile operator who loves to impose himself on games, with and without the ball. The teenager is Pachuca through and through, having progressed through their ranks rapidly, moving from the under-18s to the senior team within two years. He has since made 65 appearances for the first team, scoring twice, providing five assists and helping them win the 2023-24 Concacaf Champions Cup — their confederation's Champions League equivalent — last June, the result that qualified Pachuca for the Club World Cup. Montiel has a rare playing profile as he can operate as an individual No 6 or in a double pivot, as well as in more advanced midfield positions. He is comfortable receiving, passing and shooting with either foot. That versatility has seen him deployed as Pachuca's metronome, tasked with bringing the ball out from defence and as a box-to-box midfielder. While not the quickest, Montiel uses a combination of body feigns and side-steps to unbalance defenders, as he does below to get a shot away against MLS side Philadelphia Union in the Champions Cup's round of 16 last year. Montiel loves to win the ball back. His 3.1 tackles per 90 minutes ranked him in the top nine per cent of midfielders in the Mexican league, Liga MX, this season. He has a powerful shot on him too, as he showed when scoring against Necaxa in a 5-3 away win in April. This goal is made possible by Montiel's awareness of where to move without the ball and his unerring finish once he receives it. Pachuca lost their Club World Cup group opener, 2-1 against Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in Cincinnati on Wednesday, but Montiel's performance stood out. He completed 43 of 53 pass attempts and created two chances, while winning all five of his ground duels. As his player dashboard shows, he kept play ticking with his passes, stretched the pitch with switches and carries when possible, and made some important defensive interventions. Montiel was positioned high up the pitch to start the match, often operating just behind lone striker Salomon Rondon. That, combined with Salzburg dominating possession, meant he was crucial to his side's chance creation. One of Pachuca's best opportunities during the first half came in transition, with Montiel receiving the ball and instantly looking to find Rondon with a searching pass over the top. The Venezuela international controlled it and got a shot away, forcing a save from Christian Zawieschitzky. Later in the half, Montiel showcased his ability to read play on the fly, moving behind an opposition defender to meet a deflected cross in the box. He took two touches to control before lobbing this pass to Agustin Palavecino, who chested it down but could only send a volley into the side-netting. As half-time approached with the match still goalless, Salzburg dropped into a more compact shape, baiting Pachuca's defenders to carry the ball forward or try line-breaking passes into their midfielders. With none of Pachuca's other midfielders comfortable in receiving on the turn with the opposition waiting to pounce, Montiel signalled for Pedro Pedraza to slide over into his position on the right of the central axis, then dropped into a holding-midfield position to receive from their defence between the lines. Unfortunately, he gave the ball away shortly after, and Pachuca were caught out, with Gloukh curling in the game's first goal. Montiel was less effective in the second half, despite Pachuca enjoying more possession, as Salzburg's defensive line withdrew deeper. He could not supply the penetrative pass his side needed to find an equaliser before being substituted in the 87th minute. Montiel's willingness to snap into tackles across the pitch, while valuable, works to his detriment on occasion as he gives away cheap fouls. He is also not the most dominant in the air, unsurprising considering his height, losing both aerial duels against Salzburg, having won just 39 per cent during the 2024-25 Liga MX season. His decision-making in the final third requires fine-tuning too, but given he doesn't turn 20 until October, he has time to perfect his craft. Montiel's youth means he is yet to develop the physicality to thrive in one of Europe's top five leagues. His technical ability is sound and also constantly improving, so should he move on after the Club World Cup, a transfer to a mid-table team in the Dutch Eredivisie or Portugal's Primeira Liga, who can give him regular first-team minutes, would be valuable for his development. You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free
New York Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Jesse Marsch is under Concacaf investigation and Canada's response
Canada Soccer says it is working to 'resolve this matter' after Concacaf opened an investigation into Canada men's national team coach Jesse Marsch on Wednesday. Concacaf initiated disciplinary proceedings over the possibility that Canada Soccer and Marsch 'disregarded regulations applicable to suspended match officials and used offensive language toward Concacaf match officials' during Canada's 6-0 rout of Honduras to open the Gold Cup – a match for which Marsch was suspended. Advertisement 'We received a notice from Concacaf and are currently gathering the relevant information, for our submission, as part of the process to resolve this matter,' a Canada Soccer spokesperson told The Athletic. Multiple sources with knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly, have detailed why Marsch is currently being investigated. It's believed Marsch was directed by a Concacaf official to a suite in Vancouver's BC Place ahead of Canada's match, where he was to watch the game. Marsch was then approached by a Concacaf official later in the match and told he was not in the correct place and had to leave the suite. Marsch, likely frustrated at what he believed to be mixed messaging, then used language Concacaf deemed 'offensive.' Canada Soccer's deadline to submit information as part of the proceedings is this Saturday, the same day as Canada's second Gold Cup game, against Curaçao. Marsch remains suspended following his red card in Canada's third-place match of the Nations League finals against the U.S. in March, which resulted in a two-game ban. He is eligible to return for Canada's third group game, against El Salvador on June 24. Behind the scenes, Canada Soccer is believed to be focused on cooperating and diffusing any continued controversy between the organization and the confederation. Marsch has repeatedly put Concacaf in the crosshairs with public comments and actions, making it natural to wonder whether Concacaf's proceedings against Marsch and Canada Soccer are an effort to push back against the continued criticism of the confederation. Ahead of the Nations League match against the U.S., Marsch said his Canada team has felt 'disrespect for a long time' when playing in games with Concacaf officiating, only to then take issue with calls against the U.S. to the point he was ejected and suspended. Marsch and Canada Soccer also felt frustrated they never received proper feedback on why a penalty was not awarded to Derek Cornelius in Canada's semifinal against Mexico. Advertisement Earlier this month, Marsch alleged to reporters that multiple Canada and Vancouver Whitecaps players were 'poisoned' on Concacaf's watch while they were in Mexico for the Concacaf Champions Cup final. 'It's for me, appalling that this is the second year in a row that Concacaf and the powers that be have allowed an MLS team to go down to Mexico for a big final and get poisoned,' Marsch said. 'It's ridiculous. Something has to be done to protect these environments.' Marsch also questioned why Concacaf required him to name his Gold Cup squad ahead of Canada's June friendlies against Ukraine and Ivory Coast. On Wednesday, Marsch said he was 'disappointed' that his team could not travel sooner to Houston, where it will play its second and third games of the group stage, while also expressing frustration and it being unclear where a first knockout game would be played. 'They didn't have room for us, however Concacaf arranged this. They didn't time for us because maybe there's other games or something going on down there where we can't get there sooner,' Marsch said. 'So we don't have much time to acclimate. And the other part is: how (do we not) know where we're going?' Concacaf has not yet publicly announced which teams that reach the knockout stage will travel to either Glendale, Ariz., or Minneapolis for the quarterfinals, leaving team officials with little time to prepare their teams for the next phase of the tournament.
Fox Sports
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Canada's Jesse Marsch Hasn't Coached at Gold Cup Yet, But He's the Talk of the Tournament
Is the most interesting manager at the Gold Cup the one who hasn't even appeared yet? Jesse Marsch, the American in charge of Canada's men's national team, is currently serving a two-game suspension. He missed out Tuesday's opener against Honduras in Vancouver (watching the 6-0 win from afar in a suite at BC Place) and will also sit out Saturday's Group B game vs Curaçao in Houston. On Wednesday, Concacaf said it would be further investigating Marsch for rules violations and using offensive language during Tuesday's game — even though he wasn't' even coaching. It only adds another layer of intrigue for a manager that FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas described as "big, bold and arrogant" earlier this summer. So, who is Jesse Marsch and why has he become one of the most polarizing figures at the Gold Cup? Lets's dive in: Why Is Marsch Suspended? Marsch's suspension dates back to March. He received a red card during the UEFA Nations League third-place match against the U.S. for berating the referee and then refusing to leave the pitch. His original one‑game ban was increased to two after Concacaf's disciplinary committee ruled his conduct was "unacceptable." But with Wednesday's announcement of a fresh investigation into Marsch, it could lead to further disciplinary action. As of now, Marsch will return for Canada's group stage finale against El Salvador on June 24 in Houston. And after the Canadians' statement win, this team is very much living up to expectations of being a tournament favorite and winning the title for the first time since 2000. Was Marsch ever a U.S. men's coach candidate? Yes, he was. Marsch made a splash coaching in Europe with Austrian club FC Salzburg from 2019-2021 and then had a short stint at Germany's RB Leipzig before getting fired from Leeds United in 2023. Marsch interviewed for the U.S. men's team job in 2023, but U.S. Soccer rehired Gregg Berhalter. Marsch was candid about that decision, saying afterward that he "wasn't treated very well in the process." Instead, he was hired to take over Canada's team ahead of the 2024 Copa America, and led the team to a surprise run to the semifinals where it lost to eventual champion Argentina. But the feud between Marsch and U.S. Soccer has only increased since then. What has Marsch said about the U.S. men's team? Marsch has taken some digs at the U.S. men's team since becoming Canada's coach. After the U.S. was eliminated in the group stage at the 2024 Copa America, Marsch was pretty candid about the team he once represented as a player. "I'm disappointed with the performances, the lack of discipline. There are a lot of things that I think we've tried to embody about the game in the U.S., and we've always believed in those group of players," Marsch said last summer. "I'm not there every day, so I don't have my finger on the pulse of what's going on, but it's certainly not what we expected coming into [the Copa America]." Ahead of this edition Gold Cup, there was talk about whether Marsch would consider the U.S. men's job should Mauricio Pochettino leave the post – especially ahead of the 2026 World Cup. "I want to make it clear – I don't care about the U.S. team, and I never want to coach the U.S. national team. I'm making that clear right now," Marsch said. With Canada also being a co-host for 2026 World Cup, expect Marsch to still be involved if the team continues to live up to its expectations. Marsch vs. Pochettino: Should we expect a U.S.-Canada clash at the Gold Cup? If the U.S. and Canada advance to the knockout rounds – both teams are in control of their respective groups – they could square up at one of the semifinal games on July 2. That would make for a tantalizing matchup between Marsch and Pochettino. These two coaches have already faced each other in March – the 2-1 win for Canada in the UEFA Nations League third-place match that got Marsch suspended in the first place – so expect some fireworks if the two teams meet. Canada has not won this tournament since 2000, so expect for Marsch to be extra motivated if the U.S. stand in his way of the title. After all, Canada has one of the best squads in the tournament (although Alphonso Davies is out with an injury). That's something Marsch made clear when he talked about the U.S. squad, which is missing players like Christian Pulisic. "Not one guy called me and said, 'Coach, I don't know, it's been a long year, maybe I don't come to the Gold Cup.' Not one guy," Marsch said earlier this month. "Not even close to that conversation." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from Gold Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Fox Sports
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Why Is Saudi Arabia Playing In the Gold Cup?
The United States men's national team's next opponent at the Concacaf Gold Cup isn't one of its usual foes — it's not even a country from the same region. It's Saudi Arabia, which pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history at Qatar 2022, when it beat Lionel Messi and eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in the group stage. But why is Saudi Arabia playing in the Concacaf Gold Cup? Here's everything you need to know about the U.S. men's next challenge: Gold Cup invites The Concacaf Gold Cup has a rich history of inviting countries from outside the North American, Central American and Caribbean regions, dating back to 1996, when Brazil competed as a guest two years after it won the World Cup at USA 1994. Despite its international prowess at the time, Brazil didn't win the Gold Cup in 1996 — in fact, no guest nation has ever won the tournament. Concacaf took a 16-year break from inviting teams to compete in the Gold Cup, but the tradition resumed in 2021 with Qatar as part of a partnership between Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that was established in 2018. Saudi Arabia, which is also part of the AFC, is competing in this year's tournament as well as the 2027 edition. In total, eight nations have participated in the Gold Cup as a guest team: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and South Korea. Brazil (1996 and 2003) and Colombia (2000) have each finished as the runner-up in the tournament. What happened in 2022? In what has been referred to as the most shocking result in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia beat Argentina 2-1 in its group stage opener. At the time, Saudi Arabia was ranked 51st in the world by FIFA, while Argentina was ranked third and entered the tournament on a 36-match unbeaten streak. Saudi Arabia's Cinderella story was short-lived, however, as it failed to advance past the group stage after losing to Mexico and Poland in its next two matches. Saudi Arabia has already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Can they beat the USMNT? On paper, Saudi Arabia doesn't have the talent the U.S. men's national team does, but as evidenced in 2022, it's more than capable of coming up with a big result. That's especially true now that Hervé Renard is back for his second stint as Saudi Arabia's coach. Saudi Arabia beat Haiti in its opening match at the Gold Cup, while the U.S. enjoyed a 5-0 thrashing of Trinidad and Tobago in its opener. The U.S. is a +150 favorite to win the match and has +200 odds win the entire tournamnet, which is only second to Mexico (+170). Saudi Arabia is ranked 58th in the world by FIFA. The U.S. is currently ranked 16th. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from Gold Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
