Beyond POV-FS – 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Reviews at Waking the Red

Once more for posterity's sake, a collection of the daily recaps that went up over at Waking the Red tracking the 2015 Gold Cup.

Day One – Day Two – Day Three – Day Four – Day Five – Day Six – Day Seven – Day Eight – Day Nine – Day Ten – Day Eleven – Day Twelve – Day Thirteen – Day Fourteen
Aside from the controversial refereeing amid all the FIFA and CONCACAF furore, this tournament will be remembered for the improved performances from the Caribbean sides, as Jamaica reached the final, while Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago both put in excellent displays. It will be interesting to see if they can carry that form into World Cup Qualifying.

CONCACAF is getting better. First, in recent times, it was Panama and Honduras rising to challenge the big boys (Mexico and the USA), then Costa Rica stole the headlines with a fantastic run at the 2014 World Cup, and now it is a resurgence of the islanders that has breathed fresh life into the region – thanks in part to the drafting in of various ex-pats.

Canada struggled offensively, but a solid defense will serve them well in qualifying as they aim for the Hex and beyond.

Particularly worth noting is that for the first time in a long time a game was held outside of the US, with BMO Field in Toronto the base for a pair of matches. That experiment was a success, if not as well attended as one may like. As CONCACAF continues to grow, more matches held outside the comforts of the US will only serve to better establish the legitimacy and quality of the region.

From a Different Point of View – The Home of Caribbean Football Previews the Gold Cup

    My friends at The Home of Caribbean Football posted the second half of their mammoth Gold Cup preview.

    An overview of each participating nation’s outlook entering the tournament and a few words from an insider on their aspirations and expectations; it is well worth the time.

    The Caribbean region and CONCACAF in general is one of the few under-reported realms in this global game - plenty of wild stories and wily characters.

    Check it out – Part One and Part Two

    And be sure to follow them on twitter

POV-FS Mail It in Friday Video – Alexi Lalas on Fantasy Football League’s Phoenix from the Flames

    Reviving a lost feature – our dive into the glory that is YouTube for random clips from the footballing world.

    As I drifted off to sleep late last night, watching some old Fantasy Footbal League, I stumbled across this gem – Alexi Lalas recreating his goal against England from 9 June, 1993; the US went on to win the match 2-0.

   It was the USA Cup, a now-defunct invitational tournament hosted by the USSF (United States Soccer Federation).   

    The hair, the goatee, brings me back to USA'94; a pivotal moment in my football fandom. Enjoy.

A Quick Glimpse – Canadian Notes on Will Johnson, Gershon Koffie, TFC Kit Launch and the U-20’s

Notes on Will Johnson, Gershon Koffie, the TFC Kit Launch and the U-20 Loss to the USA

Can We Play You Every Week? Canada vs. the USA – A Burgeoning Rivalry

    On the eve of another friendly between the Canadians and their neighbours to the south, the Americans, it seems the perfect time to ponder why these two countries do not make use of their proximity more often.

Beyond POV-FS – TSG’s USA vs. Canada Preview: Klinsmann On Border Patrol at The Shin Guardian

    A small contribution to The Shin Guardian’s preview of tomorrow’s match between the USA and Canada in Houston, Texas went live earlier this morning.

    In it an estimation of the scope of the project that faces the Canadian program, a look at the squad available, notes from the match against Denmark, and of course, a ton of information on their opponents, the Americans, courtesy of the fine folks at TSG.

    Check it out and see what rests in store for the Canadians against an MLS-heavy camp cupcake American side.

First Person View – When the Decision Goes Against & Moving On

    Much ink has been spilt over this controversy already, so rather than go over the whole story over again I thought it pertinent to take a look at a few of the parallels that have not yet been mentioned.

CONCACAF Champions League – Restructuring and Pot-Talk

    The restructuring of the initial stages of the CONCACAF Champions League has made it even more difficult for smaller teams to progress to the latter rounds.

Thoughts? – Why Did MLS Choose to Overlook a Potential Canada Day Clash in Montreal?

    As one of the twenty-odd Toronto fans who made the midweek trek to Montreal for the fourth installment of the burgeoning rivalry last Wednesday, I can’t help but wonder why the match wasn’t made more friendly to the travelling fan.

Refereeing in CONCACAF

    With Canada in the midst of a World Cup Qualifying campaign it’s only a matter of time before the age-old complaints about the standards of refereeing begin to rear their heads.

First Person View – Canada-USA Build-Up – Day One - Press Conference

    Still damp from the morning exposure, but freshly refueled with some coffee and a rather tasty hipster burger, the time had come to head over to BMO Field for the official pre-match press conference with the head coaches and a player representative.

First Person View – Canada-USA Build-Up – Day One – Canada Training Session

    Lovely weather welcomed the Canadian National Team back home to Toronto. Howling winds and slashing rains, less than comforting conditions especially given it was a return from an extended warm-weather acclimatization camp in Florida in preparation for the midday match in Cuba next Friday.

First Person View – The US Open Cup

    For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this tournament gets no respect.

First Person View – Thoughts on USA vs. Canada in Detroit

    I just got back from Detroit earlier this evening – if you ever find yourself in the Motor City, the Motown Museum is worth the trip and the burgers at Five Guys are equally excellent- sitting down to re-watch the USA-Canada match. I haven’t had a chance to read any of the other post-match diagnostics but I thought I’d share my initial impression.

Gold Cup & International Action Shines on MLS Rosters

    With the Gold Cup kicking off on Sunday night, and a day of Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies having just past, it seemed a good time to analyze the effect on MLS action these absences will have on this weekend’s action.