Gold Cup: Mexico vs USA - I think the wrong team is favored.

[SBR_John]

Sun 6/24 601 USA Winner of Cup pk -146
11:59 AM 602 Mexico Winner of Cup pk +136

Mexico has not looked to good in spots but I think they have plenty in the tank to beat the USA. And +136?? This should really be a pick'em game.

[rjt721]

Line is right on. Game is in Chicago - edge US.

[20Four7]

Line is right on. Game is in Chicago - edge US.

Obviously. Just look at the officiating during the Canada VS United States game. The fix is in and the books know it.

[vanzack]

I like mexico here too.

[SBR_John]

Havent they won it the last four years?

Mexico is like the old Dallas Cowboys who play down to the level of competition ie the Honduras match. But in the finals against the US?? Oh, and the bad call against Canada will really put the spot light on them in this match. I dont think the fix is in. Fix's per se are reserved for the lower rounds, not the final.

[Justin7]

John -

When is the last time Mexico won a game in the US? Homefield advantage is worth a lot more in soccer than any other sport (in all leagues except Japanese).

[Dark Horse]

If this game was in LA, Mexico would be playing a home game. Don't know about Chicago.

[Willie Bee]

Oh, and the bad call against Canada will really put the spot light on them in this match. I dont think the fix is in. Fix's per se are reserved for the lower rounds, not the final.

I agree with your 'fix theory,' John. Wouldn't surprise me at all that the officials go out of their way to prove they aren't favoring the US in this one.

USA is defending champs and have won two of last three. Mexico is 4-0 in finals matches since 1993.

[SBR_John]

I've seen Mexico in San Antonio win and look like world beaters but obviously not against the USA team. OK, you guys got a point on home field although there are a lot of Mexicans in Chicago. Personally, I think their defense is too good and the US has no offense to boot. I like the Under 2.5 and look for a shutout.

[Dark Horse]

I'm looking at Mexico 1H and all even after 90 minutes.

[scoob40]

On US +137 to win it in regulation.

[vanzack]

I know mexico hasnt won on US soil in a long time, but this US team is just forming. There are a lot of the oldschool vets like Reyna, Mcbride etc off the team, and these are a bunch of young guys fighting it out for 2010.

There will be more Mexico fans in chicago than US fans. Guaranteed.

The US lack of scoring punch will hurt them here. Plus some suspensions due to cards, Hejduk being the most important.

I will take the odds here for sure..

GL

[Dark Horse]

What about the gambling money coming in from both countries, in relation to the odds?

[ivanator]

Results from previous years are as follows:
1991 - USA(0) vs (0)Honduras (Penalties USA(4) - Honduras(3))
Location: LA, California USA

1993 - Mexico(4) vs (0)USA
Location: Mexico City, MX

1996 - Mexico(2) vs (0)Brazil
Location: LA, California, USA

1998 - Mexico(1) vs (0)USA
Location: LA, California, USA

2000 - Canada(2) vs (0)Columbia
Location: LA, California, USA

2002 - USA(2) vs (0)Costa Rica
Location: Pasadena, California, USA

2003 - Mexico(1) vs (0)Brazil
Location: Mexico City, USA

2005 - USA(0) vs (0)Panama (Penalties USA(3) - Panama(1))
Location: East Rutherford, NJ, USA

2007 - USA vs Mexico
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

And from what I saw between the US vs Canada game and the Mexico vs Guadalupe match was that more mexicans attended the Mexico game than the US game and Mexico is farther then Canada.

[jjgold]

USa is a choke soccer Country, we have a decent program but still not our game. I think you need to take Mexico here.

[increasedodds]

Game is sold out.

Will be well over 50% Mexican.

Sean

[Dark Horse]

Mexico up 1-0 at the break. The crowd definitely favors Mexico, but I still think the US ties this up in 2H. (The US team is terrible, though.)

[Dark Horse]

US player flops himself a PK: 1-1.

Ref even gave the Mexican defender a yellow card. lol. Home ref is right.

[LT Profits]

2-1 USA at 85:00

[Dark Horse]

Mexico just missed a certain goal. Then, in the counter attack, which started when the referee tackled the final Mexican defender (lol), the US missed a certain goal as well.

[LT Profits]

Yep, saw that live. I missed the ref's tackle though.

[Dark Horse]

That grass looked way too long, by the way, for international soccer. Slows the game down and makes it hard to pass over the ground, but doesn't hurt the team that likes to play the long ball for a counter attack.

[LT Profits]

Well, my kids have just taken over the TV in injury time. Went from watching baseball and the soccer game to waching Jayjay the Jet Plane and Thomas & Friends.

[Dark Horse]

Good for you.

[jjgold]

USA soccer is definately getting better and better, it is a matter of time we win the world cup.

[chano]

USA soccer is definately getting better and better, it is a matter of time we win the world cup.

Easy now... This Gold Cup is like a triple A League. The World Cup is another story and the toughest cup to win in the entire world of Sports. The USA has to really work hard to win that one. Good Luck!!!

[adriano]

USA soccer is definately getting better and better, it is a matter of time we win the world cup.

[Dark Horse]

The only US soccer team that will ever win the soccer World Cup is female.

Men's World Cup is a totally different story. You need a MAJOR soccer infrastructure for that. The US isn't even close. And soccer will never be one of the main sports, because it isn't suited for US tv (read sponsors). Baseball, basketball, and football have room for continuous commercial interruptions. Soccer has one 15 minute break, during which most people walk away from the screen.

The reason that the US regularly qualifies for the World Cup is that they play in the very weak CONCACEF, so Mexico and the US have an easy time qualifying. If the US were in one of those European groups, they would never make it to the big tournament.

[Willie Bee]

Soccer's popularity is only going to grow in the US in the future according to my crystal ball. I can easily see it surpassing baseball and basketball in terms of commercial appeal and following in time...and that comes from a diehard baseball fan. MLB will have history and pomp and circumstance, but the way they're going now the product is just not as appealing as a lot of other sports.

The growing Latin population will increase soccer's popularity, and if some sports don't keep up, they'll shift behind soccer as far as commercial dollars go.

[Dark Horse]

When would you show the commercials? Soccer doesn't have timeouts.

The other reason, and this is more of a stretch, is that a majority of Americans don't like sports in which they are clearly outplayed by other countries. No other country in the world calls its national champions 'world champions'. This requires a certain cultural (as in 'isolated') perspective, and soccer would break that nice fantasy. If Americans don't have a clear path to be the absolute best, forget it. They're not interested in mediocrity, and that is exactly what American soccer is. Importing an international superstar here and there won't change that. You need American superstars, and the problem is that very few gifted US athletes are going to pick soccer.

In the seventies Pele played for the Cosmos. Now the public would take soccer seriously. Not.
In 1994 the soccer World Cup was played here. That would forever change everything. Not.
But there is hope... Beckham is on his way.

Ask most Americans today and they will tell you that soccer is a girl's sport. What they may not realize is that in the rest of the world soccer has a 'NFL vibe'. Right there, half of the US boys are out, because they don't want to play what their parents consider to be a girl's sport. Nah. If you don't mind I'm just going to enjoy baseball. Along with jazz, that's what America has given the world.

[imgv94]

If this game was in LA, Mexico would be playing a home game. Don't know about Chicago.

Boy is that true.. The Mexicans are taking over Los Angeles..

[sergfro]

USA soccer is definately getting better and better, it is a matter of time we win the world cup.

You'll change your mind once you see USA get slaughtered by Argentina on Thursday for the opening of Copa America

[SBR_John]

Thu 6/28 Will USA reach the semifinal?
03:30 PM 27 Yes +374
28 No -440

Whats the format here? Who does the USA have to beat? I mean you got Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile mot to mention a good Uruguay and the over rated retarded Mexicans. Is there a snowballs chance in hell the US can reach the semi's?

[WileOut]

Nobody gives a dam about soccer here in the states anyway. It is a torturous sport to watch. The "athletes" in soccer are some of the worst in any sport. Fun to play as a kid though, I averaged over 4 goals a game for my little league team lol.

If our kids would play soccer instead of basketball, football, and baseball we would dominate the world on a regular basis. Why? Because the United States produces the best athletes in the world. No contest at all.

[adriano]

Nobody gives a dam about soccer here in the states anyway. It is a torturous sport to watch. The "athletes" in soccer are some of the worst in any sport. Fun to play as a kid though, I averaged over 4 goals a game for my little league team lol.

If our kids would play soccer instead of basketball, football, and baseball we would dominate the world on a regular basis. Why? Because the United States produces the best athletes in the world. No contest at all.