Contributed by Steven Torres
Soccer Long Island Magazine continues its weekly feature as it looks back at some historical events/games, both on and off the field, from the region of North, Central America and Caribbean.
In this week’s edition you have Mexico capturing 3 Gold Cups (1993, 2003, 2009); Canada winning it's 2nd Concacaf Women’s U-20 Title; and 1st U.S. team competing at Olympic Soccer Tournament on home soil since 1904.
July 23, 2007: United States posted a 2:1 victory over Canada in the semifinals of Pan American Games Women's Soccer Tournament at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium. Lauren Cheney (18th, 77th) scored twice for the Stars & Stripes, while Kara Lang (88th) had the only tally for the Maple Leafs. U.S. settled for the silver medal at Pan Am Games, after losing 5:0 to hosts in the final three days later, meanwhile, Canada captured the bronze after topping Mexico, 2:1.
July 24, 2005: U.S. claimed its 3rd Concacaf Gold Cup when it edged Panama 3:1 on penalties, after a scoreless 120 minutes of play at the final held in East Rutherford’s Giants Stadium. Brad Davis, Landon Donovan and Santino Quaranta scored for the Stars & Stripes with Chris Armas' kick was saved by the Canaleros’ goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Meanwhile, Felipe Baloy was the only one to convert for Panama as Luis Tejada had a kick saved by U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller, while Jorge Dely Valdes and Alberto Blanco missed the target.
July 25, 1993: Record crowd of 130,800 saw hosts Mexico capture its 1st Gold Cup title after defeating U.S., 4:0, in the final at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium. Ignacio Ambriz, Luis Roberto Alves, Guillermo Cantu and an own-goal from the Stars & Stripes' Desmond Armstrong, accounted for all the scoring. Earlier that day, Costa Rica and Jamaica shared the tournament's bronze medal after playing to a 1:1 draw in the third-place encounter.
July 26, 2009: Mexico became 1st team to win 5 Gold Cups after posting a 5:0 victory against U.S. in the final at Giants Stadium. After a scoreless first half, El Tri got goals from Gerardo Torrado (56th), Giovani Dos Santos (62nd), Carlos Vela (67th), Jose Antonio Castro (79th) and Guillermo Franco (90th) for the win.
July 27, 2003: Daniel Osorno scored the game-winner 7 minutes into sudden death overtime as hosts Mexico defeated Brazil, 1:0, at the Gold Cup Final at Azteca Stadium. Crowd of 80,000 witness El Tri claim their 4th Concacaf title & 1st since 1998.
Credit:Mexsport
July 28, 2008: Canada won its 2nd Concacaf Women's U-20 crown after topping U.S., 1:0, in the tournament final at Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla, Mexico. Karla Schacher scored just before halftime for the Maple Leafs as they claimed their 1st confederation title since 2004. In an earlier encounter, Sandra Stephany Mayor scored the game-winner, as hosts Mexico overcame Costa Rica 3:2 on penalties after a 2:2 draw in the third-place encounter. Mexico joined Canada & U.S. as the qualifiers to FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile.
July 29, 1984: Rick Davis scored twice & Jean Willrich added another as U.S. defeated Costa Rica, 3:0, in Group D opener of Men's Olympic Soccer Tournament at Palo Alto's Stanford Stadium before 78,000 spectators. It was 1st time a U.S. team competed at the Olympics, on its home soil, since Summer Games of 1904 in St. Louis, when Christian Brothers College & St. Rose Parish represented the Stars & Stripes.
Written by Steven Torres