The latest on our two favorite teams, the Seleción Nacional de Costa Rica and Team USA:
The updated FIFA rankings came out yesterday and both teams moved up. The Ticos moving up 11 positions to number 30, based largely on their impressive defeat of USA (as well as victories over Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela). Team USA, despite its defeat at Estadio Saprissa, moved up 2 positions to a number 12 ranking, based on their 2-0 victory over number one Spain and decent play in their 2-3 loss to Brazil in the Confederations Cup Final. Meanwhile, the Ticos are delighted that Mexico has fallen 7 positions and now trials Costa Rica at a 33 ranking.
The play for the CONCACAF Copa de Oro begins today.
Group A
Canada
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Jamaica
Group B
Grenada
Haiti
Honduras
United States
Group C
Guadeloupe
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
First round play pits USA against Grenada and Costa Rica against El Salvador. the tournament final will be played July 26th in New York and hopefully it will be a USA/CR rematch.
Both the US team and the Ticos will probably be mixing in some new players with their A-teams during the Copa, looking to fine tune the teams that may be used in future World Cup Qualifying games.
Players to watch among the Ticos include veteran Walter Centeno and relative new-comers Celso Borges and Brian Ruiz. The Ticos are a young, strong team with an average player age of 24. Their new coach, Rodrigo Kenton, is managing the transition with great skill so far.
Also, I take back my previous criticism of Team USA's new goalkeeper, Tim Howard. He was very impressive throughout the Confederation Cup play.
