2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup - USA! USA! USA! wins the cup!

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Not exactly a big time tournament this year (being the Gold Cup, it's only really important every other time it's played), and our roster reflects that. Players we brought for the group stage:

Keepers

Brad Guzan, Bill Hamid, Sean Johnson

Fullbacks

Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Hedges, Eric Lichaj, Matt Miazga, Justin Morrow, Jorge Villafaña, Graham Zusi

Midfielders

Kellyn Acosta, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Bedoya, Joe Corona, Dax McCarty, Cristian Roldan, Kelyn Rowe, Kenny Saief, Gyasi Zardes

Strikers

Juan Agudelo, Dom Dwyer, Jordan Morris

Will be a lot of experimentation this year in hopes of maybe finding a few gems as we go into the tail end of WC qualifying. We have a warmup friendly against Ghana this afternoon at 4 Central. Guzan is confirmed to start in goal.

[AUBwins 10,074]

I do wish Nagbe would have been on this roster to get more action with him in the lineup

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Tonight's lineup 

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3 hours ago, AUBwins said:

I do wish Nagbe would have been on this roster to get more action with him in the lineup

He's pretty much locked up his spot on the A-team. Just going to be our Bs for this one. Mexico will likely play their backups for the tourney too.

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4-4-1-1

Dwyer

Corona

Rowe Acosta McCarty Arriola

Villafaña Besler Hedges Zusi

Guzan

Would much rather have Lichaj at RB instead of Zusi, but oh well. 

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Dwyer volleys one home in the 19th minute!

Pretty good for a guy whose national team career can be measured in minutes. Villafaña's effort made that goal though. 

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Dwyer gets free again and the keeper comes out to meet him, earning a yellow that should have been red.

Impressed with Dwyer so far. Ballin' out.

Acosta's shot is harmlessly bounced off the wall. 

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We surrender a penalty on a Villafaña foul in the box at the end of the half. Luckily, Asamoah Gyan's penalty is poorly taken and Guzan has no trouble pushing it wide. 1-0 good guys at the half. 

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Acosta puts a free kick from just outside the box low and hard around the wall to the right post! Easy peasy. 2-0 good guys 53rd minute.

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Gyan puts in a beautiful FK from 30 yards in the 60th. Guzan had no shot. 2-1 good guys. 

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Rowe making way for Gyasi Zardez in the 62nd. 

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Had to put the iPad down to rock the baby, but we've made our subs. Saief, making his debut, subs for Corona. Bedoya subs for Arriola. Morris for Dwyer. 

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A satisfying 2-1 win going into Gold Cup play next week. Open with Panama Saturday. 

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Watching the Confed Cup. I just saw my first booking via review. Ref boned it and should have red carded the Chilean defender for throwing an elbow. 

[autkidd2823 12]

I was impressed with how the guys played the other day. They seemed to be pretty confident on the ball and made some smart decisions to keep possession.

Dom Dwyer is someone I have enjoyed watching play as he is always hunting. He will make a mistake here or there, but just has a mean streak I think we have been missing up top.

I'm always nervous to see how the casual soccer fan will react to squads like this in tournaments as the big names are missing. They don't understand this tournament's objective is to find our fringe roster guys for the World Cup, as we already know who will be locks.

I'm looking forward to being in Nashville this weekend for my 5th CAP. We will be sitting (standing) in the section next to the Outlaws.

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Saief is hurt and has been swapped for Chris Pontius. 

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Lineup today is a 4-2-3-1

Dwyer

Rowe-Corona-Bedoya

McCarty-Acosta

Villafaña-Besler-Gonzalez-Zusi

Guzan

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Really just feeling each other out 20 minutes in. Neither team has had a great attempt on frame. 

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26th minute we get a good opportunity, which is saved. They catch us on the counter, and a curling shot at the back post is parried wide by Guzan, No score in the 28th, 

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Zusi needs to tighten up his 1 on 1 on that right side a bit. 

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40th minute and Panama owns the run of play at the moment. No great opportunities on frame as yet though. 

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Panama has had some good counters. They might catch us in transition if we don't get that rectified. 

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Almost burned again right at the end of the half. Bedoya misplayed it in the air, gifting Panama an attack. Zusi once again gives the attacker too much space. The shot is wide left. Good thing, as Guzan was at full stretch and might not have gotten there. 

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50th minute goal from Dwyer! Nifty ball handling from Rowe followed by a halfhearted cross from the left somehow finds Dom, who contorts and twists it inside the far post!

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Damn it, Zusi! Tighten up! Luckily, the shot he allows Camargo knuckles over the bar.