The 2009 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off today in Carson, California when Costa Rica plays El Salvador followed by Jamaica and Canada at the same venue.

It's not really a big deal, the Gold Cup, and that can be seen by looking at the weakened squads the top sides have sent to the tournement. Of course in Mexico's case they may simply be looking at new players to attempt to stop the slide of the disasterous World Cup qualifiying campaign.  This year the Gold Cup means even less since it's a "mid-term" edition where a spot in the Confederations Cup, which is very meaningful to CONCACAF teams, isn't on the line. The winner only gets the trophy.

As usual the United States and Mexico qualified automatically, for some reason Canada qualifies automatically as well. I'm not bashing Canada but on merit that should be Costa Rica's spot. I guess it has to do with the "mini-zones", Canada is in the NAFU which includes the two other automatic qualifiers since Bermuda plays in the CFU and Greenland isn't a CONCACAF member. Probably not though. It's all money based anyway.

In 2007 Guadeloupe, a CONCACAF member but not a FIFA member (ask Jack Warner, not me), surprised everyone and finished fourth in the tourement. They were lead by ex-French international (yes, Guadeloupe can use previously capped players) Jocelyn Angloma. He scored an amazing goal against Canada in the group stages and provided great senior leadership for his team. Currently he plays club football on the island for fun in his retirement. They haven't brought him along this time. This is important to note because they could well use Thierry Henry this way one day. This time they qualified by finishing as runners-up to Jamaica in the CFU zone.

Cuba withdrew from the tournement amid fears that players would leave again (that wasn't the official reason, but yea...) so Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago were placed into a draw (this is how CONCACAF works, people) and Haiti won, so Haiti gets to play in Cuba's place. Grenada also qualified for the cup, they join Nicaragua as debutants in this edition.

Panama, shock runners-up in 2005, will make their fourth apperence after they won the Central American zone qualifiers. They will be joined by Costa Rica, current leaders of the World Cup qualifying group, who will be making their ninth apperence, Honduras in their ninth, and El Salvador in their sixth.

Canada, Mexico and the United States were kept seperate for the "draw" which saw Canada get both Costa Rica and Jamaica in their group. The matches for this group will be played in Carson (LA), Miami, and Columbus. Nifty travel arrangment, Jack.

Group B features the United States against Grenada, Honduras and Haiti. Honduras aren't exactly creampuffs but I doubt the USA will be sweating bullets over the other two, but they can't afford to be cocky after bringing what is essentially a "B-minus team".

Mexico got Guadeloupe, Panama, and Nicaragua so that they can win the group and sell out the new Cowboys Stadium in the quarterfinals. On recent form Panama could take Mexico if they don't play scared.

I disagree with the choice of the Meadowlands for the final, particularly as they've picked Qwest Field and that thing Jerry Jones built to host earlier matches, why not put the final in one of those venues? Why put it in that piece of crap in a swamp? Sigh. I'll never understand how CONCACAF works. Not that I really want to.

• Trinidad & Tobago 2 : 3 Costa Rica
• United States 2 : 1 Honduras
• El Salvador 2 : 1 Mexico

The results see regional giants Mexico pushed out of the qualification spots entirely as they were beaten by two goals to one in San Salvador thanks to goals from Julio Martínez and Eliseo Quintanilla. The loss sees Mexico's dire run of form continue as they now sit in fifth place on three points from four matches. Still on the horizon for Mexico are last place Trinidad & Tobago both home and away, Honduras and the United States at home, and table topping Costa Rica away. Mexico tend to be very solid at home, particularly at the Estadio Azteca, but they will have to produce a set of fine performances to regain any pride from what has proven to be a miserable year.

In Chicago the United States beat Honduras 2-1 by putting in a much better showing than they did in Costa Rica just three days ago, but despite the win, the States left a lot to be desired and indeed Honduras could've drawn level late through Carlo Costly who had given them the lead on five minutes only to see a Landon Donovan penalty pull the sides level before Carlos Bocanegra scored the winner with a header after 68 minutes at Soldier Field. The victory leaves the United States 2nd, while Honduras sit in the playoff place.

Despite Carlos Edwards putting them ahead after half an hour, Trinidad and Tobago were unable to hold off leaders Costa Rica. Álvaro Saborío equalized just ten minutes after Edwards' opener to set the Ticos off, Celso Borges added two more goals on either side of an equalizer from Collin Samuel to give Costa Rica a 3-2 win over the Soca Warriors at the Dwight Yorke Stadium. 

American head coach Bob Bradley found out right away that his Beasley at left back experiment is not working out well as the Rangers' man made a mistake which lead to Costa Rica's opening goal just after the first minute in San Jose at Estadio Saprissa. Beasley gave up the ball cheaply and it eventually found it's way to Saborio who with the help of some keystone kops-esque defending placed the ball wonderfully into the top corner of Tim Howard's goal.

Beasley, again playing out of position as a left back, was also responsable for El Salvador's second goal last time the US played a match on the road.

Costa Rica continued to give the Americans a lesson by stringing several passes together and stomping out any US passes near the box save for a few that went on to become wasted corner.

Soon the Ticos would make it two, a well worked move up the left wing lead to a short cross in the box which midfielder Borges had no trouble finishing.

At halftime Bradley brought on Sacha Kljestan for Jose Torres in hopes of creating more (read: any) chances against a solid, yet little worked Costa Rica defense. The switch didn't go as planned and Costa Rica opened with a flurry and didn't relent until they found a third goal to kill the match.

That goal came in the 69th minute up the right hand side as Herrera sliced open the majority of the US defense to slide the ball slowly into Howard's goal. It was a classic.

The third goal put the game beyond doubt for the Ticos who were content to defend for the remaining 20 minutes. In stoppage time Costa Rica committed an infraction in the box which lead to a Landon Donovan penalty, little more than consolation on a bad night for the US, and an excellent one for Costa Rica.

Bob Bradley should expect to have his team selection heavily questioned over the next few days, particularly as he left Jonathan Bornstein on the bench in favor of makeshift defender Beasley, and utility defender Jonathan Spector out of the squad all together.

Gold Cup

The matches for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup have been announced with Costa Rica and El Salvador set to kick-off the competition at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on July 3rd. Jamaica and Canada will round out Group A which will play matches at the aforementioned Home Depot Center, FIU Stadium in Miami, and Crew Stadium in Columbus.

Group B sees regional giants the United States and Honduras matched up with minnows Grenada and Haiti. Seattle's Qwest Field, Foxborough's Gillette Stadium and DC's RFK will host the group.

Finally group C sees Mexico face Panama, Nicaragua, and Guadeloupe. Panama and Guadeloupe have proved stronger than they look in recent Gold Cups and will hope to build upon those foundations. Mexico find themselves struggling as of late but have more than enough power to win the group.

The quarterfinals will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The semifinals will both take place at Soldier Field in Chicago with the final on July 26th in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the Meadowlands.

FC New York

As previously stated, FC New York will join the United Soccer Leagues First Division in 2010. It is a bold move for the ownership of the club who have started their ambitions to play in the CONCACAF Champions League soon. American USL clubs have one route to the Champions League, the Open Cup, and that will not be an easy task. That said, it's nice to see someone shoot for the stars.

The team will play most, if not all, matches during their first season at the 15,000-capacity James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University on Long Island. This has been met with some derision as fans would like the team to play in New York City proper. That said, ownership has reportedly stated it's intentions to build a stadium in Queens. Again, ambitious, but nice to see.

The team will attempt to capture fans who feel they have been alienated by Red Bull New York either through their dissatisfaction with the club being used as a promotional vehicle or the fact that the team has never played home matches in New York.

There's a good turn out at LP Field in Nashville. Nashville seems to be a good place for national team matches.

The United States dominated play throughout the match with Landon Donovan the chief architect of most chances and Jozy Altidore the recipient of some great passes scoring a hat-trick.

After a respectable first half Trinidad were simply overpowered in the second as the US played a mix of slide rule passes and long balls to break apart the Soca Warriors rearguard.

Early in the first half the US got off the mark after a lovely lead up saw Donovan place a low cross perfectly for Altidore to guide passed Clayton Ince.

T&T did manage a few forays forward in the first half, mostly through Carlos Edwards running up the right wing but strikers John and Jones were unable to finish.

The Americans turned on the style soon after the break with Donovan involved finding Altidore who left Trinidad skipper Dennis Lawrence on his back to make it 2-0.

Trinidad would have a chance in the second half but watched Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones blaze over the bar.

Later would come the Americans third as Michael Bradley latched onto a long ball and found Landon Donovan who again teed up Altidore who did not waste his chance, unlike when he missed from a yard out before half time.

The win sees the USA reaffirm their position atop the table as Trinidad find themselves with work to do.

The OleOle adboards are pretty cool.

Man of the Match: Donovan (USA). I would have gone with Altidore but that miss was something else.

On a different note, I hope someone punched the (one) redneck that screamed during the moment of silence. Show some class, really.

With the added incentive of three places in the 2009/2010 CONCACAF Champions League some of the best teams in Caribbean are preparing to kickoff the 2009 CFU Champions Cup.

Like so much of the world, the tournament has not been exempt from the global economic crisis with big name federations such as Jamaica and Cuba declining the opportunity to enter teams. The remaining nations not taking part are: Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Even without those teams the competition still shows some promise with T&T giants San Juan Jabloteh and W Connection (Champions and runners-up of the TT Pro League) taking part, along with this year's Champions League surprise package the Puerto Rico Islanders. Interestingly, the Islanders actually have two bites at the cherry as their quasi-reserve side, Sevilla Bayamon (in partnership with Spanish giants Sevilla) qualified as champions of the inaugural Puerto Rico Soccer League.

The first round is as follows:

1. Sevilla Bayamon (PUR) v Hoppers (ATG), 2. Centre Bath Estate (DOM) v W Connection (TRI), 3. Tempête (HAI) v Alpha United (GUY), 4. Britannia (ARU) v Cavaly (HAI), 5. CSD Barber (ANT) v Inter Moengotapoe (SUR). Matches will be played over two legs on March 18th and 25th.

Trinidad's San Juan Jabloteh are seeded for the second round and will face the winner of match 5. Meanwhile the Islanders are seeded for the semi-final round, their opponents will be determined later.

The semi-finals, final, and third-pace match will be contest as single-leg affairs hosted by Trinidad and Tobago.

DC United defeated the Charleston Battery 2-1 in the US Open Cup final on Wednesday night to claim their second Open Cup crown.

The match between two of the more tradional sides in the American game got off to a fast start with DC scoring quickly and Charleston wasting no time in finding an equalizer.

It was the introduction of Fred late in the first half that would change the game. Just after half time the substitute found his way through the Charleston defense to put DC ahead, a lead they would not relenquish despite spirited play from the South Carolina side.

The match was not without controversy however as Charleston had a stoppage time equalizer disallowed for offside, replays disagreed with the decision.

Elsewhere the Puerto Rico Islanders scored twice at the death to get by Costa Rica's Alajuelense. The Costa Ricans went ahead early but the Islanders kept their cool in order to find the two goals they needed to qualify for the group stage. The result gives the USL, two, as many teams in the Champions League as MLS. Marathon of Honduras and Cruz Azul of Mexico also advanced.

The final two preliminary matches take place tonight as Jalapa look to defend their slim lead over San Francisco in Panama, and Pumas take on Harbour View in a one-legged affair followed the cancelation of the first leg due to Hurricane Gustav.

"It's our pre-season" was the excuse uttered by Major League Soccer apologists to explain the league's ineptitude in the old CONCACAF Champions Cup that often ran between February and May. "It'd be a different story if it was in our mid-season" they said.

They were wrong.

Very wrong. MLS heaped shame upon American soccer on Tuesday by failing to beat teams from Panama and Trinidad & Tobago when Tauro eased by Chivas USA and Joe Public laid an impressive beating on the kings of choke, the New England Revolution. But what happened Tuesday night in Foxborough was not a choke-job, it was a full scale massacre. The Revs were humbled 4-0 by Joe Public, 6-1 on aggregate, Gregory Richardson hit a hat-trick for Mike McComie's charges.

Joe Public finished the 2007 TT Pro League season in third place, good enough to qualify for the CFU Club Championship, a regional competiton that determines the Caribbean's three representatives in the CONCACAF feature. This year hasn't gone quite as swimmingly for the Eastern Lions as the Macoya-based side currently find themselves sixth.

Many will point to New England's injuries and claim that as the reason for New England's loss, but what injuries can't account for is a lack of heart, a lack of desire from eleven men who are paid to play a game that billions of us play for free everyday. This type of flat, lifeless performance from professionals is simply inexcusable.

Chivas USA did manage to save a bit of face for the league, while they were beaten by Panama's Tauro, they did fight. Tauro do seem a respectable side, they finished second in Panama's ANAPROF to San Francisco who face an uphill battle to join them in the group stages as they currently trail Guatemala's Jalapa 1-0 on aggregate.

The happiest man in America tonight is United Soccer Leagues President Francisco Marcos. Marcos was sure to be watching as the USL's Montreal Impact managed a 0-0 draw away to Real Esteli in Nicaragua which after their 1-0 win at Stade Saputo assured the USL a presence in the group stage. 

Tomorrow should prove to be an interesting day at MLS HQ in New York City, and Thursday could prove even more interesting if the Puerto Rico Islanders can manage to get by Costa Rican giants Alajuelense tomorrow. But the big match will be at RFK Stadium in Washington as DC United face the Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup. DC are the darlings of MLS, and Charleston are one of the USL's most respected, and most senior clubs. Yes, tomorrow will be interesting.

On August 26th the long awaited CONCACAF Champions League kicked off for the first time. There have been rumors of a CONCACAF competition modeled on the famed UEFA Champions League for some time now, but now the rumors are finally a reality.

The competition features 24 clubs: 4 Mexican, 4 American, 2 Costa Rican, 2 Salvadorian, 2 Guatemalan, 2 Panamanian, 2 Honduran, 1 Belizean, 1 Canadian, 1 Nicaraguan, and 3 from the Caribbean Football Union (the CFU).

New Boys

While many of the household names are in the tournement, it's interesting to note a few lesser known teams who have found their way in. Among them are the Montreal Impact, a Canadian club playing in the United Soccer Leagues First Division, or the second tier of American soccer. The Impact qualified through the newly formed Canadian Championship, a three team cup featuring Canada's three professional clubs. The other two clubs taking part in the Canadian Championship were Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Championship may be expanded in future years to include more teams. It should be noted that Toronto FC cannot qualify for the CCL via MLS as the four American spots are allocated to the US Soccer Federation and not Major League Soccer.

Montreal are not the only USL team in the competition, they're joined by the Puerto Rico Islanders who took a long and winding road to reach the qualifying round. The Islanders qualified as one of three CFU representives, but didn't find out until very late. In the old CONCACAF Champions Cup the CFU could only qualify it's Champion to be represented in the tournement, therefore Puerto Rico thought they had come up short by only reaching the semi-final. However a third place playoff was played to determine the final spot, which Puerto Rico claimed. Puerto Rico qualifies for the CFU Champions Cup through it's reserve team, Seville FC Bayamon (formerly Islanders B), who play in Puerto Rico's newly formed Puerto Rican Soccer League.

Guatemalan club Deportivo Jalapa are also on their maiden voyage to international waters. The club from Southern Guatemala won the Liga Nacional for the first time in 2007.

This is also a first international trip for Chivas USA. The 2007 MLS regular season runners-up will try to win the cup in the absence of their Mexican counterpart. A point of interest is a potential matchup with Santos Laguna and former Chivas Guadalajara icon goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez.

Old Kings seek the new throne

The first CONCACAF Champions League promises to be an intersting affair. Cruz Azul are the most successful club in North American competition, but have not claimed an international honor since 1997, can la Maquina Celeste reclaim their crown, will Saprissa shake off their recent lowlites, or will a new king come from elsewhere?

When you think of soccer, football, futbol, calcio, whichever you prefer, it's highly unlikely that you think of places like the Carolinas, Georgia, and Mississippi. But slowly, and quietly big things are happening with soccer in the South.

A large swath of land long ignored by the county's premier league, Major League Soccer, one could be forgiven for not associating soccer with the South. But it's worth looking into. Take Charleston, South Carolina for instance. A gem of a city situated in South Carolina's picturesque "Low Country", Charleston is ripe with history and beauty, both man made and natural. On Daniel Island in Charleston sits another gem, little known Blackbaud Stadium was America's first professional "soccer-specific stadium". Built in 1999 and seating 5,112 in two cozy stands along either sideline the stadium, affectionately called Battery Park by supporters after a nearby Revolutionary War artillery site, is home to the USL First Division's Charleston Battery. Founded in 1993 Charleston is the most senior clubs in the anything but stable American soccer landscape. The Battery have twice won the USL Championship and their stadium has become something of a "must see" to American soccer hardcores due to the quietly significant roll it played in the current wave of soccer-specific stadiums.

Charleston's principal rivals are the Atlanta Silverbacks. As much as it pains me, a proud Charlottean, to say it, Atlanta is very much the heartbeat of the South and the capital of all things Southern. It is also home to RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium, a wonderful little soccer-only facility located near I-85 (I-85 links together several major Southern cities). Atlanta's stadium, originally named Silverbacks' Park until sponsorship from real estate giants RE/MAX, currently seats around 5,000 but chairman Boris Jerkunica has grand plans to shape the stadium into a 13,000-seat complex with a 3,000-seat mini stadium in hopes of hosting major youth tournaments. Despite speculation of a possible MLS expansion effort spearheaded by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who made his fortune as the owner of Home Depot, the Silverbacks look set to continue their plans.

North of Charleston and Atlanta, North Carolina is home to four USL teams, two of which play in soccer stadiums with a third in the planning stages. The Carolina Railhawks play in the USL First Division out of the 7,000-seat WakeMed Soccer Park (formerly SAS Stadium) in Cary, North Carolina - a bedroom community of the capital Raleigh. Originally built to host the now defunct women's professional team the Carolina Courage WakeMed Park has been a perfect fit for the Railhawks, now in their second season. The debut season for the triangle side saw them see off MLS opposition en route to the US Open Cup Semi-Final. The Railhawks also field a women's side in the W-League, and two reserve teams, one in the PDL and one in the Super-20 League.

Not far away from the Triangle is Greensboro, home to the Carolina Dynamo who play out of Macpherson Stadium. Recently, the club announced plans to expand their quaint 1,500-seat Browns Summit home into a professional quality 7,000-seat stadium. Like the Battery, the Dynamo were founded in 1993 and have tasted success, winning two championships before abandoning professionalism. The return of professional soccer to the Triad could be a real possibility if the expansion goes through. Down I-85 from Greensboro is Charlotte, the "Queen City" is North Carolina's largest with a population of around 700,000. In 2006 the town of Matthews (southeast of Charlotte) and the Charlotte Eagles announced plans to build a 13 field sports complex featuring a 6,000-seat soccer stadium. Assuming the plan goes through, North Carolina would have three possible professional soccer stadiums, more than any state in the Union. Again, quiet progess.

North Carolina's forth entry into the USL is the Second Division side the Wilmington Hammerheads. While they have no plans for a soccer only stadium, the Hammerheads are the sole tenants of the 6,000-seat Legion Stadium. The Hammerheads have won the USL Second Division once, in 2003.

Two nice stories from the PDL come from the "Deep South". First the Mississippi Brilla. Located in Clinton, near Jackson, the Brilla have quickly developed a large following in the Magnolia State. Many doubted that the beautiful game could take hold in a State like Mississippi, but the Brilla, named in honor of the Biblical Matthew 5:16 ("Therefore, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.") seem determined to prove them wrong. The other story comes from World famous New Orleans. As everyone is well aware, the Crescent City was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After the storm passed over, the New Orleans Shell Shockers arrived to find their home ground, the City owned Pan-American Stadium in City Park, in ruin. The organization quickly pledged $1,000,000 to the city in order to rebuild not just the stadium, but the entire park. Currently the Shell Shockers play out of the 26,500-seat Tad Gormley Stadium at Reggie Bush Field.