Alianza Lima stun Estudiantes in Libertadores

February 19, 2010

Defending Copa Libertadores Estudiantes of Argentina crashed to a very surprising 4-1 defeat at Peruvian outfit Alianza Lima on Thursday.

Following their 5-1 trashing of Juan Aurich in their Libertadores opener, Estudiantes thought to be on their way to a similar result when Jose Sosa put them ahead in the very first minute of the match.

But it was then that Alianza forward Wilmer Aguirre began to show his influence, scoring in the 18th, 34th and 74th minutes to hand his side a comfortable lead.

Jose Fernandes finished it off with a fourth home goal in the 84th minute.

Alianza lead Group 3 with six points from two games, followed by Estudiantes with three points. The other two teams in this group, Juan Aurich and Bolivar, play each other on Wednesday, February 24.

Tags: aguirre, alianza lima, Argentina, Aurich, bolivar, Copa, Estudiantes, Jose, jose fernandes, Jose Sosa, Juan, juan aurich, Libertadores, Lima, match, six points, stun, trashing, two games, wilmer

2009: U-17 year ends on missed penalty for Mexico

December 18, 2009

It was a moment Carlos Campos will want to forget.

It was November 5 when the Mexican midfielder couldn’t convert a penalty kick in a shootout against South Korea in the Round-of-16 of the Under-17 World Cup.

South Korean goalkeeper Kim Jin-long dove to his left, blocking Campos shot.

Mexico was eliminated and perhaps embarrassed.

Coach Jose Luis Gonzalez squad appeared headed to the quarterfinals, leading 1-0 approaching injury time. But a South Korean goal two minutes into added time forced extra time – and eventually penalties.

“It hurts to lose, because the guys left it all on the pitch,” Gonzalez said. “It’s sad to lose this way but that’s soccer. We have to leave with a sense of accomplishment, with our heads held high because the Mexican national team in this game and throughout this tournament left everything on the pitch.”

And it left a dramatic finish. And with all the drama went the final remaining team representing CONCACAF in the World Cup.

The United States had been eliminated the day before with a 2-1 loss to Italy.

Costa Rica and Honduras didn’t reach the knockout stage, both finishing last in their respective groups.

Just like Mexico’s finish, there was plenty of drama in 2009 for CONCACAF U-17 teams.

Besides Mexico’s loss to South Korea, the Americans equalized with Italy early in the second half in their second-round match, giving hope that coach Wilmer Cabrera’s squad would accomplish an upset. But the U.S. euphoria lasted only five minutes, when the Italians reclaimed the lead and won 2-1.

Then there was the cancellation of the semifinals and finals of the CONCACAF championship in the border town of Tijuana, Mexico, due to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

Mexico and the United States were on a path to meet in the title match and set up a showdown in front of a chaotic crowd at Estadio Caliente.

It is anybody’s guess what could have transpired if the long-time rival countries met. Fans wanted to see U.S. striker Jack McInerney, who led the tournament with five goals in three games, take on a Mexican defense that shutout all three of its group rivals, outscoring them 11-0.

Instead, Mexico, the U.S., Costa Rica and Honduras sealed their tickets to the World Cup having already reached the semifinals.

Both Honduras and Costa Rica finished 1-1-1 in their groups with wins against Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago respectively.

Both Central American nations hoped for similar success at the World Cup.

Bur Costa Rica finished 0-1-2 with its only point coming in a 1-1 draw against New Zealand.

Honduras lost all three of its group matches against Argentina, Germany and host Nigeria, scoring only one goal.

The United States reached the second round of a U-17 World Cup for the fourth-straight time, overcoming an opening 2-1 loss to Spain with a pair of 1-0 victories over Malawi and the United Arab Emirates.

The Americans failed to capitalize on a Spanish side that played with a man down for the last 88 minutes and costing them a second-round match against Burkina Faso.

Mexico, the 2005 World Cup champion, also couldn’t exploit its advantages, failing to close out South Korea with the victory seemingly at hand.

Gonzalez’s team went 2-1 in the group stage, like the United States, overcoming an opening 2-0 loss to eventual 2009 champion Switzerland to beat Brazil and Japan.

But penalty kicks doomed it.

“There are no excuses,” Gonzalez said. “It was Korea’s turn to win. I felt it was a great game from both sides, and we simply were the ones to lose.”

Maybe Mexico’s fortune will be different in the next U-17 World Cup. After all, they are hosting the tournament in 2011.

By Ivan Orozco

Tags: added time, Carlos Campos, concacaf championship, euphoria, Goalkeeper, injury time, italians, jose luis gonzalez, knockout stage, mexico and the united states, penalty kick, quarterfinals, rival countries, south korea, south korean, swine flu, tijuana mexico, time rival, wilmer

World Cup berths left to satisfy U-17 championship hopefuls

April 30, 2009

TIJUANA, Mexico — United States coach Wilmer Cabrera pictured his team in a hostile environment.

He thought about the whistles, jeers and chants directed against his team by a rowdy and partisan capacity crowd. The stands would be a swath of green.

That was the scenario Cabrera and host Mexico were hoping for in the final of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.

“We want that ambiance for our kids, to experience in a full stadium filled with people wearing green jerseys, with everyone screaming for Mexico,” Cabrera said after the USA had clinched a semifinal berth with its second group-stage victory. “We hope that when that happens, we’re prepared for it.”

The United States perhaps was prepared, but that scenario will not play out, for now.

The qualifying tournament for the World Cup in Nigeria was cut short, ending without a confederation champion.

Confederation officials cancelled the semifinals and championship match when concerns of a swine flu outbreak in Mexico prompted governmental officials to close schools nationwide.

That left questions of what could have been for the remaining teams who qualified to the World Cup slated to begin in October.

The United States was scheduled to take on Costa Rica, while Mexico was paired against Honduras in the semifinals April 29. The final was slated for May 2.

The four qualified teams leave Tijuana with World Cup berths, and the unresolved issue of who is the best.

The Americans and Mexico finished undefeated atop of their respective groups and were on pace to meet in the final.

Led by striker Jack McInerney, who finished with a tournament-leading five goals (nine in six international matches this year), Cabrera’s squad dominated Group A, beating Cuba 5-0, Canada 4-2 and Honduras 3-0..

“Things just fell into place recently,” McInerney said. “The first goal is always the most difficult, after that it gets easier.”

The United States is the only nation to qualify for every U-17 World Cup.

Despite losing to the Americans, Honduras qualified with four points after Cuba upset Canada 2-1 in the final group match. The Canadians finished last with one point from a 1-1 draw against Honduras in the tournament’s opening match.

Canada coach Sean Fleming said he thought his team was we’re he expected it to before taking on the Cubans.

“We’re still in the tournament and we think we have a good chance of qualifying,” Fleming said after losing to the Americans 4-2. “We have the best team that gives us a chance of reaching Nigeria.”

Cuba spoiled that chance for the Canadians, and Costa Rica came close to ruining Mexico’s chances at a perfect record.

Mexico avoided a draw against Costa Rica in the final leg of group play when Adrian Mora headed a ball into his own net. Mexico already had qualified from Group B prior to its match against the Ticos.

But the result helped end El Tri’s frustration in age-limited tournaments, having missed out on qualifying for the 2007 U-17 World Cup, the 2008 Olympics and the 2009 U-20 World Cup.

“We knew about the responsibility we had coming into this tournament,” said Mexico coach Jose Luis Gonzalez, whose team outscored opponents 11-0. “Winning this type of tournament is important and we definitely shook off some pressure, but there is still plenty to look for.”

Costa Rica didn’t feel too bad after its loss to Mexico. The result didn’t impede their qualification.

Guatemala and Costa Rica finished with four points with both teams beating Trinidad and Tobago convincingly and playing to a 1-1 draw against each other.

Guatemala beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 in the final group match, but fell short of Costa Rica and the semifinals on goal difference. Costa Rica finished with a plus-two goal difference compared to Guatemala’s zero difference.

Trinidad and Tobago couldn’t muster a point and was outplayed in each match. The Soca Warriors were outscored 13-0.

The competition might have been more hostile than Trinidad and Tobago expected.

Cabrera, the United States coach, liked the hostility. He hoped it would continue. Perhaps it will, only this time in Nigeria.

By Ivan Orozco

Go to Source

Tags: Adrian Mora, americ, Canada, capacity crowd, chants, concacaf, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, confederation, Costa Rica, Cuba, cup berths, flu outbreak, Gonzalez, governmental officials, group stage, Guatemala, Honduras, hostile environment, jack mcinerney, jeers, Jose Luis, Mexico, nigeria, Sean Fleming, second group, semifinal berth, swath, swine flu, tijuana, tijuana mexico, Tri, trinidad and tobago, United States, unresolved issue, USA, whistles, wilmer, Wilmer Cabrera

Different histories, same challenges for sides at CONCACAF U-17 Championship

April 20, 2009

TIJUANA, Mexico –The United States has a streak it would like to continue, Mexico has one it wants to improve upon – and Honduras wants to start a streak.

The CONCACAF Under-17 Championship starts Tuesday in Tijuana’s Estadio Caliente with a doubleheader featuring Honduras against Canada, and Caribbean champion Cuba facing the United States. It’s the beginning of a 12-day event that will decide the confederation’s four qualifiers for the U-17 World Cup October 24-November 15 in Nigeria, and for the first time since 1996, a regional champion.

“The first goal is to be a semifinalist,” U.S. coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “If you’re a semifinalist, you’re in the World Cup. After that, if you qualify, you want to win.

“You have to worry about qualifying first. You have good players, but they’re less mature. You go little-by-little, step-by-step. They’re young.”

The United States is the only country to have qualified for every U-17 World Cup since FIFA initiated the tournament in 1985, finishing as high as fourth in 1999.

Mexico enters unbeaten in its last 10 games in the tournament, although after winning the World Cup title in 2005, it failed to qualify two years ago. El Tri managed only two goals and three draws in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying in 2007, leaving it behind Haiti and Honduras.

And while Honduras is the only team to play in each of CONCACAF’s 13 previous final rounds of qualifying, last time out was the first time it made it to the World Cup.

While having qualified for every World Cup, the United States did not play in the 1985 CONCACAF championship, having won the inaugural title in 1983 and thus exempted from having to qualify for the World Cup two years later.

Besides Canada, Cuba, Honduras and the United States, host Mexico will be joined in Group B by Costa Rica, Guatemala and Trinidad.

That group will open on Wednesday, with Guatemala playing Costa Rica and Mexico facing Trinidad.

Costa Rica enters having qualified for four straight U-17 World Cups and six of the last seven, missing only in 1999. Only the United States has a better record within CONCACAF in that time period.

The United States will enter as a favorite of many, sporting a lineup with several players on the rosters of pro clubs and one striker, Joseph Gyau, with an international pedigree.

Gyau, who is lists his club as the amateur side FC Delco near Philadelphia, is the son of Philip Gyau, who played six times for the United States senior team and helped it qualify for the World Cup in 1990 for the first time in 40 years.

Mexico arrives with virtually an entirely professional side and Honduras, which won its three-team qualifying group in Central America without allowing a goal, will be led by Anthony Lozano of Olimpia, who played for his country at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Trinidad in March.

While Mexico, the United States and Costa Rica will arrive as the favorites of many, Cabrera says predicting the success of youth players is a risky endeavor.

“At this age, you cannot expect one player to step up” he said. “This is a difficult age. You have good players who sometimes have very good days, sometimes are OK, and sometimes they don’t look good at all.”

Go to Source