Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
October 24 – Concacaf has confirmed the venues and dates for the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals in November that will qualify the four semi-finalists for the March 2025 finals at Hollywood Park’s SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Mexico, Canada, USA and Panama – the four top-ranked Concacaf nations – have been seeded into the semi-finals and will meet group qualifiers Honduras, Suriname, Jamaica and Costa Rica.
The US open their quarter final away to Jamaica in what will be the first competitive test of new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s management after a miserable friendly against Mexico that saw the Mexicans end five years of failure against the US with a 2-0 win.
The US have won all three of the Nations League titles that have been played. In Jamaica they have a motivated opponent under the new management of another former Premier League boss Steve McClaren who has an array of Premier League talent at his disposal.
In their last match-up the Jamaicans drew 1-1 with the US in a Gold Cup group game in 2023, a match in which they wasted chance after chance. They are unlikely to be as profligate again.
Pochettino has high expectations to progress his team to the finals, not just for the title but as preparation for the home hosted World Cup in 2026. He would likely have preferred an easier opening.
Mexico, who also have a new coach with Javier Aguirre taking charge for the third time, are defending Gold Cup champions but have struggled in the Nations League, losing twice to the US in the final and once in the semi-final. They open against Honduras who have been looking to regain the form that saw them qualify for the World Cup in 2010 and 2014.
Panama open away to Costa Rica in what looks like an evenly matched tie. Panama were beaten finalists at the 2023 Gold Cup, losing to Mexico, and they have strengthened since then but need all their players fit. Costa Rica are rebuilding after the retirement of a golden generation of players and…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/10/24/concacaf-nations-league-reaches-crucial-stage-final-four-slots-gold-cup-qualification-stake/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-10-24 05:32:28
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