Copa America, Celta Vigo, and MLS Cup
Friday’s soccer news starts with CONMEBOL conducting the draw for the 2024 World Cup with the USMNT getting Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia in group D. The level of difficulty for the United States is obvious, with FIFA ranking Uruguay 11th, a spot ahead of the USMNT and the 3rd-highest ranked team in CONMEBOL. Panama is the 3rd-highest ranked team in Concacaf, and while acknowledging the difference in points between Mexico in 14th and Panama in 41st, we’re talking about a 2023 Gold Cup finalist.
While the Gold Cup carries with it the caveat concerning strength of squad, the Copa America carries with it new scenarios. Namely, playing in a tournament last held in the United States in 2016, and also the last time the USA participated. Christian Pulisic and Ethan Horvath were in that USMNT squad, but as expected, there’s not a lot of carryover eight years later.
From a competitive standpoint, this should be the kind of test for the USMNT technical staff that rarely arrives. It’s games that count against some of the strongest teams in the world in the same country hosting the bulk of the next World Cup’s games.
Moving to the second round of the Copa del Rey, Luca de la Torre subbed on in the 83rd minute of Celta Vigo’s 2-1 win at Sestao. Anastasios Douvikas scored for Celta Vigo in the 17th with an own-goal leveling the score in the 73rd. Douvikas converted a penalty in the 78th minute.
Also in the soccer news, the 2023 MLS Cup final is on Saturday at 4pm ET on FOX, a nationally televised opportunity for Columbus and LAFC to show what got them to the final. That’s an evident difference in approach, while both rely on proven goalscorers. LAFC navigated the Western Conference without needing extra time like Columbus did at home against Orlando and at Cincinnati, but that also speaks to the level of difficulty in the East this season.
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