Gold Cup Final

Gold Cup Final Mexico faced the United States in the final of this year's Gold Cup, the CONCACAF equivalent of the EuroCup. Both teams got to the final without showing great football, in fact both faced intense opposition in their semi finals games against Honduras (Mexico) and Guatemala (USA). OK, I am from Honduras so there might be some bias. but for this game I was rooting for neither team, I absolutely did not care who won.

First let's have some idea of how football works in the area, we have two giants, Mexico and USA, both have leagues were a lot of money is present, both have very good international players, for example Messi in Inter Miami or the rosters of Mexican teams full of first level South American players, even a few Europeans.
Comparing these two leagues with what we have in Central America or the Caribbean can only be done by someone who is crazy, they are leagues ahead of the rest of us. That being said, the difference between the national teams is not so big, Canada is at about the same level as both and Panama is also quite good. The rest of the Central American countries have decent teams as do several Caribbean nations, like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and others that are playing very well. but in the Gold Cup Mexico and the USA weigh a lot, referee decisions, when they are divided tend to favor these two. No hard feelings both are the money making sides so it is just natural that they do receive little nudges that don't seem too big but in the end add up.

In any case both of them, once again made it to the final. both were short of key players, but i really don't believe in that, you play what you have and make the best of it. And today Mexico did that, they played better, had more chances and eventually won. kudos to them I do think they deserved it. I do have to make two observations though.
The US goal, did that ball completely cross the line? I find it very difficult to believe that with all the cameras available I could not see a definite shot of the ball completely crossing the line. In fact I think it didn't. and then the second Mexican goal, when the left winger crosses the ball the goal scorer is off side, a Mexican player deflects the ball and he heads it in. Now in what moment is this guy in a correct position? I think both are major referee goofs. and the worst thing is VAR said they were OK.

Yes, I might be wrong, but I have been a football fan for over fifty years and I am getting sick of different outcomes from the same type of play because referees have different opinions. this should not be opinions, like a hand ball should be a handball regardless. Because it is funny that the same handball can be a penalty or not depending on the team and the referee.

But again, Mexico won fair and square, if both goals were bad still the win was Mexican. so kudos to them.