CONCACAF Gold Cup 2007

[Frank Cunha]

1. GOLD CUP: U.S. rallies to down Costa Rica, 3-2, for third place

Bobby Convey scored his first goal for the United States to give it a
3-2 win over Costa Rica Saturday night at Miami's Orange Bowl and
claim third place in the Gold Cup.

The Americans twice came from one goal down against the Ticos in a
wide-open game, the first between U.S. coach Bruce Arena and his
predecessor, Costa Rica head coach Steve Sampson, as national team
coaches.

Carlos Bocanegra made up for allowing Rolando Fonseca to open the
scoring by slotting home the tying goal in the 29th minute. Bocanegra
became only the fourth U.S. defender to score four goals in one year
and the first since Marcelo Balboa in 1994.

Fonseca again put the Ticos ahead, sending them into halftime with a
2-1 lead, but Earnie Stewart tied the score with a rocket, volleying
Gregg Vanney's cross into inside the near post from 12 yards.

Landon Donovan, who assisted on Bocanegra's goal, fed Convey
perfectly to allow his former U-17 and U-20 teammate to beat Costa
Rica goalie Alvaro Mesen to the near post.

2. GOLD CUP: Third-Place Game Summary

July 26 in Miami
USA 3 Costa Rica 2. Goals: Bocanegra 29, Stewart 56, Convey 67; Fonseca 24, 39.
USA -- Keller, Hejduk, Califf, Bocanegra, Vanney, Beasley (Lewis,
78), Convey (Mastroeni, 88), Mulrooney, Ralston (Mathis, 70),
Stewart, Donovan.
Costa Rica -- Mesen, Marin, A.Castro (Bennett, 35) Wright, L.Gonzalez
(Parks, 76), Chinchilla, Lopez (Scott, 60), Solis, Centeno, Bryce,
Fonseca.
Yellow cards: USA -- Convey 69; Costa Rica -- Wright 62, Parks 76, Marin 77.
Referee: Richard Piper (Trinidad & Tobago)


STATS:

Shots: USA -- 10; Costa Rica -- 6.
Saves: USA -- 5; Costa Rica -- 4.
Corner Kicks: USA -- 5; Costa Rica -- 3.
Fouls: USA -- 14; Costa Rica -- 24.
Offside: USA -- 2; Costa Rica -- 1.

3. GOLD CUP: Reaction after USA-Costa Rica (3-2)

"First I wanted to get by my defender, and fortunately he fell down.
After that, it was all Bobby's credit. He was deeper in our own
six-yard box than I was when we started. He just made a sprint down
the middle of the field. DaMarcus was also on the far side, which
gave me two options. I picked Bobby, and he finished it very well."
-- Landon Donovan on his assist on Bobby Convey's winning goal.

"I think we've learned how to come together as a team, especially
after that tough game a few days ago. There's a lot of new guys who
have gotten a lot more caps this year, and they feel much more
confident playing with the national team. I think it was a great
learning experience for everyone on the team to build up for the
start of qualifying."
-- Bobby Convey.

"[Greg] Vanney gave a great cross. Danny Califf was going to head it.
I asked him to let it go, and in the end it's good he did. I hit it
pretty well, and it went in the back of the net."
-- Earnie Stewart on his tying goal, a spectacular volley from 12 yards out.

4. GOLD CUP: Mexico claims 2003 title on golden goal

Substitute Daniel Osorno scored in the eighth minute of overtime to
give host Mexico a 1-0 win over Brazil Sunday and capture the 2003
Gold Cup.

The Tricolores and their coach, Ricardo Lavolpe, came under heavy
fire early in the tournament, but Mexico deserved the victory in the
final against Brazil's U-23s. Mexico did not give up a goal in the
tournament to capture its fourth CONCACAF title.

GOLD CUP FINAL SUMMARY:

July 27 in Mexico City
Mexico 1 Brazil 0. Goal: Osorno 98.
Mexico -- Sanchez, Salazar (Mendez, 77), Briseno, Osorio, Carmona,
Valdez, Pardo, Perez, Garcia (Osorno, 65), Borgetti, Arellano
(Rodriguez, 66).
Brazil -- Gomes, Maicon, Luisao, Alex, Adriano (Coelho, 61), Paulo
Almeida, Julio Baptista, Diego, Robinho (Carlos Alberto, 46), Kaka,
Nilmar (Ewerthon, 90).
Referee: Mauricio Navarro (Canada).
Att.: 60,000.

5. GOLD CUP: Champions

1991 -- USA
1993 -- Mexico
1996 -- Mexico
1998 -- Mexico
2000 -- Canada
2002 -- USA
2003 -- Mexico