2005 CONCACAF GOLD CUP™ SCHEDULE ROUND 1, GROUP A WEDNESDAY, 6 JULY Match 1 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida Match 2 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida SATURDAY, 9 JULY Match 9 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida Match 10 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida MONDAY, 11 JULY Match 13 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida Match 14 Orange Bowl – Miami, Florida ROUND 1, GROUP B THURSDAY, 7 JULY Match 3 Qwest Field – Seattle, Washington Match 4 Qwest Field – Seattle, Washington SATURDAY, 9 JULY Match 7 Qwest Field – Seattle, Washington Match 8 Qwest Field – Seattle, Washington TUESDAY, 12 JULY Match 15 Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts Match 16 Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts ROUND 1, GROUP C FRIDAY, 8 JULY Match 5 Home Depot Center – Carson, California Match 6 Home Depot Center – Carson, California SUNDAY, 10 JULY Match 11 L.A. Memorial Coliseum – Los Angeles, California Match 12 L.A. Memorial Coliseum – Los Angeles, California WEDNESDAY, 13 JULY Match 17 Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas Match 18 Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas QUARTERFINALS SATURDAY, 16 JULY Quarterfinal 1 Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts Quarterfinal 2 Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts SUNDAY, 17 JULY Quarterfinal 3 Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas Quarterfinal 4 Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas SEMIFINALS THURSDAY, 21 JULY Semifinal 1 Giants Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey Semifinal 2 Giants Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey FINAL SUNDAY, 24 JULY Final Giants Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey
OK. This is really getting to be too much. I can't believe I'm seeing this. I'm already planning on going to Dallas for the season opener, and Birmingham for the Guatemala game. Now FOUR games in HOUSTON... plus there's sure to be another qualifier in Dallas. My wife is going to express some concern about this. And maybe my boss. Me... I probably can't resist. DEFINITELY can't resist if any of those Houston games are US games!
Well, Reliant is one of the venues for Group C, along with the LA Coliseum and the HDC. So, it seems likely that this LA-Houston group will feature Mexico, not the US. The group that has Seattle and Gillette as venues seems more likely to get the US. In any event, these games will be fun. Even when Guatemala and ES played at Reliant in a friendly a couple summers ago, the atmosphere was great.
That's the point that doesn't get "sold" by the marketing arm of the USSF. The games are always fun and hotly contested becuase there is a huge ammount of build up and pressure for CONCACAF National Teams that come and play in Houston. Their coaches and players know ahead of time that their fellow countrymen WILL BE OUT IN FORCE. Full International matches in anger are worth the effort more often than not. Does anyone imagine a el Tri vs. El Salvador match at Relaint???? That atmosphere would be insane at the least! Full house of 70K! With the Hex outsiders able to lock horns with a Hex playing side like Mexico....I hope Reliant figures out segregated seating for this summer. With $6.50 beers, lots of emotion and loyal fans, ALL of us could suffer if Reliant/McNair have too many run ins with this "sawker stuff" and its unwanted side effects. I hope they know the difference in magnitude between club vs. club matches and National Teams doing battle.
Man, I just bought tickets for the Mexico vs USA game in Mexico City on March 27. Also, went to the America vs Cruz Azul game last week. Now I have to buy tickets for the Mexico vs Jamaica, which they go on sale on March 11. My money usually goes to the Houston Astros but so far this year it's been all futbol. I agree with Celt Texan, if Mexico and El Salvador ever played here (Reliant Stadium) it would be intense. McNair would definetly would need to segregate us and have HPD in riot gear ready at any given moment. It would be fun though!
Disappointing that we didn't get a US game, especially since I missed the USA/Mexico game a couple years ago. Oh well, should still be fun.