CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview: Group B

By Noah Davis

Group B kicks off its Gold Cup play on July 4 with the United States celebrating Independence Day in Seattle's Qwest Field with a match against Grenada and Honduras playing Haiti. The Stars and Stripes and the Catrachos -- who sit in second and third place, respectively, in the final round of 2010 World Cup qualifying -- share the position of co-favorite, but Les Grenadiers and upstart Spice Boyz will challenge for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Grenada
Gold Cup appearances: 1 (2009)
Gold Cup Titles: 0
Top Finish: N/A

Key Players
M Shane Rennie (Paradise FC)
F Rimmel Daniel (Notts County)
F Delroy Facey (Notts County)

Update: Grenada ran an impressive streak route through group play of the Caribbean Championship, defeating Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to advance into the semifinals where the Spice Boyz beat Cuba on penalty kicks before falling to the Reggae Boyz in the finals. The second-place finish was good enough to ensure that Grenada -- with just 90,000 residents -- would be the smallest nation ever to qualify for the Gold Cup.

Outlook: In short, not good. In addition to being paired with Honduras and the United States, Shalrie Joseph, the New England Revolution's tough-minded midfielder who is arguably his country's best player, will be limited in his ability because of injury. Getting into the knockout stages -- which will require three points against Haiti, a minimization of goals allowed against Honduras and the U.S, and a bit of luck -- would be a feat worth celebrating. 

Haiti
Gold Cup Appearances: 4 (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009)
Gold Cup Titles: 0
Top Finish: Quarterfinals (2002)

Key Players
D Frantz Gilles (Cavaly)
M Alexandre Boucicaut (Violette AC)
F Leonel Saint Preux (Minnesota Thunder)

Update: Haiti, which finished third in Group B of the Caribbean Championship, only made it into the Gold Cup after Cuba withdrew. (Les Grenadiers won a draw with Trinidad and Tobago for the honor.) Haiti boasts an experienced backline and a youthful attacking core. The squad comes into the competition with a bit of momentum, having tied Jamaica 2-2 in a May friendly.

Outlook: Getting to the Gold Cup is an achievement, but being one of the final eight would qualify as an impressive success. The team's second match, against Grenada in Washington D.C., looms large. A win -- especially one by multiple goals -- could push Haiti into the quarterfinals. The team could also catch a break in its last group game against a U.S. squad that might already be through to the quarterfinals.

Honduras
Gold Cup Appearances: (9) 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
Gold Cup Titles: 0
Top Finish: Finalist (1991)

Key Players
D Erick Norales (Marathon)
M Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards)
F Carlos Costly (PGE GKS Bełchatów)

Update: Honduras earned a spot in the Gold Cup by finishing third in the Central American Nations Cup it hosted, beating El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Belize in group play before losing to Panama in the semifinals. The team will be without captain Amado Guevara and striker David Suazo who are resting in advance of World Cup qualification later this summer. (The Catrachos, who sit in third place in the Hexagonal, face Costa Rica in San Pedro Sula on August 12.)

Outlook: Despite bringing less than a full roster, Reinaldo Rueda's squad could be considered the group favorite and should have little trouble qualifying for the knockout stages. With most other teams choosing to rest their most talented players as well, this could be Honduras' best chance to reach its second Gold Cup final.

United States
Gold Cup Appearances: (10) 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
Gold Cup Titles: 4
Best Finish: Champion (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007)

Key Players
D Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96)
M Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo)
F Freddy Adu (Monaco)

Update: Only four players -- Charlie Davies, Freddy Adu, Heath Pearce, and Luis Robles -- are holdovers from the U.S.'s surprising and inspiring run to the finals of the Confederations Cup (although Bob Bradley can call seven more due to a FIFA rule change). The additional 19 members consist of mostly a young, Major League Soccer-based crew, although Brian Ching and Steve Cherundolo are returning after injury layoffs. Whereas the Confed Cup was about team success, the focus of the Gold Cup is on individuals making a case to be considered for inclusion on next summer's World Cup roster.

Outlook: Despite its mostly B-level roster, the two-time defending champion the U.S. has to be one of the favorites (especially considering home-field advantage). That said the American's don't need to win for this tournament. Getting to the final -- or even the semifinals -- should be sufficient as long as the coaching staff can evaluate the talent it brings to the Gold Cup.

Predicted Finish
1. Honduras
2. United States
3. Haiti
4. Grenada

Noah Davis covers the United States National Team for Goal.com