2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup preview

Five storylines to follow as the CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off Sunday:

1. What's the big deal? It may seem like too much hullabaloo for a tournament that gets precious little mainstream media mention, but there is a pretty sweet carrot at the end of this stick. To the winner goes a spot in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil. Theoretically, claiming one of the eight spots for the tournament that precedes World Cup 2014 provides a big edge as participants gain greater knowledge of the country, facilities, etc. How much a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup ultimately assisted the United States a year later in South Africa is up for debate -- but it's safe to say that sure didn't hurt. Plus, it will make for a more interesting summer in 2013 around here, if nothing else. So, there's that.

2. All signs point to a U.S.-Mexico final. The bookmakers believe so, installing the bitter border rivals as tourney co-favorites. And the brackets are certainly arranged to provide the best chance. If the U.S. and Mexico finish atop their four-team groups (and they certainly should) then the Rose Bowl on June 25 is the place to be. The big boys from CONCACAF have met 15 times since 2000, with the United States owning a commanding 9-4-2 record in that time. They haven't met, however, since August of 2009, when the United States fell in Mexico City.

3. Who is this year's dark horse? Honduras or Costa Rica could have something to say about matters, as could Canada. Even little Guadeloupe, full of capable French players, shouldn't be totally discounted. But go with Jamaica. This looks like Jamaica's most talented team since the Reggae Boyz qualified for their one and only World Cup, France '98. The current coach, Theodore Whitmore, was a key player on that side. Now he says his team, one that has benefitted greatly from its placements in Major League Soccer, is 100 percent focused on Gold Cup glory.

4. It might be Chicharito's time. Young Manchester United striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez can score at a very high level. He removed any lingering doubt in his first Old Trafford campaign, striking 20 times in all competitions for the fabled side. He just turned 23 years old but has already found goal in a World Cup, hitting net twice last year in South Africa for El Tri. So, is he ready to rise even further and truly make it his team? Chicharito may not quite belong alongside Mexican heroes like Rafa Marquez, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and others. He most certainly hasn't approached Hugo Sanchez territory just yet. Still, he's climbing the ladder fast.

5. Will we be impressed by Bob Bradley's U.S. team? The U.S. camp has said all along that Gold Cup is a high priority, mostly because of that Confederation Cup's berth. As veteran defender Steve Cherundolo said Friday, "The Confederations Cup is a big tournament, and the only way to get there is to win the Gold Cup." So the heat is on. But if we're being honest, the U.S. side needs to find the next gear; recent friendlies haven't been much to talk about. In fairness, some of the opposition over the last few months has been downright fierce, the likes of Argentina, Brazil and (on Saturday) World Cup champion Spain. But there have also been some middleweights thrown in there, like Paraguay and Chile. Bradley's side is just 1-2-4 since South Africa. Considering that six of those seven were on home soil, that's not good enough.

Team profiles

GROUP A

Costa Rica: The Ticos are the perennial pursuers, the nation that frequently gets close but can't seem to "get there." They fell to Uruguay in a playoff for a spot in South Africa last summer. Twice before that they did arrive at a World Cup but couldn't quite squeeze into the second round. Two years ago in the Gold Cup, Costa Rica fell to Mexico in a semifinal shootout. Going further back, to 2002, they made it all the way to the final but fell there to the United States. These days, the attack runs through versatile attacker Bryan Ruiz, who just played a big role in FC Twente's second-place finish in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Cuba: Always the mystery team, precious little is typically known about the players or about overall team quality due to Cuba's closed society. Based on results in friendlies this year, don't expect too much. El Salvador recorded a 1-0 win over Cuba in Havana back in March (the first time El Salvador had played in Cuba since 1967.) Lightly regarded Panama came into Havana a few days later and walked away with a 2-0 victory. The Cubans were competitive, at least, in their last Gold Cup back in 2007; they lost to Mexico by only a goal and drew with Panama before closing with a 5-0 loss to Honduras that was shrouded in intrigue and distraction due to a pair of pregame defections. One of the defectors has turned into a terrific MLS player for Seattle: feisty holding midfielder Osvaldo Alonso.

El Salvador: Manager Ruben Israel, a 55-year-old Uruguayan, was introduced in April as the next man to steer El Salvador's "Los Cuscatlecos." Israel will lean on two Americans, attacker Arturo Alvarez and defender Steve Purdy, MLS players who grew up in the U.S. but have Salvadoran citizenship. For scoring, they'll look to Rodolfo Zelaya, who led El Salvador's humble domestic league in the most recent campaign. Israel declined, however, to select defender Marcelo Messias, a naturalized Brazilian who played in two recent friendlies, a 1-0 win in Cuba and 3-2 loss at home to Jamaica.

Mexico: With Hernandez still resting from his long club season, Giovani dos Santos took charge Thursday as the Mexicans prepped for their Gold Cup trophy defense with a 3-0 win over New Zealand in Denver. The selections by coach Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre included eight players from European sides and four from Monterrey, which just claimed the CONCACAF Champions League crown. Most of the big stars are present -- Hernandez, dos Santos, Marquez and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa specifically -- but not all the big names made it. Controversially, de la Torre declined to bring forward Carlos Vela, who belongs to Arsenal but played for West Brom last year. Pachuca defender Paul Aguilar was another prominent omission. The Mexicans are looking for their second consecutive Gold Cup title and sixth in 11 tournaments overall.