When Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón failed to control Pedri’s pass during a Euro 2020 game against Croatia, he allowed an embarrassing own goal. A mistake at that high of a level is unthinkable. The Gold Cup is a different story.
At the time this story was written, only ten games had been played at the 2021 Gold Cup. We’re not even done with Matchday 2 and we can already put together a top five list of Gold Cup fails. Concacaf conundrums are the best. Here are five of the biggest mistakes seen so far in the Gold Cup.
Top 5 Gold Cup Fails (so far)
#5. Guadeloupe Goes Down Swinging
Steve Solvet was given a red card for this foul after a second look by VAR pic.twitter.com/HrOEhYAfvS
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 13, 2021
The title for this wasn’t a metaphor. Steve Solvet of Guadeloupe must have forgotten that VAR is present at the Gold Cup. You might get away with sucker punching another player in the stomach in Guadeloupe, but that doesn’t fly when VAR is around.
#4. El Salvador’s Totally Planned Assist
EL SALVADOR DO IT AGAIN!
They add another goal in the final minutes to seal their victory against Trinidad & Tobago pic.twitter.com/Kk8BGjjP15— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 15, 2021
Jairo Arreola will absolutely claim that he meant to pass the ball during the final minutes against Trinidad and Tobago. “Nah man, why would I shoot the ball into a wide-open goal from two feet away when I could’ve passed it instead?” Seems legit.
Everything about this play screams Concacaf. How often do you see a ball hit both posts and walk a tightrope on the goal-line?
#3. Guadeloupe Goofs
It all counts the same, right? Joel Campbell knocks it in for an early lead over Guadeloupe pic.twitter.com/uwXB3Ut9BU
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 13, 2021
The Gwada Boys are doing their best, which is all anyone can ask for. That doesn't change the fact that Costa Rica’s first goal against Guadeloupe will be a moment the goalkeeper would like to forget.
#2. Grenada Goalkeeper Gaffe
You hate to see it
Honduras takes the lead on a goalkeeping blunder by Grenada pic.twitter.com/ZTgQvx4RES— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2021
Whose cousin did they let be goalkeeper? Granada is playing in its third Gold Cup and is looking for its first-ever victory in the competition. The tiny Caribbean nation’s current record is seven losses out of seven games with a -29 goal differential.
#1. Response To Chucky Lozano Injury
This is a serious failure rather than the four funny previous Gold Cup fails. The referee’s slow reaction to Chucky Lozano’s injury and allowing play to continue was nothing short of a failure.
Mexican Football Federation president Yon de Luisa sent letters to Concacaf asking for Ricardo Montero, the referee for the Mexico vs. Trinidad game, to be sent home. The response to Christian Eriksen’s injury versus Lozano’s injury is night and day.
Lozano hyper-extended his neck and will be out for four to six weeks.
