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Camp Cupcake comes to a merciful end tonight with a match between the United States and Canada. There should be plenty of fans dressed as empty seats at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston tonight for this titanic match-up so buckle up, we're gonna get serious here.
America puts its reputation on the line tonight in a match more important than the World Cup, Super Bowl and Intergalactic Championships combined. This is for the holy grail, if the holy grail was 100 times more important than it is. The losers will be sent to work on Moron Mountain. Yeah, this is for reals.
The only real surprise for the U.S. is Mix Diskerud didn't make the bench, but he has had a rough go for it at his club so a bad camp wouldn't be a surprise. In all, it's tough to judge this team or selections because we haven't seen these guys play in months. Jurgen Klinsmann has watched them for three weeks. In this case, it's probably smart to defer to the German.
Fun facts:
- Interestingly (actually not that interesting), all 11 starters play in MLS.
- Three players on the back line are all getting their first caps. Only Omar Gonzalez has put on the U.S. shirt before.
- Eddie Johnson has 51 goals for the U.S. at all age groups.
- Nobody in the starting XI is German-born or German in any way. Some may like bratwurst, though.
- Without Diskerud in the team, Zusi will run away with the Herbal Essences Best Hair Award.
United States: Sean Johnson; Tony Beltran, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, Justin Morrow; Graham Zusi, Kyle Beckerman, Brad Evans, Brad Davis, Evans; Chris Wondolowski, Eddie Johnson.
Canada: Simon Thomas; Nikolas Ledgerwood, Nana Attakora, Dejan Jakovic, Ashtone Morgan; Terry Dunfield, Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault, Kyle Bekker; Tosaint Ricketts, Russel Teibert, Dwayne De Rosario
This is your match thread so chime in with your thoughts, observations and ridiculousness. If you're so nervous that you have to puke, it's okay. We expect it.
This. Is. Huge.