David verse Goliath … or should it be David verse Goliath's little brother?
The U.S. press apparently thinks the opener versus Belize is a foregone conclusion.
Soccer America referred to Belize at the "Central American minnow." A recent preview on Fox Soccer previewed the group with no mention of Belize.
While it is understandable to have the U.S. team as the heavy favorite, that is the beauty of the Gold Cup, which often matches CONCACAF juggernauts like the United States and Mexico against some of the regions smaller, underdeveloped soccer nations like Belize and Cuba.
I've yet to read or hear anything from the US camp (players or coaches) which has them looking past Belize. But, it must be tempting …
The Central American country has a population of approximately 330,000. If Belize were a state, it would be the smallest state population in the United States.
However, when I spoke with Belize coach Ian Mork on the phone this week, he acknowledged the challenge at hand, but was excited for his players and team to prove themselves against a higher level of competition. Throughout our conversation, I could sense his mixed emotions, which any coach will have in this type of situation. On one side he conveyed confidence in his team, felt good about their preparation and progress as well as their strong character, motivation and team unity. One the other side, you could sense the respect for the U.S. team, as well as his acknowledgement that it was a true "David verse Goliath" situation.
His team is made up of players who earn their living as tour guides, police officers and teachers and they are facing a U.S. team loaded with professional players playing around the world.
Wouldn't it be something if they could pull off the proverbial "Cinderella Story."
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