Predicting the Gold Cup Rosters Part 4 – Everyone Else
By Eric Harris
After Predicting the Three North American Squads, who else will we see in the Gold Cup?
While Mexico and the United States are sending primarily younger, lesser experienced sides to the Gold Cup, it’s a chance for some other countries to make some progress up the CONCACAF ladder. Our final piece of predicting the Gold Cup roster might be the biggest fool’s errand of all, guessing who the other nine squads will bring.
There will be a healthy MLS contingency in the tournament this year. Honduras and Costa Rica are particularly dependent on the league’s players. There will also be a fair amount of new faces looking to break onto the scene in the Confederation and could potentially make their way into MLS soon.
Group A
Honduras
Goalkeepers: Donis Escobar, Luis Lopez, Harold Fonseca
Defenders: Maynor Figueroa, Emilio Izaguierre, Brayan Beckeles, Johnny Palacios, Johnny Leveron, Henry Figueroa, Allans Vargas, Marcelo Pereira
Midfielders: Boniek Garcia, Rigoberto Rivas, Mario Martinez, Alfredo Mejia, Jorge Claros, Rigoberto Rivas, Bryan Acosta, Oscar Salas
Forwards: Choco Lozano, Romell Quioto, Alberth Elis, Angel Tejada
A trio of Houston Dynamo players lead this roster, Honduras should be one of the most experienced sides in the Gold Cup. A young player to keep an eye on is Rigoberto Rivas. A member of Inter Milan’s system, the 18-year-old is one of the more exciting prospects for Los Catrachos.
Costa Rica
Goalkeepers: Patrick Pemberton, Leonel Moreira, Danny Carvajal
Defenders: Michael Umana,Giancarlo Gonzales, Jhonny Acosta, Bryan Oviedo, Cristian Gamboa, Ronald Matarrita, Francisco Calvo, Jose Salvatierra, Juan Pablo Vargas
Midfielders: Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz, Rodney Wallace, Yeltsin Tejada, Johan Venegas, David Guzman, Randall Azofeifa, Ulises Segura
Forwards: Ariel Rodriguez, Marco Urena, David Ramirez
Oscar Ramirez surprisingly left off several MLS players and opted to go all in with their European based squad. Names like Roy Miller, Kendall Watson, and Christian Bolaños are all going to be at home for this. Despite that they still have the most MLS players outside of the U.S. and Canada, and Jamaica.
French Guiana
Goalkeepers: Donovan Leon, Janot Apagui, Simon Lugier
Defenders: Marvin Torvic, Kevin Rimane, Gary Marigard, Jean David Legrand, Gregory Lescot, Simon Falette, Yoann Salmier, Anthony Soubervie
Midfielders: Marc Edwige, Serge Lesperance, Ludovic Baal, Miguel Haabo, Loic Baal, Cederic Fabien
Forwards: Rhudy Evens, Mickael Solvi, Roy Contout, Alex Eric, Arnold Abelinti, Sloan Privat
Your guess is as good as mine. They have a few players in Ligue 1 in France, like Sloan Privat, Ludovic Baal, and Simon Falette. Outside of that finding info in this team was an interesting internet rabbit hole to go down.
Group B
Panama
Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon, Alex Rodriguez, Orlando Mosquera
Defenders: Roman Torres, Adolfo Machado, Luis Ovalle, Michael Murillo, Erick Davis, Roderick Miller, Roberto Chen, Fidel Escobar
Midfielders: Anibal Godoy, Alberto Quintero, Armando Cooper, Miguel Camargo, Josiel Nunez, Ismael Diaz, Edgar Barcenas, Jorman Aguilar, Jose Gonzales
Forwards: Ricardo Clarke, Valentin Pimentel, Abidel Arroyo
Older names like Gabriel Gomez and Luis Tejada are available, but Panama should opt to go with some youth in this squad. Roman Torres, Adolfo Machado, and Anibal Godoy are some MLS names that fans are familiar with. Keep an eye on 19-year-old Ismael Diaz who plays professionally in Portugal.
Martinique
Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Vemignon, Kevin Olimpia, Loic Chauvet
Defenders: Kevin Theophile-Catherine, Jean-Sylvian Babin, Christophe Herele, Christopher Glonbard, Jordy Delem, Sebastien Cretinoir, Nicolas Zaire, Karl Vitulin
Midfielders: Steeven Langil, Johan Audel, Julien Faubert, Dominique Pandor, Geoffery Malfleury, Daniel Herelle, Stephane Abaul
Forwards: Kevin Parsemain, Anthony Angely, Yoann Arquin, Mathias Coureir, Gregory Pastel
They have Jordy Delem of the Seattle Sounders. Outside of that there isn’t that much to say.
Nicaragua
Goalkeepers: Justo Lorente, Henry Maradiaga, Diedrich Tellez
Defenders: Josue Quijano, Manuel Rosas, Luis Copete, Erick Tellez, Jason Casco, Bismark Veliz, Oscar Lopez
Midfielders: Elvis Pinel, Marlon Lopez, Daniel Cadena, Bryan Garcia, Luis Peralta, Luis Galeamo, Maykel Montiel
Forwards: Juan Barrera, Carlos Chavarria, Eulises Pavon, Daniel Reyes
FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City both have recently played Real Esteli in CONCACAF Champions League play recently. A lot of this roster plays there, so there’s that.
Group C
El Salvador
Goalkeepers: Derby Carrillo, Benji Villalobos, Daniel Arroyo
Defenders: Xavier Garcia, Alexander Larin, Milton Molina, Henry Romero, Juan Barahoma, Roberto Dominguez, Bryan Tamacas
Midfielders: Jaime Alas, Andres Flores, Darwin Ceren, Richard Manjivar, Nestor Renderos, Gerson Mayer, Pablo Punyed, Edwin Sanchez, Oscar Ceren, Denis Pineda
Forwards: Rodolfo Zelaya, Nelson Bonilla, Irvin Herrera
The preliminary list has three New York Cosmos players. A squad with just a few lower division players does not bode well for them in this tournament.
Curacao
Goalkeepers: Eloy Room, Rowendy Sumter, Zeus de la Paz
Defenders: Shanon Carmelia, Cuco Martina, Dustley Mulder, Darryl Lachman, Gillian Justana, Jason Wall, Ayrton Statie
Midfielders: Gevaro Nepomuceno, Ashar Bernardus, Kemy Agusteen, Michael Mario, Leandro Bacuna, Jarchinio Antonia, Jeremy de Nooijer, Quenten Martinus
Forwards: Gino van Kessel, Felitciano Zschusschen, Rihairo Meulens, Gianluca Maria, Charlison Benschop
This Curacao team is…good? Stay with me here, at the very least they’ll be fun. So don’t turn off the TV as soon as you see them on. Defender Cuco Martina played last for Southampton, could sign with Everton and scored against Arsenal. Leandro Bacuna has over 100 appearances with Aston Villa. The rest of the team is scattered around the Dutch, German, and Portuguese leagues so they have experience.
Jamaica
Goalkeepers: Dwayne Miller, Andre Blake, Ryan Thompson
Defenders: Kemar Lawrence, Alvas Powell, Jermaine Taylor, Shawn Francis, Oniel Fisher, Rosario Harriott, Damion Lowe
Midfielders: Omar Holness, Dwayne Gordon, Sergio Campbell, Michael Binns, Junior Flemmings, Craig Foster, Ricardo Morris, Ewan Grandison
Forwards: Darren Mattocks, Dever Orgill, Jermaine Johnson, Romario Williams, Cory Burke
Related Story: Predicting the Gold Cup Rosters Part 3 - Mexico
The most familiar team for MLS fans out side of the largest teams. Jamaica is coming off their surprising finals run in the last Gold Cup. But will they play like the side who was second in the Gold Cup, or failed to qualify for the Hex?