2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup facts for kids
| Copa de Oro de la Concacaf 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Host countries | Canada United States |
| Dates | July 7–26 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Venue(s) | 14 (in 14 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Mexico (10th title) |
| Runners-up |  Jamaica |
| Third place |  Panama |
| Fourth place |  United States |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 26 |
| Goals scored | 62 (2.38 per match) |
| Attendance | 1,090,396 (41,938 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Clint Dempsey (7 goals) |
| Best player | Andrés Guardado |
| Best young player | Jesús Corona |
| Best goalkeeper | Brad Guzan |
| Fair play award | Jamaica |
The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup was a big international football (soccer) tournament. It was the 13th time this exciting competition was held. Teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean competed.
The tournament took place in two countries: the United States and Canada. It ran from July 7 to July 26, 2015. Twelve national teams battled it out to see who would be the champion.
Teams That Played
Twelve teams earned their spot to play in the 2015 Gold Cup. These teams came from different parts of the CONCACAF region.
Canada (one of the hosts)
Costa Rica
Cuba
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Panama
Trinidad and Tobago- United States (the other host)
How the Tournament Worked
The tournament had two main parts: the group stage and the knockout stage.
Group Stage: Starting Strong
The twelve teams were divided into three groups: Group A, Group B, and Group C. Each team played every other team in their group once. Teams earned points for wins and draws.
- A win gave 3 points.
- A draw (tie) gave 1 point.
- A loss gave 0 points.
The top two teams from each group automatically moved on. The two best third-place teams also got to advance to the next round.
Group A Highlights
In Group A, the United States finished in first place. They won two games and tied one. Haiti came in second. Panama finished third but still qualified for the next round.
Group B Highlights
Jamaica was the top team in Group B. They won two matches and drew one. Costa Rica finished second, tying all three of their games.
Group C Highlights
Trinidad and Tobago won Group C. They had two wins and one draw. Mexico came in second. Cuba finished third and also moved on to the knockout stage.
Knockout Stage: The Finals Begin
The knockout stage was where teams played single-elimination matches. If a team lost, they were out of the tournament. This stage included the quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place match, and the final.
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Third place match | ||||||||||
Quarter-Finals: Big Wins and Close Calls
The quarter-finals saw some exciting matches. The United States beat Cuba with a score of 6-0. Jamaica won against Haiti 1-0. Panama and Trinidad and Tobago played a very close game, ending 1-1. Panama won after a penalty shootout. Mexico also had a tough match against Costa Rica, winning 1-0 in extra time.
Semi-Finals: The Road to the Final
In the semi-finals, Jamaica continued their strong run. They defeated the United States 2-1, which was a big surprise. Mexico faced Panama in the other semi-final. Mexico won 2-1 after extra time, in another very close match.
Third Place Playoff
The United States and Panama played for third place. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. Panama won the third-place trophy after a penalty shootout.
The Final Match
The final match was between Jamaica and Mexico. It was played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Mexico won the game 3-1. This victory made Mexico the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup champions!
Top Players and Goal Scorers
Many players showed great skill during the tournament. Here are some of the top performers:
Most Goals Scored
- 7 goals: Clint Dempsey (United States)
- 6 goals: Andrés Guardado (Mexico)
- 4 goals: Oribe Peralta (Mexico)
Other Goal Scorers
- 2 goals:
- Duckens Nazon
- Darren Mattocks
- Giles Barnes
- Garath McCleary
- Carlos Vela
- Luis Tejada
- Sheldon Bateau
- Keron Cummings
- Kenwyne Jones
- Michael Bradley
- 1 goal:
- Roy Miller
- David Ramírez
- Bryan Ruiz
- Maikel Reyes
- Dustin Corea
- Carlos Ruiz
- Carlos Discua
- Andy Najar
- Rodolph Austin
- Jobi McAnuff
- Giovani dos Santos
- Jesús Corona
- Paul Aguilar
- Roberto Nurse
- Blas Pérez
- Alberto Quintero
- Román Torres
- Andre Boucaud
- Cordell Cato
- Joevin Jones
- Yohance Marshall
- Omar Gonzalez
- Aron Jóhannsson
- Gyasi Zardes
- 1 own goal:
- Kenwyne Jones (playing against Mexico)
See also
In Spanish: Copa de Oro de la Concacaf 2015 para niños
