By Ivan Orozco
ARLINGTON, Texas -Roger Salnot doesn't smile much - at least not in public.
The Guadeloupe coach sits and listens to questions and answers them in a monotonous tone.
He goes about his business casually, dressing in a Guadeloupe team polo shirt and sweat pants.
Some might say he's not enjoying the Gold Cup.
Things are a bit different for Rodrigo Kenton.
Costa Rica's coach likes to dress in a suit at news conferences, is relaxed but shows some enthusiasm at times.
Both coaches have their own personalities and different styles of coaching. That translates to different styles of play on the field.
Those could be more than enough reasons to make Sunday's quarterfinal match between Guadeloupe and Costa Rica an interesting affair.
Add that both teams are not very familiar with each other, and the first game of a doubleheader at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium could be entertaining.
Both teams met in the 2007 Gold Cup as part of group play. Costa Rica beat the Gwada Boys 1-0. But that doesn't give Kenton extra confidence this time around.
"We don't know too much history about Guadeloupe, but we respect them," Kenton said. "We've seen their matches in the Gold Cup and they've done very well. We're hoping to give a good performance and continue on our path."
Costa Rica has reached the quarterfinals for the seventh time and is looking to reach the semifinals for the third time.
The Central American (UNCAF) Nations Cup runner-up was a finalist in 2002, when it lost to the United States at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The Ticos came into the Gold Cup as the leaders in the hexagonal round standings of World Cup qualifying. Kenton has used a handful of players from qualifying in the Gold Cup, but has come under criticism for finishing second behind Canada with four points in the group stage.
Costa Rica's results line during Group A includes:
·A 2-1 loss to El Salvador.
·A 1-0 win against Jamaica.
·A 2-2 draw with Canada, the group champion.
It's not the results Costa Rica fans became accustomed to during World Cup qualifying.
Costa Rica leads the United States by two points. The Ticos moved to the top of the table thanks to a 3-1 win against the Americans in San Jose, Costa Rica, in early June.
The Ticos are also coming off wins against Honduras and El Salvador.
Critics were expecting similar if not better results in this Gold Cup.
"I respect the criticism in that aspect, but one thing is the hexagonal, and the other is completely different," Kenton said. "The Gold Cup is a tournament that is played in a month which starts when the teams are off. The players are coming from their off-season to play in the Gold Cup."
("Yo respeto los criterios en ese sentido una cosa es el hexagonal y otra cosa totalmente diferente es el torneo de la copa de oro en un torneo que se juega en un mes en donde inicia justa mente cuando los equipos estamos viendonos en pretemporada," dijo. "Los jugadores llegan en etapa de descanso para jugarse la copa de oro.")
Kenton is also using his Gold Cup roster as a means to look at other players for future consideration, perhaps during World Cup qualifiers.
The team is led by veteran Walter Centeno -- who has 131 caps and 22 goals with the national team, Andy Herron, Celso Borges and Esteban Sirias.
"I think we've used enough players but left some out the Gold Cup thinking about what's next, the hexagonal, while hoping to go from less to more," Kenton said. "Every day we gain more confidence in this strong tournament in which I think we've done well."
("Yo pienso que emos usado un intermedio de jugadores y hemos dejado unos jugadores fuera de lo que es esta copa de oro pensando en lo que sigue en la hexagonal y esperando de ir de menos a mas y cada dia cogiendo mas confianza ya que es un torneo fuerte y por lo tanto creo que estamos muy bien," Kenton dijo.)
Salnot, Guadeloupe's coach is aware of the Ticos success.
"We know they're a good team based on what we've seen on TV," Salnot said. "We also have a memory of the team in 2007 although there have been changes since then. But other than, that we don't know much of their team."
Salnot said he tried to keep tabs on Costa Rica, but hasn't had much luck. He said he's watched its previous matches and has followed the team with whatever means are available.
"Guadeloupe TV concentrates on football from Europe, and doesn't have a lot of information from CONCACAF and Central American teams," Salnot said. "So we've been trying to follow the team's progress through the CONCACAF Web site (GoldCup.org)."
Salnot does know he will have to rely on some of his experienced players such as David Fleurival, Stephen Auvray, Mickael Antoine-Curier and Miguel Commingues.
The Gwada Boys will be without defender Alain Vertot and forward Ludovic Gotin against Costa Rica. Both will serve a one-match suspension for receiving red cards in Guadeloupe's 2-0 loss to Mexico last week.
Guadeloupe, which finished behind Mexico in Group C, already was without its starting goalkeeper, Franck Grandel, as well as Ronald Zubar, Sylvestre Ludovic and Fabrice Mercury, all of whom are out with injuries.
Grandel reportedly returned to France to rehab with his club prior to the start of the Gold Cup. Salnot expects to have some injured players ready for return.
Guadeloupe is trying to repeat its surprising outing during the Gold Cup in 2007, when it reached the semifinals before losing to Mexico.
Salnot's team has maybe proven it is no longer a surprise team or an underdog in this tournament. The Gwada Boys' has said repeatedly that he didn't come to "participate but to compete."
Maybe that is why his complexion reflects seriousness most of the time. Perhaps he's focused on the task at hand. A win and a slot in the semifinals might change that.
