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U.S. to play Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe in first round of Gold Cup

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The U.S. and Mexico were handed relatively easy passage through the early stages of the June 5-25 CONCACAF Gold Cup when the draw for the first round was announced Tuesday in New York.

Coach Bob Bradley’s Americans will open the 12-nation tournament against Canada at Ford Field in Detroit on June 7, and then play Panama at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on June 11 before ending the first round against Guadeloupe on June 14 at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Mo.

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If it wins its group, the U.S. would play its quarterfinal on June 19 at RFK Stadium in Washington. The two semifinals will be played at Reliant Stadium in Houston on June 22, with the final set for the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on June 25.

Mexico also received potentially trouble-free first-round pairings, with games against El Salvador on June 5 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas; against Cuba on June 9 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., and against Costa Rica on June 12 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The third group features Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica and Grenada.

Apart from the final at the Rose Bowl, the only other matches scheduled for California are first-round games between Jamaica and Grenada and between Honduras and Guatemala, both on June 6 at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Mexico is the defending Gold Cup champion, having won the event in 2009.

-- Grahame L. Jones

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