USA's Howard livid after Spanish ceremony
PASADENA, Calif. – Tempers flared at the end of Saturday’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final as the United States' starting goalkeeper Tim Howard reacted furiously to much of the presentation ceremony being conducted in Spanish.
The USA surrendered a 2-0 first-half lead against Mexico before eventually losing 4-2 at the Rose Bowl, but it was not just the defeat that annoyed the squad.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard felt he and his teammates were disrespected by the way the post-game formalities were conducted by regional federation CONCACAF – one of soccer’s most controversial governing bodies – and vented his ire as he prepared to step on to the team bus.
"CONCACAF should be ashamed of itself," Howard told Yahoo! Sports. "I think it was an [expletive] disgrace that the entire post-match ceremony was held in Spanish. You can bet your [expletive] if we were in Mexico City it wouldn’t all be in English."
Howard was seen gesturing angrily as the U.S. team left the field after receiving its runner-up medals, while team officials attempted to calm him down.
The Americans had already been forced to remain out in the middle of the pitch for several minutes while the victorious Mexicans celebrated their victory.
The final was held in front of a crowd of 93,420, the vast majority of whom were supporting Mexico. Howard, as opposition goalkeeper, was regularly taunted by foul-mouthed chants from the crowd as he took goal kicks from his own area, a custom in Mexican soccer.
CONCACAF media relations staff was unavailable for comment in regards to the decision to hold much of the presentation in Spanish.
