Gold Cup Winners and Losers for Jurgen Klinsmann's US National Team

The United States men’s national team skipped past Panama in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final 1-0, affirming their regional dominance.

It was a tournament filled almost exclusively with positivity for the Yanks, midfielder Stuart Holden’s horrible knee injury being one of the only exceptions.

Simply stated, the U.S. looked a side vastly superior to the competition.

Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers from the dominant USMNT showing.

Winners

Landon Donovan

Any questioning Landon Donovan’s usefulness to the U.S. must be considered lunacy after how the L.A. Galaxy man played in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

LD led the tournament in just about every offensive category measurable. He showed off his multi-facetted offensive prowess, consistently setting up teammates and finishing off opportunities in the process.

He reminded the footballing world just how special and dangerous he can be when he is fully fit and mentally prepared to play.

Joe Corona

Joe Corona played like a man doing his best to earn a roster spot for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

He offered cultured technique when the U.S. wanted to play one-touch soccer and showed off an offense creativity that suggests he can create space in tight spots and find the back of the net from distance.

The Club Tijuana midfielder will certainly be on the mind of Jurgen Klinsmann in the coming months.

Nick Rimando

The backup goalkeeper position is a crowded one for the USMNT.

Thanks to a fine performance in the Gold Cup, Real Salt Lake netminder Nick Rimando may have separated himself from the pack.

Rimando is an adept shot-blocker and particularly skilled with the ball at his feet. Having a goalkeeper like Rimando, whose first touch is silky in rough waters, allows the U.S. to keep the ball in even the most hairy of situations.

He will certainly be an asset should something happen to Tim Howard before the World Cup.

Losers

Stuart Holden

Had Stuart Holden been able to play the entire Gold Cup Final without injuring his knee, he would have certainly been placed in the “Winners” category of this piece.  

Holden looked a man possessed to make his comeback complete in this Gold Cup, mixing it up in the midfield and serving creative diagonal passes in the final third.

No other way to put it—another knee injury for the Bolton man is devastating.

Oguchi Oneywu

Oguchi Oneywu was a solid contributor in the 2013 Gold Cup and offered fine leadership.

However, based on the smart play of Clarence Goodson, it appears that Gooch will not be included in the World Cup roster.

That is, of course, because of the depth the U.S. has at the center-back position. There simply will not be room for the elder statesman, it seems.

Chris Wondolowski

The San Jose Earthquake striker removed the massive 300-pound gorilla from his back at the start of this tournament, scoring goals in an international competition for the first time in his career.

However, when Klinsmann called in Eddie Johnson to the camp, it became quite clear why Wondo cannot consistently contribute at the international level: his physical deficiencies.

Where EJ can blow past defenders with speed and crush aerial challenges with freakish leaping abilities, Wondolowski does not compare.

Last season’s MLS regular-season MVP will likely find himself excluded from the 2014 World Cup roster.