U.S. Vs. El Salvador in Gold Cup Soccer Has Georgia Ties

There will be a strong Georgia tie when the U.S. takes on El Salvador Sunday, July 21, in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup men’s soccer tournament.

Lilburn native Sean Johnson is on the U.S. roster. The former Brookwood High School player is one of he goalkeepers for the U.S. His play in a 1-0 win over Costa Rica was a key to the U.S. winning Group C last week. Read this story on Johnson from earlier this past week. 

Nick Rimando may start in goal for the U.S. for the 4 p.m. game in Baltimore (live on Channel 5, Fox 5 Atlanta), but Johnson made a lasting impact with his play against Costa Rica, his first official international start for the U.S.

On the El Salvador roster is Atlanta Silverbacks midfielder Richie Menjivar, who has played every minute in his team’s three Gold Cup matches. The Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League play their home games at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, located near the I-85/I-285 interchange near Gwinnett outside the perimeter. 

Menjivar, 22, is a California native who was born and raised in the U.S., but has family ties to El Salvador.

Here’s some of his Menjivar's comments on Sunday’s game, courtesy of the Silverbacks PR department:

• On making the quarterfinals: "First of all, I’m just happy with the opportunity that I’ve been given. Playing for the national team is a privilege, and we’re very excited that we’ve advanced to the quarterfinals. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, but we’re looking forward to it."
• On the matchup with the US: "The U.S. is a good team. They play well together and have a lot of players with strong technical abilities. We have very good players too, though. It’s going to be a tactical game, and I think the team that executes their game plan better will win. It’s going to be important for us to play our style, concentrate on playing strong defense, and stick together for the full 90 minutes. The U.S. has weaknesses like every other team. It’s about exploiting those weaknesses, and I think we have the players to get the job done."
• On playing for El Salvador, despite being born and raised in the US: "I’m 100% Salvadoran. That’s my country and who I play for. Just because I was born and raised here doesn’t mean I’m going to show any mercy against the U.S. In fact, I was a part of the El Salvador team that knocked them out of Olympic Qualifying, and I’m not going to lie - it was a great feeling."
• On his first Gold Cup experience: "It’s been awesome so far. The fan base that has come out to support us has been incredible. I love playing in these tournaments, and it’s been something that I’ve been looking forward to since March. I feel like I came into the tournament ready, both mentally and physically, and so far I’ve loved every minute of it."
• On the Silverbacks and NASL helping his growth: "I think the NASL season has helped me grow a lot as a player. Fortunately for us in Atlanta, we’ve been able to play in front of some bigger crowds on a consistent basis. Now that I’m playing in a tournament like the Gold Cup, I feel like it’s just another game. Playing with the Silverbacks, I feel like I went into the tournament in good form, and winning the championship was not only a great feeling, but something that gave me some confidence."