Guatemala has a long record of futility in the Gold Cup. It's played in the last six Gold Cups yet has won only one game in that span -- a 3-0 win over St. Vincent & the Grenadines in 1996.

The Chapines take a 12-game winless streak into their opener against the United States on Thursday night.

In its most recent meeting with the USA in March, Guatemala gained a 0-0 tie -- one of the few respectable results under Colombian Hernan Dario Gomez, appointed head coach last August. The Chapines went winless in their first five friendlies under Gomez and only edged Central American weaklings Nicaragua and Belize by 1-0 scores to qualify for the Gold Cup.

Only two foreign-based players were included in Gomez's Gold Cup squad: MLS star Carlos Ruiz and defender Pablo Melgar, who plays for Antofagasta in Chile.

GOLD CUP RECORD:
Appearances: 7
Record: 2 wins, 12 losses, 5 ties

GUATEMALA ROSTER:
Goalkeepers: Luis Pedro Molina (Jalapa), Paulo Cesar Motta (Municipal), Ricardo Alberto Trigueno (Marquense);
Defenders: Claudio Albizuris (Municipal), Gustavo Cabrera (Comunicaciones), Yony Flores (Marquense), Nestor Martinez (Marquense), Henry Alexander Medina (Municipal), Pablo Sebastian Melgar (Antofagasta/CHI);
Midfielders: Jose Manuel Contreras (Comunicaciones), Hector Saul De Mata (Comunicaciones), Carlos Figueroa (Municipal), Rigoberto Gomez (Comunicaciones), Leonel Noriega (Marquense), Carlos Quinones (Marquense), Mario Rodriguez (Municipal);
Forwards: Jairo Arreola (Comunicaciones), Marvin Tomas Avila (Suchitepequez), Dwight Pezzarossi (Comunicaciones), Carlos Ruiz (FC Dallas/USA), Gregory Lester Ruiz (Marquense), Hernan Sandoval (Comunicaciones), Edwin Villatoro (Municipal).
Coach: Hernan Dario GOMEZ (Colombia)