CHICAGO (June 25, 2019) – Following a dominant 6-0 victory against Trinidad & Tobago to clinch a place in the quarterfinals, the U.S. Men’s National Team now sets its sights on Wednesday’s match against Panama, with a win or draw securing the top spot in Concacaf Gold Cup Group D. Coverage of USA-Panama begins at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, UniMas, UDN and the Futbol de Primera Radio Networks. Fans can follow all the matches on the official U.S. Soccer app, as well as Facebook, Twitter (@USMNT) and Instagram (@USMNT) accounts.
DEFENDERS (8): 14-Reggie Cannon (FC Dallas; 3/0), 3-Omar Gonzalez (Toronto FC/CAN; 50/3), 2-Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes; 6/0), 23-Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 8/2), 16-Daniel Lovitz (Montreal Impact/CAN; 5/0), 19-Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG; 14/1), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 32/1), 5-Walker Zimmerman (LAFC; 9/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 4-Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 147/17), 8-Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 11/1), 20-Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire; 4/1), 10-Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 27/11), 15-Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 12/0), 6-Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 18/0)
FORWARDS (6): 17-Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 112/41), 7-Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 25/5), 21-Tyler Boyd (Vitória Guimãres/POR; 3/2), 18-Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; 4/0), 11-Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 29/5), 9-Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC; 47/10)
Facing Trinidad & Tobago for the first time since October 2017, the USMNT made a statement with a 6-0 victory against the Soca Warriors to clinch a berth in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals. Aaron Long and Gyasi Zardes each registered two goals, marking the first time since 2008 that a double brace occurred in a USMNT match, while Long also became the first defender in team history to record two goals in a single game. Christian Pulisic admitted he played with a chip on his shoulder, providing two assists to go along with a goal, while Paul Arriola added his second goal in as many games and third of the year.
Every time the USMNT has won a Concacaf Gold Cup, it’s leaned on contributions throughout the team, and so far this year’s edition is no different. Through two matches, 17 players have seen the field, with nine contributing to the USA’s 10 goals thus far. On the defensive end, the team has achieved two straight clean sheets, marking the first time since 2009 that the USA has begun the Gold Cup with two shutouts.
With the USA’s 6-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago and Panama’s 4-2 victory against Guyana on Saturday, both sides clinched berths to the Knockout Round, meaning Wednesday’s match in Kansas City will decide who finishes top of the group. With a superior goal differential, the USA needs just a draw to clinch first in the group for the 14th time in 15 Gold Cups, while Panama’s only route would be to defeat the United States.
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2019 Gold Cup Group D Table |
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|
TEAMS |
W |
L |
D |
Pts. |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
USA |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
|
Panama |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
|
Guyana |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
-6 |
|
Trinidad & Tobago |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
-8 |
The USA and Panama will cross over with the top two teams from Group C, where Jamaica (1-0-1; 4 pts.), El Salvador (1-0-1; 4pts.) and Curaçao (1-1-0; 3pts.) are all still alive. Group C wraps up on Tuesday night, meaning the USA and Panama will know their opponent possibilities heading into their match the following day.
Per tournament regulations, accumulating two yellow cards will result in an automatic one-game suspension. Players that only have one yellow card following the quarterfinal round will have the slate wiped clean for the rest of the tournament. Through the first two group matches, midfielder Weston McKennie is the only USMNT player to have a caution to his name, picking it up in the 58th minute of Saturday’s match against Trinidad & Tobago.
Held every two years, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. Just like in the European Championships and Copa America, lifting the trophy brings prestige and regional supremacy. Over the course of 14 previous Gold Cup tournaments, the United States has lifted the trophy six times (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017), just one behind all-time leaders Mexico with seven (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015). Canada is the only other tournament champion, coming away with the title in 2000.
Placed in Group D, the U.S. opens the tournament against Guyana on June 18 in St. Paul, takes on Trinidad & Tobago on June 22 in Cleveland and closes the group stage against regular tournament nemesis Panama on June 26 in Kansas City. The top two teams in each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals (June 29-30 in Houston, Philadelphia). The semifinals are set for July 2-3 in Phoenix and Nashville, respectively, before the champion is crowned on July 7 in Chicago.
With his brace against Trinidad & Tobago, Gyasi Zardes became the team’s leading scorer with four goals in 2019 – already a career high in a calendar year. The two goals also took Zardes’ career tally to 10, making him the 25th USMNT player to achieve double-digit goals.
The only USMNT player to appear in all eight matches in 2019, Paul Arriola continued his fine form against Trinidad & Tobago, recording his third career goal in the 78th minute.
With a goal and two assists, Christian Pulisic continued to be a thorn in the side of Trinidad & Tobago, with the 20-year-old registering four goals and three assists in four matches against the Soca Warriors. The attacker now also has 11 goals and eight assists in 27 career appearances for the USMNT.
Playing his first minutes of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, Jordan Morris made a positive impact off the bench, providing two assists in the 6-0 win against T&T.
Through two matches, 17 of the 23-player roster have made a tournament appearance. Nine of them have been Gold Cup debuts.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen made three saves, combining with the back line to keep his second-consecutive shutout of Gold Cup 2019.
In the USMNT’s last visit to Children’s Mercy Park, Gyasi Zardes recorded his first career brace, while 17-year-old Christian Pulisic also scored his first international goal in a 4-0 win against Bolivia on May 28, 2016.
Jozy Altidore has twice scored at Children’s Mercy Park, registering the lone goal in the USA’s 1-0 defeat of Guadeloupe in the 2011 Gold Cup Group Stage, as well as a 2-0 World Cup Qualifying win against Jamaica on Oct. 11, 2013.
Should either Arriola or Zardes score in Wednesday’s match against Panama, they would become the first USMNT player to score in all three group stage matches at a Concacaf Gold Cup.
With his next appearance, veteran midfielder Michael Bradley (22 GP) would move into a tie with Kasey Keller (23 GP) for third on the USMNT’s all-time Gold Cup caps list.
As of June 18, 2019, the U.S. roster has an average age of 25 years, 251 days and 24 caps.
Ten players on the roster have previous Gold Cup experience, led by Michael Bradley (4 tournaments), Jozy Altidore, Omar Gonzalez and Sean Johnson (3), Tim Ream and Gyasi Zardes (2), and Paul Arriola, Matt Miazga Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan (1)
Of the 10 players above, only Tim Ream was not part of the 2017 Gold Cup championship squad.
A majority of the roster comes from Major League Soccer, with 17 players representing 12 clubs.
Six players come from clubs outside of MLS, with four from England, and one each from Germany and Portugal.
Along with most tournament’s played, Bradley leads all players on the roster with 22 Gold Cup appearances, followed by Zardes (12), Altidore (10), Gonzalez (9), Jordan Morris and Paul Arriola (7 each).
Eight players on the roster have registered goals in the Gold Cup: Altidore and Zardes (4 each), Bradley, Gonzalez and Morris (3 each), Arriola, Boyd and Long (2 each), Miazga and Pulisic (1 each).
LAFC goalkeeper Tyler Miller is the only player on the Gold Cup roster looking for his USMNT debut.
Only five players were born when the USA won the inaugural Gold Cup title in 1991: Altidore, Bradley, Gonzalez Johnson and Ream.
Beginning with the inaugural title in 1991, the U.S. has lifted the Gold Cup on six occasions. The USA returned the trophy home in 2002 and won again in 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2017.
The USA has more wins in the CONCACAF Gold Cup than any other nation, going 58-8-9 all-time.
The U.S. has gone an impressive 35-1-4 during the Group Stage.
The MNT has advanced to the final on 10 occasions: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2017.
The USA has made it to the semifinals in 13 out of 14 tournaments, missing out only in 2000.
The USA and Panama will meet for the eighth consecutive Gold Cup on Wednesday, and 10th time overall in the competition.
The USA holds a 13-1-6 overall advantage against Panama and are 5-1-4 in Gold Cup play.
Panama handed the USA its only loss in the Gold Cup group stage, coming in a 2-1 defeat on June 11, 2011 in Tampa.
The USA and Panama have faced off in two different Gold Cup Finals. In 2005, the teams played to a 0-0 draw before the USA took the title 3-1 on penalty kicks at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In 2013, Brek Shea scored to give the USA a 1-0 victory at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Michael Bradley scored in the last USA-Panama match at Children’s Mercy Park, providing the USA goal in a 1-1 draw in the 2015 Gold Cup Group finale.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Luis Mejía (Nacional/URU; 21/0), José Calderón (Comunicaciones/GUA; 36/0), Orlando Mosquera (Tauro; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Harold Cummings (San Jose Earthquakes/USA; 60/1), Erick Davis (Dunajská Streda/SLO; 48/0), Fidel Escobar (Correcaminos/MEX; 37/1), Kevin Galván (Sporting San Miguelito; 4/0), Adolfo Machado (The Strongest/BOL; 83/2), Michael Murillo (New York Red Bulls/USA; 32/3), Francisco Palacios (San Francisco; 5/0), Román Torres (Seattle Sounders FC/USA; 112/10)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Édgar Bárcenas (Oviedo/ESP; 34/1), Omar Browne (Montreal Impact/CAN; 5/0), Armando Cooper (Maccabi Petah Tikva/ISR; 107/8), Alberto Quintero (Universitario/PER; 97/4), José Luis Rodríguez (Alaves B/ESP; 14/0), Marcos Sánchez (Tauro; 40/2)
FORWARDS (4): Abdiel Arroyo (Arabe Unido; 45/6), Rolando Blackburn (The Strongest/BOL; 34/5), José Fajarado (Al-Kawkab/KSA; 7/0), Gabriel Torres (Universidad de Chile/CHI; 80/15)
Panama is coached by former striker Julio Dely Valdes, who registered 18 goals in 44 appearances from 1991-2005. Dely Valdes previously managed Panama in 2006 and again from 2010-13, leading los Canaleros to the 2013 Gold Cup Final.
Four players are current MLS teammates with players on the USMNT. Harold Cummings lines up with Nick Lima at the San Jose Earthquakes, Michael Murillo plays with Aaron Long at the New York Red Bulls, Román Torres teams with Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan at Seattle Sounders FC, and Omar Browne works with Daniel Lovitz at the Montreal Impact.
Three other players have previously played in MLS: Adolfo Machado (Houston Dynamo; 2017-18), Fidel Escobar (New York Red Bulls; 2017-18), and Armando Cooper (Toronto FC; 2016-17).