CHICAGO (July 10, 2021)—The U.S. Men’s National Team will launch its quest for a seventh confederation championship when it opens the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup against Haiti on Sunday, July 11 in Kansas City, Kan.
Coverage from Children’s Mercy Park begins at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, Univision and TUDN. Fans can follow the USMNT during the tournament on Twitter (@USMNT), Instagram (@USMNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.
GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Brad Guzan (Atlanta United; 64/0), 18-Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 9/0), 1-Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 1/0)
DEFENDERS (8): 21-George Bello (Atlanta United; 1/0), 2-Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 18/1), 20-Shaq Moore (Tenerife/ESP; 5/0), 4-Donovan Pines (D.C. United; 0/0), 12-Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 3/1), 16-James Sands (New York City FC; 0/0), 3-Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; 3/0), 5-Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 14/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 23-Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 31/2), 6-Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; 0/0), 17-Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 24/7), 10-Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 20/0), 19-Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; 0/0), 14-Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 12/0)
FORWARDS: (6): 7-Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 35/8), 11-Daryl Dike (Orlando City; 3/1), 8-Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen/FRA; 3/2), 13-Matthew Hoppe (Schalke/GER; 0/0), 15-Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; 7/2), 9-Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew; 56/12)
|
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Time (ET) |
TV Info |
|
Sunday, July 11 |
Haiti |
Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas |
9 p.m. |
FS1, Univision, TUDN |
|
Thursday, July 15 |
Martinique |
Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas |
10 p.m. |
FS1, UniMás, TUDN |
|
Sunday, July 18 |
Canada |
Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas |
5 p.m. |
FOX, Univision, TUDN |
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 15 previous Gold Cup tournaments, the United States has lifted the trophy six times (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017), just behind all-time leaders Mexico with eight (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019). Canada is the only other tournament champion, coming away with the title in 2000.
Placed in Group B, the U.S. opens the tournament against 2019 semifinalists Haiti on July 11, faces Martinique on July 15 and wraps up the group stage against Canada on July 18. The top two teams in each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals (July 24-25 in Arlington, Texas and Glendale, Ariz.). The semifinals are scheduled for July 29 in Austin and Houston, before the championship match on Aug. 1 in Las Vegas.
In the middle of a jam-packed 2021 schedule, the Gold Cup provides an opportunity for the USMNT to pick up its second regional trophy of the summer. In June, the USA clinched the inaugural Concacaf Nations League title with a thrilling extra-time victory against Mexico, and now the U.S. will look to take home more hardware at the confederation championship.
This year’s competition takes on additional importance as the USMNT’s final gathering before 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying kicks off in September. The tournament will provide invaluable experience against Concacaf opposition in a high-pressure environment as 12 players have the chance to compete in official competition for the USA for the first time.
Nineteen of the 23 players on the Gold Cup roster weren’t a part of the USMNT’s Nations League roster, providing an almost entirely new group of players exposure to high-level Concacaf competition. This experience is essential as World Cup qualifying kicks off in the fall, especially with a new format that includes more games over a shorter period of time. Eight teams will compete for three berths to the World Cup during the course of seven months rather than 18, and four of five international windows will include teams playing three matches in seven days, meaning depth will be critical.
Five players will aim to earn their first USMNT cap at the Gold Cup - Gianluca Busio, Matthew Hoppe, Donovan Pines, James Sands and Eryk Williamson - while seven others are looking to make their first appearance in official competition: George Bello, Daryl Dike, Nicholas Gioacchini, Shaq Moore, Miles Robinson, Matt Turner and Sam Vines.
Despite arriving in Kansas City with a roster that averages just under 25 years of age, the USMNT brings six players who have Gold Cup titles under their belts: Brad Guzan and Sean Johnson (2 each), Kellyn Acosta, Paul Arriola, Cristian Roldan, and Gyasi Zardes (1 each). Three more bring prior experience at the tournament: Reggie Cannon, Jonathan Lewis and Walker Zimmerman.
Midfielder Sebastian Lletget is the only USMNT player to appear in all 11 of the team’s matches over the last two calendar years and is tied for the team’s goal-scoring lead this year with three tallies.
Born and raised in Overland Park, Kan., forward Nicholas Gioacchini is returning home for the first time since the age of eight, when his family moved to Italy. After a spell in Maryland, the Gioacchinis moved back to Europe and Nicholas launched his pro soccer career with Paris FC in 2017 before moving to Caen, his current club, the following year. The forward made his international debut and scored his first two USA goals in the 6-2 win against Jamaica in November and now will look to make his mark during the Gold Cup group stage in his hometown.
Defender Reggie Cannon is fresh off of a big June with the USMNT, helping the team lift the Concacaf Nations League trophy and scoring his first international goal in the friendly against Costa Rica. After playing a key role for the USA during the 2019 Gold Cup, Cannon made the move overseas to Portuguese club Boavista and is confident that he’s raised his game as he aims for his second regional title of the summer. Listen to the USMNT defender speak with Jordan Angeli and Charlie Davies on this week’s episode of The U.S. Soccer Podcast.
The USMNT played four matches during the June international window, attempting to simulate the cadence of the new World Cup qualifying format. Sebastian Lletget struck first for the USA vs. Switzerland in the team’s first match, but the U.S. fell 2-1. In the Nations League, a hard-fought 1-0 semifinal win vs. Honduras set the stage for an instant classic USA-Mexico match in the Concacaf Nations League Final, a dramatic 3-2 victory.
WATCH: USMNT Defeats Costa Rica 4-0 | June 9, 2021
The USMNT capped off the international break with an emphatic 4-0 win against Costa Rica that saw both Cannon and forward Daryl Dike net their first international goals. With the result, the USA has won its last 10 matches against Concacaf opponents, a promising trend heading into the confederation championship.
Gold Cup roster members Kellyn Acosta, Cannon, Lletget and Jackson Yueill were all a part of the USA’s Nations League squad, while Dike and Zimmerman both appeared in the friendly vs. Costa Rica. Hoppe was a part of the USMNT matchday squad vs. Switzerland.
Players on the roster average 13 caps overall and five caps in official competition.
Nineteen of the 23 players represent a total of 13 different clubs in Major League Soccer. Atlanta United and Colorado Rapids lead the way with three players each, followed by D.C. United, New York City FC (2 each); Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, Orlando City SC, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City (1 each).
Defenders Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portugal) and Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain) and forwards Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; France) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke; Germany) make up the European-based contingent.
Sporting KC midfielder Gianluca Busio and NYCFC defender James Sands are the two players on the roster to earn their first USMNT call-ups. Sands turned 21 on July 6, the day of his first USMNT training session.
Shaq Moore earns his first USMNT call-up since November 2018. With five international appearances to his name, the 24-year-old right back comes to his first camp under Gregg Berhalter after making 41 league appearances with Tenerife during the 2020-21 Spanish Segunda campaign.
A veteran of the USA’s 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup side, Moore last appeared in the USMNT’s 1-0 defeat to Italy on Nov. 20, 2018 in Genk, Belgium.
Gyasi Zardes’ team-leading 16 Gold Cup caps currently place him in a tie with Kyle Beckerman and Pablo Mastroeni for 10th on the USMNT's all-time Gold Cup appearances list.
Since 2018, Zardes leads all U.S.-eligible players in MLS with 47 goals. The veteran striker also sits eighth all-time on the USMNT's Gold Cup scoring list with four goals.
Midfielder Cristian Roldan made his international debut during the 2017 Gold Cup, starting the team's 3-2 win against Martinique on July 12, 2017, in Tampa. The USA will play Martinique on July 15, three days after the four-year anniversary of that match.
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 Gold Cup than any other nation, going 61-9-9 all-time.
The U.S. has gone an impressive 35-1-4 during the group stage.
The USMNT has advanced to the final on 11 occasions: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019.
The USA has made it to the semifinals in 14 out of 15 tournaments, missing out only in 2000.
The USMNT is 6-6-5 against Haiti all-time. Les Grenadiers are one of only two Concacaf teams against which the USA does not hold a winning record – the other is Mexico.
The USA is unbeaten in its last five matches (3-0-2) vs. Haiti and undefeated in three Gold Cup meetings with the Caribbean nation (2-0-1).
The U.S. and Haiti last met in the 2015 Gold Cup group stage in Foxborough, Mass., a 1-0 win for the USA. Gyasi Zardes teed up Clint Dempsey for the lone goal just after halftime to help the USMNT secure the top spot in Group A.
Their first meeting came in qualifying for the 1954 World Cup, with two victories for the USA in Port-au-Prince on the strength of goals scored by National Soccer Hall of Famers Bill Looby and Efrain Chacurian.
GOALKEEPERS (3): 12-Josue Duverger (Vitoria/POR; 1/0), 23-Isaac Rouaud (J3S Amilly/FRA; 0/0), 1-Brain Sylvestre (Miami FC/USA; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): 4-Ricardo Ade (Muschuc Runa/ECU; 17/1), 2-Carlens Arcus (Auxerre/FRA; 20/1), 22-Alex Christian (Atyrau/KAZ; 29/0), 3-Francois Dulysse (New England Revolution II/USA; 0/0), 17-Martin Experience (Avranches/FRA; 0/0), 6-Jems Geffrard (HFX Wanderers/CAN; 19/0), 13-Kevin Lafrance (AEK Larnaca/CYP; 39/5), 5-Stephane Lambese (Orleans/FRA; 8/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 21-Bryan Alceus (Gaz Metan Medias/ARM; 22/0), 15-Dutherson Clerveaux (Cavaly; 1/0), 10-Derrick Etienne (Columbus Crew/USA; 25/3), 8-Zachary Herivaux (Birmingham Legion/USA; 17/0), 14-Leverton Pierre (USL Dunkerque/FRA; 0/0), 19-Steeven Saba (Violette; 14/1)
FORWARDS (6): 7-Carnejy Antoince (Orleans/FRA; 1/2), 18-Ronaldo Damus (Orange County SC/USA; 2/0), 16-Don Louicius (Hobro IK/DEN; 2/0), 11-Roberto Louima (Violette; 4/0), 9-Duckens Nazon (Sint-Truiden/BEL; 44/26), 20-Frantzdy Pierrot (Guingamp/FRA; 23/14)
Haiti earned its berth to the 2021 Gold Cup as one of three preliminary qualifiers. Prior to the tournament proper, 12 teams gathered in Ft. Lauderdale and played out three four-team brackets to determine the competition’s final three entrants.
The top seed in the Gold Cup prelims, Haiti topped Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6-1 in its opening match with Duckens Nazon bagging a brace.
In the Gold Cup berth-clinching match vs. Bermuda, Les Grenadiers used a first-half hat trick from Frantzdy Pierrot to win 4-1 and advance to its eighth confederation championship.
Nazon (26 goals) and Pierrot (14 goals) are the leading scorers on the roster and have combined for 13 goals this year. Nazon’s 49 caps also lead the team.
Haiti had an impressive showing at the 2019 Gold Cup, reaching the tournament semifinals for its highest finish. The Haitians topped their group with three straight victories and came from behind to beat Canada in the quarterfinals before losing to Mexico on a penalty in extra time.
Haiti is 8-11-5 all-time at the Gold Cup. The Carribean nation has advanced past the group stage in four of seven previous appearances.
Former Haiti defender Jean-Jacques Pierre became Haiti’s head coach at the start of 2021 and has led the team to a 5-2-0 record entering the Gold Cup. It’s his first major coaching job after a long playing career across Argentina, France, Greece, Haiti and Uruguay.
Five players are based in the USA, highlighted by Columbus Crew midfielder Derrick Etienne Jr., a teammate of U.S. forward Gyasi Zardes. Goalkeeper Bryan Sylvestre (Miami FC), midfielder Zachary Herivaux (Birmingham Legion) and forward Ronaldo Damus (Orange County SC) play in the USL Championship, while defender Francois Dulysse plays in USL League One at New England Revolution II.
Haiti has players based in 11 different countries. In addition to three in Haiti, Les Grenadiers ply their trade in France (seven), the U.S. (five), Armenia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Kazakhstan and Portugal (one each).