Last Time Out: USMNT Defeats Haiti in Concacaf Gold Cup
The U.S. Men’s National Team prepares for Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals against Haiti one year after the sides last met in the 2025 Gold Cup group stage
The U.S. Men’s National Team is no stranger to facing Haiti in international competition. The upcoming Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal matches between the USMNT and Haiti on Nov. 14 in Miami, Fla., and Nov. 17 in Cincinnati, Ohio, will mark the sixth and seventh time the sides have met since the turn of the century, with all but one meeting taking place in a Concacaf official tournament.
The last four matchups between the Stars and Stripes and Les Grenadiers were in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stage. In 2009, a Stu Holden 90th minute equalizer rescued a point for the Americans in the 2-2 draw. Striker Clint Dempsey scored his second-consecutive game-winner in the 2015 Gold Cup Group A finale as the 1-0 USA win clinched the top spot in the group. The USMNT started the 2021 Gold Cup with another 1-0 victory against Haiti with left back Sam Vines scoring his lone international goal for the winner.
The last matchup between the USA and Haiti came June 22, 2025, closing out group play that created some much-needed momentum for the U.S. on its way to the 2025 Gold Cup Final. Heading into the tournament, the USMNT was on a four-match losing streak having suffered narrow losses to Panama and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League before falling to Türkiye and Switzerland. The U.S. set the tone with a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago to open 2025 Gold Cup group play before defender Chris Richards scored the winner in the 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. had already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals heading into the Group D finale, but Haiti was in a must-win situation to keep alive any hope of advancing.
That hope began to slip once midfielder Malik Tillman scored the opening goal for the U.S. less than 10 minutes into the match. Left winger Brenden Aaronson recycled his blocked shot from inside the box and curled a cross towards the far post. Tillman got in behind the backline and redirected a powerful header into the left side netting. After scoring a brace against Trinidad and Tobago, Tillman’s goal was his third in as many matches – a feat he recently achieved again this year.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Haiti capitalized on a giveaway in the 19th minute. Under pressure and facing goal, center back Tim Ream played a pass back to goalkeeper Matt Freese, who attempted a first-touch pass out to fullback John Tolkin, but Freese mishit the ball. Haiti’s Louicius Don Deedson intercepted the pass and bent his left-footed shot past the fingertips of Freese and into the net for the equalizer.
The U.S. searched for the go-ahead goal, many times forcing remarkable saves from Haitian goalkeeper Johny Placide. Twice in the second half, it appeared Tillman had scored his second goal of the match, but both goals were reversed due to a handball and offside.
The breakthrough finally came in the 75th minute off a composed finish from Patrick Agyemang. The forward collected a long pass at the top of the box, taking a touch past Placide who had come far off his line. Agyemang slid his left-footed shot into a wide-open goal for the game-winner and his second goal of the tournament.
The momentum snowballed from there, as the USMNT went on to defeat Costa Rica and Guatemala on the way to the Final against Mexico.
Now, coming off four incredible wins in the USMNT’s first matches of the new cycle, the team again looks to carry its dominant form into the two-legged Quarterfinal against Haiti and continue its run towards another Concacaf Nations League title.