CONCACAF GOLD CUP: Could Group Stage be a redemption tour for USMNT?
- Dan Stickradt
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
U.S. looking for consistency, righting the ship in Group D play
AUSTIN, Texas – Fresh off an inconsistent year of wins and head-scratching losses, could this Group D stage of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup be a chance at redemption for the U.S. Men’s National Team or at least a boost in the arm for a side that has been all over the map with little sense of direction over the last few years.
Coming off a 0-4-0 stretch during international matches earlier this year, including losses to Turkey (2-1) and Switzerland (4-0) earlier this month – at the very least the USMNT is aiming to at least right the ship during Concacaf Gold Cup Group Stage and potentially bracket play of the tournament which runs from June 14 to July 13.
The U.S. is coming off a fine 5-0 triumph Sunday over Trinidad and Tobago in front of 12,610 fans and needs to keep the momentum trending upward and not suffer another mind-boggling defeat. Saudi Arabia, the USMNT’s next opponent on Thursday, is a much larger and much more talented and organized opponent that Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. will likely gain less scoring opportunities – meaning finishing quality chances must be a focal point for this young side in this game.
The match has trap game written all over it.
Saudi Arabia earned a 1-0 shutout of Haiti on June 15 as well and tied in the Group D lead with the U.S. A win here is crucial and a multi-goal victory would bode well for the U.S. in a multitude of ways and areas.
Over the last 11 matches under its current coaching staff, the USMNT is 6-5-0 with a 20-14 scoring edge under head coach Mauricio Pochettino. The win over Trinidad and Tobago snapped the four-game losing streak.
The USMNT is trying to erase the recent past and struggles, learn from it all and begin to build for a respectable finish on their own soil at the Concacaf Gold Cup and keep prepping for the 2026 World Cup, which again will be played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The side would love some momentum over the next 11-12 months.
A win against Saudi Arabia and the U.S. should make it to at least the Round of 16/Knockout Stage of the prestigious tournament. Lose, and the U.S. will be up against a wall in terms of having to win the last game of Group D in order to be in contention of advancing out of the group stage. A draw would also add some additional pressure on the USMNT, which over the last decade-plus has seen a revolving door of coaches and players – and a growing uneasiness and distrust from its fan base.
The U.S. holds a narrow 3-2-2 record all-time against Saudi Arabia and this will be the first meeting between the two sides in nearly three years. The last time the Americans and Saudi Arabia met came back on Sept. 27, 2022, in Murcia, Spain, where the two nations battled to a 0-0 draw.
If the USMNT can find a way to win this match, they could find themselves in the driver’s seat of Group D in this 32-team, eight-group tournament where the top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage later this month.
The five-goal outburst against Trinidad and Tobago is tied for the second-highest output in the tournament, trailing Canada’s 6-0 win over Honduras and tied with Panama’s 5-2 victory over Guadeloupe.
The U.S. will need some more production from its young players, including attacking midfielder Malik Tillman who scored his first two international goals for the USMNT on Sunday in that 5-0 rout. The 23-year-old German-American has played all over the world at this age, including growing up in Bayern Munich's youth system, and has a ton of experience.
Could Tillman be one of the answers to add some spark and fuel to the USMNT’s tank in terms of being a consistent threat to scoring or assisting goals for the side? Will anybody else step up offensively – and the key word is consistently – during tonight’s matchup and throughout the rest of this tournament and beyond?
Can the defense tighten the reins in the final third of the field after being outscored 9-2 in that aforementioned 0-4-0 streak earlier this year?
The USMNT will face off with Saudi Arabia at 9:15 p.m. ET at Austin’s Q2 Stadium and will be aired on FS1. The answers to those questions and a lot more could start to be answered tonight and over the next few weeks.
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