Amid a saga where Mauricio Pochettino explained why he left out one of the best players from the U.S. Men’s National Team, Christian Pulisic, from the Gold Cup, the USMNT’s debut couldn’t have gone better. The Argentine coach ended a four-game winless streak with a strong performance and a breakout showing from Malik Tillman.
No Pulisic, but Malik Tillman stepped up
During the match, Malik Tillman scored in the 16th and 41st minutes to lead Pochettino’s team to a 5-0 rout.
“He’s quite a like personal guy. He likes to have conversations with a player. And what I can say about me is, I’m just a quiet guy. I leave the talking to someone else,” were the post-match words from the player who has contributed three goal involvements in the U.S.’s last four games.
Regarding the importance of this Gold Cup 2025, Tillman sees it as a chance to earn a spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup, where the U.S. will co-host alongside Mexico and Canada.
“It’s very important. It’s the last opportunity to show ourselves in a tournament. It’s about taking responsibilities and show the world what we can do,” he said.
On what a player like Diego Luna, who provided two assists in three minutes, brings to the team, Tillman noted that he offers plenty of “combinations” as well as “passion,” and is undoubtedly one of the players he enjoys linking up with.
This marks the 22nd time a U.S. player has scored two or more goals in a Gold Cup match. The three points provide a confidence boost after going four games without a win.
Read the full article here
