Laken Litman
College Football & Soccer Analyst
With a dreadful start to the summer in friendly play in the rearview, the U.S. men’s national team had a chance to come away with a trophy and a nice bit of momentum – in addition to valuable intel on some of its younger players.
The trophy wasn’t meant to be as Mexico captured its second-straight Gold Cup title for its 10th overall crown, downing the United States, 2-1. El Tri had not defeated the Americans in a competitive match in six years, the last victory coming in the 2019 final of this tournament.
The Americans set the tone early when Chris Richards headed home a pinpoint free-kick by Sebastian Berhalter in the fourth minute. But after that, Mexico dominated. Backed by a deafening crowd of more than 70,000 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium, El Tri dictated the pace for the majority of the match. For most of the first half, anytime the U.S. showed a glimpse of hope or created something, Mexico quickly won the ball back.
In the 27th minute, star forward Raúl Jiménez beat former Fulham teammate Tim Ream to the ball and blasted a shot past goalkeeper Matt Freese to equalize. It was a goal that felt like a long time coming.
Raul Jimenez’s goal brings Mexico even with United States
Later in the 77th minute, Edson Alvarez scored what became the game-winning goal off a header from a free kick, making it the fifth time Mexico had found the back of the net following a set piece in this Gold Cup.
Here are takeaways from the match:
Set Pieces Make A Difference
The USMNT has made set pieces a point of emphasis under manager Mauricio Pochettino. And in the fourth minute, Berhalter delivered a dime of a free-kick to Richards, whose header hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the goal line to give the U.S. a fast 1-0 lead.
EVERY ANGLE of Chris Richards’ WILD HEADER vs. Mexico in Gold Cup Final | FOX Soccer
It was very similar to the winning goal Richards scored off a Berhalter free kick in the USMNT’s second group stage match against Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago. And it’s the kind of scenario the squad has been working on consistently throughout this tournament. As we learned, the USMNT has been using a technology called TrackMan to assist in their set piece preparation, and the team has been working on these plays for at least 15-20 minutes before every Gold Cup game.
Mexico, however, has also been spending extra time on set pieces. And late in the second half, Alvarez scored a header off a free-kick to deliver the final 2-1 scoreline. Mexico also dominated the match when it came to corner kicks, taking 12 while the U.S. had zero – although Mexico didn’t score off one.
EVERY ANGLE of Edson Alvarez’s GAME-WINNING goal vs. USA in the Gold Cup Final | FOX Soccer
No Moral Victories, But …
The U.S. men’s team got this summer off to a near-disastrous start. The squad lost consecutive friendlies – the first a 2-1 defeat to Türkiye, the second a 4-0 throttling by Switzerland – just days before the Gold Cup kicked off.
Those results were preceded by surprising news that star players like Christian Pulisic, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, Yunus Musah and other mainstays wouldn’t be part of the 26-player roster for various reasons. While that reality caused drama inside and outside the program, the players who were called up by Pochettino seized their opportunity and many raised their profiles and likely put themselves in contention for a roster spot at next summer’s World Cup on home soil.
Mexico Defeats USMNT: Instant analysis following Gold Cup Final matchup | FOX Soccer
The U.S. won its Gold Cup group, benefited from the heroics of Freese in a quarterfinal penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica, and showed its fight in a semifinal win over Guatemala before advancing to the final against rival Mexico. Ultimately, a younger and less experienced version of the USMNT fell victim to tired legs against a more quality opponent in Mexico.
This was the last competitive match the Americans will play before the World Cup. Surely Pochettino has learned a lot about the player pool he has. Now, can some form of this group mixed with players who weren’t there find a way to compete and win games next summer? That is the question.
What’s Next: Pulisic and Stars Back In September?
The U.S. will host Korea Republic and Japan in a pair of friendlies on Sept. 6 in Harrison N.J., and on Sept. 9 in Columbus, Ohio, respectively. Both opponents have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
This will be a compelling next camp for the USMNT for several reasons, one being the intrigue surrounding which players Pochettino will invite. Will Pulisic, Robinson and Musah be back with the squad? What about Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna, who were unable to participate at the Gold Cup while their club teams simultaneously competed at the FIFA Club World Cup?
Will Christian Pulisic be back when the U.S. team regroups in September? (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
After the performances they put on this past month, it seems like a no-brainer that guys like Diego Luna and Malik Tillman, who have developed a chemistry, as well as Berhalter and Freese will be there. Same goes for Richards, Ream and Tyler Adams, who have risen to the challenge of leading the group. Who else makes up that team will provide insight as to what Pochettino is thinking in terms of his roster for the World Cup.
As a reminder, because the U.S. is co-hosting the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, it doesn’t have to go through qualifying for the tournament. The matchups in September should serve the USMNT, as both opponents will preview different styles the squad might face next summer.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
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