In San Jose, California, the United States men’s soccer team dominated Trinidad and Tobago with a 5-0 victory in the opening match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday. Malik Tillman was instrumental in leading the charge for the U.S., scoring twice during the first half. His goals came at the 16th and 41st minutes, capitalizing on Trinidad’s Alvin Jones’ mistakes. Adding to the impressive display, Patrick Agyemang netted a goal just before halftime, marking his fourth international goal.
The onslaught continued in the latter stages of the game as Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright scored the fourth and fifth goals for the Americans in the 82nd and 83rd minutes respectively. Ranked 16th globally, the United States showed their superior form over Trinidad and Tobago, who are ranked 100th, consequently breaking a four-game losing streak which was their longest since 2007.
The match was clouded by previous controversies involving star player Christian Pulisic. The discussions revolved around Pulisic’s preference to rest and the decision of coach Mauricio Pochettino to exclude him from friendlies leading up to the tournament. Despite the absence of several key players such as Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Gio Reyna, the U.S. demonstrated overwhelming dominance with a possession rate of 70.4% and outshooting their opponents 21-3.
Historically, the United States has a strong track record in the Gold Cup, winning their group 16 times out of 17 editions and maintaining an impressive record in group stage play. Following this victory, they are set to play guest team Saudi Arabia on Thursday in Austin, Texas, followed by a match against Haiti in Arlington, Texas on June 22.
With Matt Freese stepping in as goalkeeper for Matt Turner, who had been the regular starter, the U.S. showcased a lineup averaging only 14.8 international appearances, marking it as the second-lowest for a Gold Cup opening match in their history. Some notable players missing due to injury or illness included Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso.
Veteran defender Tim Ream also marked a milestone, stretching his Gold Cup participation for the team over 14 years, surpassing DaMarcus Beasley’s record. For Trinidad and Tobago, led by former football star Dwight Yorke, the match added to a challenging run, marking their fourth defeat in five games and extending a troubling scoreless streak against the U.S. on American soil.
In another fixture later in the day, within the same group, Saudi Arabia secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Haiti in San Diego. Saleh Al-Shehri converted a crucial penalty kick in the 21st minute after being fouled in the area, ensuring a win for his team.