USA vs Trinidad and Tobago preview: Top spot on the line

The Gold Cup did not start well for the United States Mens National Team (USMNT), as they opened play in Group A with a 1-1 draw against Jamaica.

Fortunately, they followed that up with a 6-0 thumping of Gold Cup debutants St. Kitts & Nevis. That leaves the top spot in Group A up for grabs as they get set to take on Trinidad & Tobago.

St. Kitts & Nevis win

There was only ever going to be one winner in the US game against the Sugar Boyz. The only question was how big the margin of victory would be.

Given the results elsewhere in Group A, goal difference could be a deciding factor in determining who wins the group. So few US fans were sad to see the Americans bang six goals against St. Kitts & Nevis.

Jesus Ferreira scored a hat trick, proving that he’s a great player when it comes to scoring against semi-professional opposition (seven of his eleven international goals have come against Grenada and St. Kitts & Nevis).

Djordje Mihailovic got his first two USMNT goals since Gregg Berhalter’s debut match in January 2019 against Panama. And Bryan Reynolds became the first US player since Earnie Stewart to score a goal on his birthday.

Trinidad & Tobago

The deciding match in Group A at this year’s Gold Cup will be against Trinidad & Tobago. The Socca Warriors will live in US Soccer infamy for years to come, as it was a loss in Couva that kept the US from qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Since then, the US has done a very good job of heaping misery upon them as a form of payback. In the two meetings since that fateful night in 2017, the US has combined to outscore them 13-0: 6-0 at the 2019 Gold Cup and then 7-0 in a 2021 friendly.

So far, at this Gold Cup the Socca Warriors have split their first two games.

They beat St. Kitts & Nevis 3-0 but fell to Jamaica 4-1.

Anything other than a win sees them eliminated from the tournament. The roster called in by manager Angus Eve features nine players who play for American clubs (and, surprisingly two players who do not currently have a club).

Of those nine, only two are on MLS rosters with the rest playing in the USL Championship.

Those two are Kevin Molino of the Columbus Crew and Ajani Fortune of Atlanta United.

Other Notes:

1. Sunday’s game against Trinidad & Tobago kicks off at 7pm ET on will air on big FOX in English and on Univision in Spanish.
   
2. This marks the first ever game for the USMNT at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, and the first USMNT appearance in North Carolina since March of 2018 (against Paraguay)

Photo credit: IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport