GOAL US writers debate USMNT's victory over Costa Rica, chances in semifinals and where Canada go next
That was easy and not-even-remotely stressful, right? The USMNT showed simultaneously just how good and bad they can be over 90 minutes and penalties Sunday night. They gave away two awfully soft goals, scored two pretty good ones, and had a chance to win a penalty shootout before throwing it away.
In the end, they survived and advanced, and they have a guy in goal who went to Harvard to thank.
The good news is that they're in the the Gold Cup semifinals for a record 17th time. And let's face it, tournament play is about riding your fortune, putting in a few good performances, and seeing where you go from there.
Mauricio Pochettino's side might have been handed another lifeline in Guatemala's win over Canada. Jesse Marsch's men crumbled after being shown a first-half red card, and deserved no less than their penalty defeat. It's a bad look for the manager, who spoke so often about his desire to take Canada all the way.
Meanwhile, Mexico got the job done. They didn't exactly look flashy against Saudi Arabia, but it's hard to argue with the result. There's now the real potential for a USMNT-Mexico final (which might be what we all wanted anyway). But are there any further twists to come? And are Mexico now the favorites, period?
GOAL US writers debate it all in the latest edition of… The Rondo.
Getty ImagesDid the USMNT deserve to beat Costa Rica?
Tom Hindle: Bloody hell, who knows? If the whole game was simply the first 15 minutes following half time, then absolutely. But the U.S. showed why they're a bit of a young team still feeling their way. Over the course of 90 minutes plus pens, they just about edged it. But there was certainly some good fortune involved. What is it that Americans say, though? Survive and advance? Yeah, that.
Jacob Schneider: They absolutely did. They were the better team most of the match, and if Malik Tillman scores his regulation penalty, the odds are that it's an entirely different game – and the U.S. puts it to bed early. Good performance from Diego Luna, Tillman and, of course, Matt Freese in goal.
Ryan Tolmich: Deserve? Yes. Were they fortunate? Also yes. The U.S. made several mistakes that tend to get punished on the international level, but Costa Rica weren't decisive enough to make them pay the price. At this stage of a competition, you can't concede penalties, you have to make your penalties, you have to protect your leads AND – when given a chance to win a shootout – you have to take it. The U.S. failed on all of those fronts, but still had the quality and steel necessary to figure it out in the end. Can they ride that type of luck forever? Certainly not, but they earned their own luck by continuously responding to adversity.
Alex Labidou: Honestly, no. But this is where quality speaks, and the U.S.'s top players all performed, from Diego Luna to Matt Freese. Landon Donovan might have oversold it, as it is too early to determine if Freese is a star. But he very well could be a starter for the U.S. at goal. Availability is often one of the most underappreciated traits in sports, and unfortunately for Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen – neither of whom are on this current roster – it may mean one or both miss out on next summer's main event.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow do you rate the performance overall?
TH: Pretty good, given that Max Arfsten couldn't decide if he was playing for or against the USMNT for most of the 90 minutes. Malik Tillman and Diego Luna were really rather good throughout, as was Chris Richards at the back. There are certainly some question marks. Patrick Agyemang is way too raw, and Brian White can't be trusted as a starting No. 9. But otherwise, this was a solid performance. Good enough to beat a better team, though? Nah.
JS: Self-inflicted wounds haunted the USMNT throughout the match. Two errors from Arfsten allowed Costa Rica to score, but the Crew fullback rebounded with a goal and an assist. Overall, the positives outweighed the negatives, considering the squad makeup and the nature of the match. If there was one area to question, it would be perhaps not starting John Tolkin over Arfsten, and the timing of substitutions from Pochettino. The Argentine waited awfully long to make a sub, and it ultimately proved to be costly with Costa Rica's late equalizer.
RT: So-so? There were some positives. Luna's determination, Tillman's resolve, half of what Arfsten did. There were bad things, too: Tillman's initial miss, the defending on the second goal, the other half of what Arfsten did. In this game, you lose points for mistakes, but you can earn them back by responding. So credit to the U.S. for never letting their heads drop. For Pochettino, seeing that will be as sweet as seeing any goal.
AL: The U.S. might be counting their lucky stars that Freese had an other-worldly showing in the penalty showing, but they can't afford to keep having some of the defensive lapses. Odds are, Guatemala aren't good enough to capitalize on those, but expect Mexico to do so. Pochettino has some difficult lineup decisions to make. On one end Arfsten clearly offers the wing play that this team so desperately lacks, but he was responsible for all four goals scored in this contest. He wasn't the only culprit, but as this team goes forward, it might need some tinkering to provide more stability in the back.
ImagnSurely, the U.S. won't lose to Guatemala, right?
TH: Nah, there's no way… 2-1 Guatemala. Book it.
JS: The U.S. should, theoretically, handily defeat Guatemala. They're a squad with confidence right now, sure, but there's no scenario on paper in which the USMNT doesn't walk away with a victory. It would take a total disaster – defensive errors, a red card or something of the sort – to imagine Guatemala walking away with a victory. But hey, look at what Guatemala did to Canada. So who knows.
RT: The path has certainly opened up for them.Guatemala earned their victory over Canada, who were nowhere near decisive enough, so the U.S. will now fancy their chances. Canada, though, had an opportunity to win in the end, despite being down a man, showing the quality gap between the two sides. As long as the U.S. avoid catastrophic mistakes, they'll be favored. But again, Canada showed how easily a team can slip if mistakes are made.
AL: Stranger things have happened, but no. It's looking like a USMNT vs Mexico final. Again. CONCACAF is likely thanking its lucky stars.
ImagnHow bad was Canada's loss for Jesse Marsch?
TH: Well… yikes! Jesse Marsch now looks a bit foolish for throwing shade at the USMNT for the best part of 18 months. They will be back, but this seemed to be their chance to win it all. The drought goes on.
JS: For Canada, woof. Jacob Shaffelburg is suspended for at least one game at next summer's FIFA World Cup, and Marsch missed another trophy opportunity for Les Rouges. Sure, they were without a few starters, but even then, Canada were favorites to lift the Gold Cup. Had it been a Canada vs USMNT semifinal, it would have been difficult to not see Marsch's side winning. So much for that.
RT: It shows how fine the margins are these days. Yes, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. are all top dogs in this region, but the teams behind them are no longer puppies. Teams such as Honduras and Guatemala can now threaten, and that says nothing of the usual B-tier that includes Panama, Jamaica and Costa Rica. CONCACAF has gotten better and, based on these rosters, the Big Three are actually a bit worse – which is why every game can be tight. Canada played it too close to the margins. Unfortunately for Marsch, the penalty gods weren't on their side and their tournament ended earlier than anyone could have expected. It's a back-breaking blow for a team that really believed they could earn respect, and maybe a trophy, this summer. Instead, they're the first of the Big Three to be watching from home.
AL: Marsch has been a much-needed shot in the arm for a Canada program that has been mired in both financial issues and controversy over the drone scandal at the 2024 Olympics. However, even he would likely acknowledge there were some missteps in this Gold Cup. You have to wonder if the suspension Marsch served as a result of the Nations League third-place game played a role in halting momentum. This was a legitimate chance for Les Rouges to win a trophy that would propel them forward. Now questions will linger over this team in the months ahead. However, if Marsch can learn from this, continue to integrate recent recruits such as Promise David and Daniel Jebbison, and get Alphonso Davies back at full strength, Canada can still make noise next year. Let's not forget, they're hosting games at the World Cup.
