USMNT facing Mexico on Sunday night in Concacaf Gold Cup final

CHICAGO — Following a dramatic late victory in the semifinal against Qatar, the U.S. Men’s National Team will play for its seventh Concacaf Gold Cup championship on Sunday night in the 71st meeting all-time between the USA and Mexico. With the confederation crown at stake, the archrivals meet in the tournament final for the seventh time.

Sunday night’s contest will be the first senior U.S. National Team match in the state of Nevada. Coverage from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas begins at 8 p.m. ET on TUDN and Univision, and 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, with kickoff at 9 p.m. ET.

Utilizing an almost entirely different group of players from the one that defeated Mexico in the Nations League final on June 6 in Denver, the USMNT has a shot at its second trophy of the summer.

2021 GOLD CUP – USMNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Brad Guzan (Atlanta United; 64/0), 18-Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 9/0), 1-Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 6/0)
 
DEFENDERS (8): 21-George Bello (Atlanta United; 2/0), 2-Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 21/1), 24-Henry Kessler (New England Revolution; 0/0), 20-Shaq Moore (Tenerife/ESP; 10/1), 4-Donovan Pines (D.C. United; 2/0), 12-Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 8/2), 16-James Sands (New York City FC; 5/0), 3-Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; 7/1)
 
MIDFIELDERS (6): 23-Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 36/2), 6-Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; 5/0), 17-Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 27/7), 10-Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 23/0), 19-Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; 3/0), 14-Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 15/0)
 
FORWARDS (6): 7-Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 37/8), 11-Daryl Dike (Orlando City; 8/3), 8-Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen/FRA; 5/3), 13-Matthew Hoppe (Schalke/GER; 4/1), 15-Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; 8/2), 9-Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew; 61/14)

USA SCHEDULE – 2021 GOLD CUP 

 
RIVALRY RENEWED
North America’s biggest rivalry will take center stage once again in Sunday night’s Gold Cup Final as the USA and Mexico square off for the regional title for the seventh time. The arch-nemeses met in another Concacaf tournament championship match in last month’s inaugural Nations League Final, an instant classic that featured a Christian Pulisic game-winning goal and a heroic penalty kick save from substitute goalkeeper Ethan Horvath in extra time for a 3-2 win. The USMNT is 20-36-15 all-time vs. El Tri but holds a 15-9-6 edge since the year 2000. The U.S. is 1-5-0 against Mexico in the Gold Cup Final and dropped a hard-fought 1-0 loss in the 2019 tournament final in Chicago.

ANOTHER LATE WINNER
The USMNT’s quarterfinal and semifinal victories to reach the Gold Cup Final have come thanks to some dramatic late heroics from the team’s forward corps. On Thursday night, veteran striker Gyasi Zardes stepped up as a second-half substitute, capping a wild back-and-forth affair against Qatar with an 86th-minute goal. After Qatar netted a tournament-high 12 goals in its first four Gold Cup matches, the U.S. defense and goalkeeper Matt Turner held stout against the Maroon and captain Hasan Al Haydos missed a second-half penalty opportunity. A trio of subs combined for the game-winner, as Nicholas Gioacchini and Eryk Williamson set up Zardes’ header that proved to be the difference.

VIVA LAS VEGAS
The Gold Cup Final will be the first senior U.S. National Team game in the State of Nevada as the USA and Mexico take the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Nevada is the 28th state to host a U.S. Men’s National Team match and it’s the second-straight game that USA the will play in a new city after Thursday’s semi at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.

EXTRA TIME RULES:

• If a match is tied at the end of regulation, two periods of 15 minutes will be played for extra time. An extra substitution is allowed during extra time.
  • If the score is still tied at the end of extra time, penalty kicks will be taken to determine the winner.

WHAT IS THE CONCACAF GOLD CUP?
Held every two years, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. Just like in the European Championships and Copa America, lifting the trophy brings prestige and regional supremacy. Over the course of 15 previous Gold Cup tournaments, the United States has lifted the trophy six times (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017), just behind all-time leaders Mexico with eight (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019). Canada is the only other tournament champion, coming away with the title in 2000.

USA TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Gregg Berhalter will lead the USMNT in a tournament final for the third time, tying Bruce Arena for second-most among U.S. managers. Bob Bradley leads the list with four, followed by Arena and Berhalter (three each), Jurgen Klinsmann and Bora Milutinovic (two each) and Steve Sampson (one).
• Berhalter will coach the Gold Cup Final on his 48th birthday.
• The win against Qatar marked the USA’s eighth-straight victory, now the USMNT’s second-longest winning streak since the U.S. won 12 in a row from June 2 to Aug.14, 2013.
• The victory also marked the 25th under head coach Gregg Berhalter, who has reached that number faster than any other USMNT head coach. Bob Bradley held the mark previously, reaching his 25^th win in 38 matches.
• Two of the three youngest USMNT starting line-ups in a tournament knockout round match have come at the 2021 Gold Cup: Thursday night’s XI had an average age of 23 years, 284 days and the quarterfinal starting XI vs. Jamaica had an average age of 23 years, 280 days. The record came in the Concacaf Nations League Semifinal against Honduras, an average of 23 years, 259 days.
  • The second-youngest lineup is four days older than the third because it was the same — the first time the USMNT has started the same XI since the 2019 Gold Cup Semifinal and Final.
  • Against Jamaica, Gianluca Busio became the second youngest player to start for the USMNT in a Gold Cup Knockout Round match at 19 years, 58 days. Juan Agudelo was the youngest at 18 years, 221 days during the 2011 Gold Cup Semifinal vs. Panama on June 22, 2011.
• With his goal against Qatar, Gyasi Zardes moved into sole possession of fifth on the USMNT’s Gold Cup scoring list with six goals. Zardes’ substitute appearance that night also moved him into a tie for fifth all-time on the USMNT’s Gold Cup caps list with DaMarcus Beasley, Frankie Hejduk and Eric Wynalda.
• The USA’s plus-9 goal differential is the tournament’s best as the USMNT has logged shutouts in four of five matches, conceding only on a penalty vs. Martinique in the group stage.
• Goalkeeper Matt Turner as well as defenders Shaq Moore and Miles Robinson have started all five matches for the USMNT at the 2021 Gold Cup. The players, who have anchored the impressive U.S. defense during the tournament, had a combined nine international caps prior to the Gold Cup.
• Turner and Robinson have played every minute at the tournament.
• A total of 12 players have made their first appearance in official competition at the Gold Cup, including five players who earned their first international caps: defenders Donovan Pines and James Sands, midfielders Gianluca Busio and Eryk Williamson as well as forward Matthew Hoppe.
• Hoppe plus defenders Shaq Moore and Sam Vines netted their first international goals at the Gold Cup. Scoring just 20 seconds into the USA’s group stage finale vs. Canada, Moore’s goal marked the fastest in Gold Cup history.
• Four players logged their first career assists: Busio, Hoppe, Williamson and midfielder Cristian Roldan.
• After making his return to the USMNT in last December’s friendly win against El Salvador, midfielder Kellyn Acosta has appeared in his 13 consecutive matches for the USA. Acosta is the only player to appear in each of the USA’s 13 games in 2021.
• All three players who have served as captain during the Gold Cup – Arriola, midfielder Sebastian Lletget and defender Walker Zimmerman – have done so for the first time. Lletget captained the U.S. for the second time on Thursday after wearing the armband for the first time in the group stage opener vs. Haiti.

USA ROSTER NOTES

• Nineteen of the 23 players represent a total of 12 different clubs in Major League Soccer. Atlanta United and Colorado Rapids lead the way with three players each, followed by D.C. United, New England Revolution, New York City FC (2 each); Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy, Orlando City SC, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City (1 each).
• Defenders Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portugal) and Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain) and forwards Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; France) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke; Germany) make up the European-based contingent.
• Gyasi Zardes’ team-leading 21 Gold Cup caps currently place him tied with DaMarcus Beasley, Frankie Hejduk and Eric Wynalda for fifth on the USMNT’s all-time Gold Cup appearances list.
• Since 2018, Zardes leads all U.S.-eligible players in MLS with 47 goals. The veteran striker also sits at fifth all-time on the USA’s Gold Cup scoring list with six goals, one behind USMNT General Manager Brian McBride.

USMNT AT THE GOLD CUP

• Beginning with the inaugural title in 1991, the U.S. has lifted the Gold Cup on six occasions. The USA returned the trophy home in 2002 and won again in 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2017.
• The USA has more wins in the Gold Cup than any other nation, going 66-9-9 all-time.
• The U.S. has gone an impressive 38-1-4 during the group stage.
• The USMNT has advanced to the final on a record 12 occasions: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2021.
• The USA has made it to the semifinals in 15 out of 16 tournaments, missing out only in 2000.

USA-MEXICO NOTES

• Sunday marks the USA’s 71st match all-time vs. Mexico, by far the most frequent opponent in USMNT history. The U.S. is 20-36-15 against El Tri all-time, but holds a 19-5-6 advantage since 2000.
• This is the archrivals’ second meeting in a tournament final this summer following the USA’s dramatic 3-2 triumph in June’s Concacaf Nations League Final.
• Four players who appeared in the Nations League Final are a part of the Gold Cup roster- defender Reggie Cannon plus midfielders Kellyn Acosta, Sebastian Lletget and Jackson Yueill.
• The 2021 championship match is a rematch of the 2019 Gold Cup Final, a tight 1-0 loss in front of a sold-out crowd at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
• Four players who appeared in the 2019 final are on this summer’s Gold Cup roster: Cannon, midfielder Cristian Roldan as well as forwards Paul Arriola and Gyasi Zardes. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson and forward Jonathan Lewis were on the bench for the game.

IN FOCUS: MEXICO

MEXICO ROSTER (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 12-Rodolfo Cota (Leon; 5/0), 20-Jonathan Orozco (Tijuana; 9/0), 1-Alfredo Talavera (UNAM Pumas; 37/0)

DEFENDERS (7): 4-Edson Alvarez (Ajax/NED; 45/2), 8-Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca; 1/0), 2-Nestor Araujo (Celta Vigo/ESP; 48/3), 15-Hector Moreno (Monterrey; 116/4), 21-Luis Rodriguez (Tigres UANL; 32/2), 5-Osvaldo Rodriguez (Leon; 4/0), 3-Carlos Salcedo (Tigres UANL; 47/1), 19-Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas Guadalajara; 4/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): 13-Alan Cervantes (Santos Laguna; 2/0), 23-Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey; 59/0), 14-Erick Gutierrez (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 27/1), 16-Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid/ESP; 87/9), 6-Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy/USA; 57/5), 10-Orbelin Pineda (Cruz Azul; 36/5)

FORWARDS (6): 18-Efrain Alvarez (LA Galaxy/USA; 4/0), 17-Jesus Corona (Porto/POR; 55/9), 11-Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey; 6/4), 24-Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami CF/USA; 33/5), 9-Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City/USA; 19/5), 7-Erick Sanchez (Pachuca; 2/0)

HOW THEY GOT HERE
After kicking off the Gold Cup with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico rode a hot streak to the semifinals and then topped Canada at the death to reach the championship match. El Tri closed the group stage with shutout victories over Guatemala (3-0) and El Salvador (1-0), before rolling Honduras 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Mexico faced a tough battle from Canada in Thursday night’s semifinal. After El Tri took the lead on a penalty in first-half stoppage time, the Canadians equalized in the second and nearly forced extra time before Hector Herrera netted a goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time to advance to the final.

IN FOCUS: MEXICO

• Fourteen of Mexico’s players are based domestically in Liga MX, with the most (three) coming from Monterrey. Nine players ply their trade abroad in the USA (four), Netherlands, Spain (two each) and Portugal.
• Midfielder Jonathan dos Santos and forward Efrain Alvarez are teammates with USMNT midfielder Sebastian Lletget at the LA Galaxy.
• Forward Alan Pulido plays with U.S. midfielder Gianluca Busio at Sporting Kansas City.
• Mexico is the defending Gold Cup champion and has won the tournament a record eight times.
• Defender Hector Moreno is the roster’s most-capped player with 116 international appearances.
• Forward Jesus Corona and midfielder Hector Herrera lead the roster with nine international goals each. At the Gold Cup, Rogello Funes Mori and Orbelin Pineda have both netted three goals, tied with five other players for second-most in the competition.
• Gerardo “Tata” Marino has led El Tri since January 2019 and has led Mexico to a 29-3-3 record in that period. He brings a wealth of experience in the international and club game, previously managing the Paraguay and Argentina national teams as well as Newell’s Old Boys and FC Barcelona.
• Prior to taking the Mexico job, Martino led Atlanta United FC for two years, managing USMNT players George Bello, Brad Guzan and Miles Robinson as United won the 2018 MLS Cup.