Gold Cup action continues Sunday, with the hosts introduced as big favorites for their opening match. The United States men’s national team starts its tournament against Trinidad and Tobago. The USMNT has won this competition seven times, second only to Mexico’s nine titles. The Soca Warriors, meanwhile, have just one semifinal finish (2000) across 17 appearances. Goliath (goal-iath?) draws David in Group D.
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How to watch USA vs. Trinidad and Tobago
- Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, Calif.
- Time: Sunday, 6 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX
- Streaming (U.S.): Fubo (try for free)
International streaming via Concacaf GO.
Mauricio Pochettino is trying to redeem a disappointing semifinal finish in 2023. The U.S. side was either champion or runner-up from 2017 through ’21, but lost a penalty-shootout to Panama in San Diego.
Twenty-one different players will make their Gold Cup debuts in this tournament. The captain, 37-year-old Tim Ream, is expected to earn his 70th USMNT cap on Sunday. Midfielder Brenden Aaronson leads the 26-man squad with eight international goals, but the Americans have a core of talented young attackers in Brian White, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang. That trio has put together 24 goals in the first half of the MLS season.
This should be a get-right matchup for the U.S., and it sorely needs one. The USMNT lost both of its June friendlies to Turkey and Switzerland, and it took losses to Canada and Panama in March’s Concacaf Nations League. The attack has only two goals in the last four appearances.
The U.S. is slated at No. 16 in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, which dropped in April and will be updated again in July. Trinidad and Tobago comes in at No. 100. T&T has only four Gold Cup match victories since its 2000 semifinal run.
Manager Dwight Yorke was on that breakout team at the dawn of the millennium, and he’s now tasked with engineering a huge upset over the host country. MLS fans may recognize Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones, who are among the most-capped players on the Gold Cup squad.
After Sunday’s showdown, Group D play will resume on June 19, with the U.S. facing Saudi Arabia and Trinidad and Tobago getting Haiti.
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(Photo of Luca de la Torre: Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images)