USMNT "show a reaction" with Gold Cup rout of Trinidad & Tobago | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

Goals, grins and an emphatic win.

The US men’s national team’s Gold Cup squad did their part to calm the troubled waters surrounding the program on Sunday evening, kicking off their tournament with a straightforward 5-0 rout of Trinidad & Tobago at PayPal Park.

“It was in our hands to show a reaction, and I think we've done it today. We've played a good game,” attacking midfielder Malik Tillman told FOX’s Jenny Taft afterwards.

“It was on us to bounce back, have a good start to the tournament, and that's what we did today.”

Vibes rise

Some 24 hours after another round of juicy headlines regarding Christian Pulisic’s absence – and his relationship with head coach Mauricio Pochettino – a brace from Tillman and a brace of assists from the lively Diego Luna and his new handlebar mustache sent the Yanks into the locker room up three goals at the home of the San Jose Earthquakes.

That strong start left the Soca Warriors in damage control the rest of the way, and massively improved the general vibes around a US side that entered the day on a four-game losing streak.

“Really important, I think, to cut a little bit this, I don't say negativity, but yes – you know about the results, a few games that we didn't win. It's really important now to start the competition with a good feeling,” said Pochettino postgame.

“Nothing is done, but yes, to feel the victory and be more positive in the next few days, I think it's important to grow that confidence in between us.”

Luna delivers

‘Poch’ was a bit more explicit while taking questions in Spanish, acknowledging the value of a “solid” victory “especially because of the negative things that have happened in recent weeks,” while also sounding a note of caution about the modest ebb in intensity early in the second half which allowed T&T to grow into the game slightly.

As he did in last week’s 2-1 friendly loss to Türkiye, Poch started an MLS-heavy front four of Luna, Tillman and Houston Dynamo tempo-setter Jack McGlynn behind Charlotte FC striker Patrick Agyemang, and the quartet flashed their growing chemistry with a flurry of early chances.

Soon enough all four would write their names on the scoresheet, with Luna’s quick feet and palpable fire in the belly particularly noteworthy on a return to his home town, with somewhere north of 30 loved ones on hand to support him. The Real Salt Lake wunderkind is just the fourth USMNT player age 21 or younger to record multiple assists in a Gold Cup match, according to U.S. Soccer.

“He showed his character is in a way that he feels football, and then translates to the pitch. I think he was really good,” said Pochettino of Luna, the breakout star of his tenure thus far.

“I'm so happy about him. And he was at home playing in front of his people, and I think this is really important.”

Midfield duo

Further back, a deep-midfield duo of San Diego FC’s Luca de la Torre and Sebastian Berhalter, the talisman of Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s excellent 2025, also drew praise for their management of the engine room, with Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso unavailable due to injury and illness, respectively.

“Luca’s a little bit more experienced than Sebastian, but Sebastian today showed [as if] that is not his first, or his debut in an official competition,” said Pochettino. “He showed today the character that we saw playing in Vancouver – played like an experienced player, and showed not only quality, if not great character, fighting in a position that sometimes is not normal to see him in, in his team. We asked him to be a little bit more positional, keep more the position like more a holding midfielder; we gave Luca a little bit more freedom.

“We didn't have the help of Tyler and Johnny, but this is a good thing, a period of opportunity to see two players that sometimes surprise you and say, OK, they take the opportunity, and that is good because the competition is going to be higher now.”

Matty Ice

The same can be said of the goalkeeping corps, it seems.

Matt Freese was a somewhat surprising selection ahead of veteran Matt Turner, with Pochettino explaining in Spanish how the New York City FC standout had shown himself a worthy candidate for minutes as he stokes competition.

“A tournament gives the possibility to see a goalkeeper with potential to contend,” he said.

“We already know Matt Turner can deal with the pressure of a World Cup – his quality is evident. But also after a hard year for him in which he didn't play [for Crystal Palace], I think it's also important … to give an opportunity to Matt Freese, another goalkeeper who can also be an option, to compete, because in soccer, you never know when you'll need time to get to know players.”

Road ahead

This W won’t instantly fix everything that ails the USMNT; the opposition was quite limited, T&T coach Dwight Yorke admitting “today we weren't at the races, and it gives us an indication the gap at the international level to where some of my players are playing at the moment.” The Yanks’ record in Gold Cup group play is a lopsided 41W-1L-5D all-time, and they’ve won their group on 16 out of 17 occasions.

But it’s the stabilizing step forward they needed ahead of what project as much more demanding encounters vs. Saudi Arabia in Austin on Thursday, and Haiti in Arlington, Texas next Sunday. A first-place finish will be important, in order to avoid meeting likely Group A winners Mexico in the quarterfinals.

“We cut the negative results, and now we need to be focused,” said Pochettino. “And we want to be focused only to be better, improve, and now focus on Saudi Arabia. That is going to be very difficult.”