Friday's soccer news has the Europa League roundup for USMNT players, starting with Jordan Pefok subbing out in the 63rd minute of Union Berlin's 1-0 home win over Braga in group D. Robin Knoche converted a 68th minute penalty and Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow made three saves to keep the clean sheet. Union Berlin is in 2nd-place on nine points, trailing group leaders Union St-Gilloise by four . . .
The level of difficulty in the Octagonal
By J Hutcherson (Aug 3, 2021) US Soccer Players - If there's a takeaway in this era of Nations Leagues and compacted schedules, it's that whatever just happened only counts for so long. The Concacaf Nations League ended a little over a month before the Gold Cup began. Now it's World Cup qualifying set to start on September 2. What's already clear is that success in this region is even more of a . . .
Preview: 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup final
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 30, 2021) US Soccer Players - The Gold Cup semifinals reached their most commonly expected outcome on Thursday night. They just took a stranger and more winding path than usual to get there. The USMNT found another gear to down a lively Qatar 1-0 via a late Gyasi Zardes goal in sultry Austin, Texas. Then a couple of hours to the southeast in Houston, Mexico . . .
Gold Cup semifinal: Qatar 0 – USMNT 1
The USMNT survived to advance to the 2021 Gold Cup final where they will play Mexico after a 1-0 win over Qatar at Austin's Q2 Stadium. It took seeing off a motivated Qatar attack that couldn't get the ball past USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner in the first-half. Qatar had a chance to take the lead in the 61st minute, but Hassan Al-Haydos sent the ball over the bar. The USMNT made three substitutions . . .
Preview: Qatar vs USMNT in the Gold Cup semifinals
Thursday's soccer news starts with matchday for the USMNT in the 2021 Gold Cup, facing Qatar in the semifinals (7:30pm ET - FS1). Qatar advanced with a 3-2 win over El Salvador while the USMNT saw off Jamaica 1-0. Both of those results raised questions about the winning team. Qatar couldn't hold a 3-0 lead while the USMNT left it late with an 83rd minute winner. What that raises for both teams . . .
The different pressure on the USWNT and USMNT
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 28, 2021) US Soccer Players - The US Women's and Men's National Teams are a world apart. This is true geographically, with the USWNT currently at the Tokyo Olympics and the USMNT at the Gold Cup, and metaphorically. The women went to Japan carrying expectations of winning an important tournament. The men entered this edition of the Gold Cup largely focused on . . .
Cade Cowell, Henry Kessler, and Gold Cup opportunity
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 23, 2021) US Soccer Players - For the USMNT, this Gold Cup is about the opportunity. It’s about the opportunity to win a trophy, of course, but also the opportunity presented to individual players. There’s an intense World Cup qualifying campaign coming very soon. USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter is on the hunt for players who can step up when asked to aid in that . . .
Preview: USMNT vs Jamaica 2021 Gold Cup quarterfinals
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 23, 2021) US Soccer Players - The USMNT begin their journey through the Gold Cup's knockout bracket on Sunday with a quarterfinal matchup against Jamaica at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (9:30pm ET - FS1). It's a familiar opponent in a familiar circumstance. The Yanks have extended their streak of 16 straight qualifications for the knockout phase of . . .
Group C concludes, USMNT gets Jamaica in quarterfinals
Wednesday's soccer news starts with the USMNT learning its opponent in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals. Jamaica finished 2nd in group C and will play the United States on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium (9:30pm - FS1). Costa Rica won the group with a 1-0 shutout of Jamaica at Exploria Stadium and will play Canada in the quarterfinals. Bryan Ruiz scored the game's only goal in the 53rd . . .
The USMNT’s wait for the Gold Cup quarterfinals
Monday's soccer news starts with the USMNT finishing off group B with three wins after shutting out Canada 1-0 in Kansas City. Once again, a different tactical setup produced a result, though with Canada leading on shots 14 to 6, shots on goal 3 to 1, and possession with 55%. Starting the game with a traditional strike partnership of Gyasi Zardes and Daryl Dike, it was the type of approach that . . .
