Preview: USMNT start Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad & Tobago
Mauricio Pochettino’s US men’s national team is under pressure to improve at the 2025 Gold Cup ahead of next year’s World Cup on home soil.
By Graham Ruthven
Under pressure
The US men’s national team aren’t where they want to be right now. With the 2026 World Cup on home soil now less than a year away, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in bad shape. Supporters are starting to panic.
Last week’s friendly defeats to Türkiye and Switzerland only added to the concern, extending the USA’s losing run to four games. The 4-0 loss to Switzerland was particularly damaging as the USA looked grossly out of their depth.
It is important to note that this current USA squad isn’t the one that will play at the World Cup. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and others are all missing, meaning Pochettino is relying on youngsters and fringe players.
Nonetheless, it’s impossible to ignore the negativity around the USMNT right now. Pochettino needs a good showing at the Gold Cup to turn things around.
Trinidad and Tobago, on the other hand, enter Sunday’s match on the back of a credible 2-1 loss to Costa Rica and a 6-2 demolition of Saint Kitts and Nevis in World Cup qualifying. They are buoyant.
Key players
Diego Luna is the beating heart of Pochettino’s USA. The Real Salt Lake playmaker is one of the few players who looks to have embraced the manager’s ideas, giving the US some much-needed intensity and creativity in the final third.
Patrick Agyemang is another who has earned Pochettino’s trust. The Charlotte FC centre forward is raw and isn’t always the most precise in front of goal, but has the physical attributes to cause opposition defences problems in quick transition.
Tyler Adams will start at the base of the midfield if fit and available while Luca De La Torre could come back into the lineup. The San Diego midfielder was missed in the loss to Switzerland.
At the back, Chris Richards is the dominant defensive presence in the US backline. It will be on the FA Cup-winning centre back to organise and lead the USA in defence.
Levi García found the back of the net for the Soca Warriors against Costa Rica and could similarly be a threat against the USA. Coach Dwight Yorke will also need the experience of Alvin Jones and Kevin Molino to secure a result.
Team news
Adams missed the friendly against Switzerland with a minor injury after playing the second half of the narrow defeat to Türkiye. The Bournemouth midfielder is crucial to the USA who need him in central midfield.
Pochettino faces a decision over his starting goalkeeper. Matt Turner’s rustiness was on display in the 4-0 defeat to the Swiss as he made a blunder which led to the third goal. New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese could be given an opportunity from the start on Sunday.
Josiah Trimmingham suffered a knee injury in the friendly against Costa Rica and won’t feature against the USA. Jones is eligible to play despite being shown a red card in Trinidad & Tobago’s last outing.
Prediction
Despite all the absences and the media talk, we believe the US will have enough to get past Dwight Yorke’s underdogs in this opening contest: USA 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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