2025 Gold Cup Recaps: Chris Richards Leads USMNT To Quarterfinals, Trinidad-Haiti Draw
US centerback Chris Richards was a one man show against Saudi Arabia while Trinidad needed an equalizer to spilt the points with 10-man Haiti.
US head coach Mauricio Pochettino is without the vast majority of his first team regulars for this Gold Cup due to a combination of Club World Cup conflicts, injuries, rest, etc.
Thankfully, Chris Richards is one of the regulars we expect to see a year from now at the World Cup.
Richards stuffed a first half Saudi breakaway and guided home a second half free kick to give the USA a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia and one of the Group D quarterfinal spots.
UNITED STATES 1, SAUDI ARABIA 0
It was a lackluster first half as the USA struggled to generate opportunities against an entrenched Saudi formation.
In the few chances that were created, it was Saudi Arabia down their left flank with Feras Al Brikan forcing Matt Freese into a covering save at the near post in the 18th, and then Abdulrahman Al Obud latched onto a bouncing ball and carried 40 yards into the box only to have Richards block his effort.
Patrick Agyemang’s looping header right before halftime fell right to keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi.
The USA started to be more proactive in the second half, but found the bulk of their chances via set pieces. Jack McGlynn found Richards off a corner in the 54th minute only for Richards ’ powerful header to be right at Al Aqidi. Al Obud struck the underside of the bar a few minutes later, but the flag went up and wiped out a good Saudi counter.
Chris Richards would not be denied, however, as he latched onto a sublime Sebastian Berhalter free kick at the top of the six and slid home the opener and eventual winner in the 63rd. The US has struggled with set-piece delivery over the past few years, but their defenders have found the scoresheet in 13 straight tournaments - every Gold Cup since 2002.
With the game opened up a bit after the goal, the USA was able to find some space in behind, but Agyemang and Damion Downs were unable to get past some emergency defending by Saudi Arabia. Tempers flared in the 89th minute after a foul by the USA, when Ziyad Al Johani shoved Tyler Adams after the play, which Berhalter took offense to.
More shoving ensued only to be broken up by both head coaches, as Herve Renard was trying to keep Al-Obud in particular away from the situation after he went after Berhalter. Al Johani and Berhalter received cautions for their role in the shenanigans, and as of now, we have no further discipline for the coaches, and the game ended without additional bookings.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 1, HAITI 1
Haiti was on the front foot in this one right from the start, their best chances a Danley Jean Jacques shot dragged just wide of the post in the 15th, then a pair of Duckens Nazon chances on a flicked corner kick up and over in the 20th and another shot flashed wide of the post five minutes later.
Frantzdy Pierrot thought he had the opener in the 27th with a five-hole finish past Trinidad keeper Marvin Phillip, only to be denied by the offside flag.
However, Haiti’s momentum would be stopped in its tracks in the 38th minute when Grenadiers centerback Jean-Kevin Duverne tripped up Levi GarcÃa on a breakaway, and center referee Ismael Cornejo had no other options and gave Duverne his marching orders.
Duckens Nazon was sacrificed to restore order to the backline, with Garven Metusala coming on before halftime. Cornejo was back in action in stoppage time, this time going to the monitor for a penalty check and overturning his original decision to award a penalty for a tugback on Ruben Providence inside the box. While there was some hand checking by Trinidad’s Sheldon Bateau, Providence did overrun the ball, which made the contact look far worse than it really was.
Despite the setback at the end of the first half, it was Haiti who found the opener after the restart with a close-range finish from Pierrot in the 49th as he shrugged his marker and blasted home Louicius Deedson’s centering pass. Trinidad nearly got an equalizer fifteen minutes later only for Tyrese Spicer to hit the near post.
Trinidad, however, would answer a few minutes later, with Justin Garcia nodding home a Kevin Molino cross at the backpost to make the score 1-1 in the 68th.
Haiti would be given a lifeline when Trinidad fullback Andre Raymond upended Wilguens Paugain quite literally on the edge of the area. However, Monday Prunier’s stutter-step run-up caused the soccer gods to dispense justice and send the spot kick over the bar.
A chaotic back-and-forth stoppage time sequence saw end-to-end looks, but the final chance by Trinidad’s Real Gill was well over the bar, and the teams settled for a point each.
2025 Gold Cup Group D Primer - Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, United States
No, we’re not going to try and figure out why Group D is starting after Group A. I assume as always that there are shenanigans afoot to keep the USA and Mexico on separate sides of the knockout bracket.
GROUP OVERVIEW
The USA’s win qualifies them for the knockouts and puts them in a prime position to win the group as they just need a draw with Haiti in their final match to secure first place.
Saudi Arabia can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win or a draw over T&T, as they have the tiebreak over Haiti if they both finish on four points, regardless of goal difference.
Haiti and Trinidad both need a win and help to make sure they advance. If they both win and jump the Saudis with four points total, Haiti would have the goal difference tiebreaker more than likely. Trinidad actually has the potentially easiest way to the quarters - get a win over the Saudis, and any non-Haiti win would get them through.
Group D concludes on Sunday, June 22nd at 7 pm EDT with the USA-Haiti from Arlington, TX on FOX and Saudi Arabia-Trinidad and Tobago from Las Vegas on FS1.
Truly abysmal officiating. It's one thing to want to keep the cards in your pocket, but it's another to let so much go you ultimately lose control of the match. Here's hoping that crew are done at the competition.