CINCINNATI, Ohio — The United States men’s national team avoided an early Gold Cup exit with a penalty shootout win against Canada to advance to the tournament’s semifinal.
After playing to a 2-2 draw through 120 minutes — including a pair of goals in extra time — Jesus Ferreira’s penalty to put the U.S. up 3-2 proved to be the winner after Canada’s fifth kicker, Charles-Andreas Brym hit to crossbar to end the game.
It was the United States’ second competitive victory against Canada this summer, coming on the heels of their 2-0 win in the Nations League final last month. The Americans will play Panama, which beat Qatar 4-0 on Saturday, in San Diego on Wednesday.
The U.S. went up 1-0 in the 88th minute on a goal from FC Cinccinatti’s Brandon Vazquez before Steven Vitoria penalty in stoppage time evened the game. Canada looked like it had the game won, too, when Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg scored in the 109th minute, but a Scott Kennedy own goal gifted the U.S. new life.
Rapid reaction
1. USMNT shows a winning mentality in relentless fight
The U.S. was the better team and the deserved victor. But after falling behind in the 109th minute of extra time, it appeared they would fall short of the Gold Cup semifinal for the first time in over two decades.
The fluky own goal that tied it up isn’t exactly a model response, but what the U.S. showed was a resilience to keep going.
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They kept the pressure up and something good happened. As much as the team’s improved talent has made a difference in the past few years, it has often found a way to find magic late in these Concacaf competitions.
It speaks to the team culture and desire. Those things are hard to measure but when you see it, you can appreciate it — and that was the case Sunday night.
2. Tougher test from Canada reveals USMNT attacking woes
As well as the U.S. played in its last two group games of the Gold Cup, any analysis needs to be prefaced by the gulf in talent between the Americans and their opponents. Against Canada, however, that wasn’t the case.
While neither side in Sunday’s quarterfinal fielded anything close to what resembles a first-choice team, the quality on both sides was similar. And with that being the case, that explosive attack the U.S. showed in St. Louis and Charlotte vanished.
