The United states men's national soccer team has officially advanced in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup after taking down Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday. The U.S. finished first in Group A with a 2-1-0 (W-D-L) record and now awaits an opponent for a win-or-go-home quarterfinal matchup on Sunday.
Here's everything you need to know about the USA's Knockout Stage match this weekend.
Who and When Does USA Soccer Play Next?
The United States men's soccer team will face the runner-up from Group D on Sunday. That game will be played at 7 p.m. ET on July 9 and it will be hosted at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. FOX Sports is set to cover the exciting contest, as it has been throughout the entirety of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The U.S. is set to face the runner-up in Group D, which has not been finalized quite yet as the four teams involved have one more match to play on Tuesday. Guatemala is the current runner-up heading into the final matches, but Guadeloupe and Canada could easily end up landing in that spot as well.
The USMNT left no doubt in its final two matches of group play as it beat Saint Kitts and Nevis as well as Trinidad & Tobago by a combined score of 12-0. Forward Jesus Ferreira has been the star of the show for head coach Gregg Berhalter's team as he leads all Gold Cup players with six goals so far.
USA vs Guatemala, Canada and Guadeloupe Soccer History
It's worth pointing out that the U.S. has experience playing all three of its possible opponents. To begin, t he USMNT owns a great 15-6-4 (W-D-L) all-time record against Guatemala. The two countries have collided in Gold Cup action three times, with the U.S. emerging victorious in all three clashes.
The U.S. also holds a 19-11-11 (W-D-L) all-time record against Canada. Of course, these countries most recently faced off in the CONCACAF Nations League final where the U.S. earned a valuable 2-0 win. The USMNT is a notable 5-0-0 (W-D-L) against Canada in five all-time matchups in the Gold Cup.
Guadeloupe is the only country of the three in which the U.S. has rarely seen on the pitch. The two countries have met head-to-head only once in 2011. That Gold Cup game saw the U.S. take home a 1-0 victory. As can be seen, all three matchups would likely see the U.S. enter as the favored squ ad.
How Does the Gold Cup Knockout Stage Work?
The rules for the CONCACAF Gold Cup Knockout stage (or quarterfinals) are simple. This, and all future stages, are single-elimination. That means a loss at any point would send a country home.
Teams will play a 90-minute match with 45-minute halves, plus any stoppage time. If things are tied after regulation, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played to help determine a winner. If the score is still tied after that period, the match will go to a penalty shootout until a victor is decided.