Monday, June 23, 2025

US Beats Haiti

US Completes Perfect Group Stage with Victory Over Haiti

The United States Men's National Team capped off a flawless Gold Cup group stage campaign with a 2-1 victory over Haiti at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday night. The win secured maximum points from Group D and demonstrated both the promise and concerns surrounding this largely experimental American squad.

Malik Tillman continued his exceptional tournament form, opening the scoring in the 10th minute with his third goal in as many matches. The attacking midfielder perfectly timed his run to meet Brenden Aaronson's curling cross, directing a precise header into the side netting. Tillman's consistent scoring has been the standout story of the competition, finally translating his club form with PSV Eindhoven into international success.

However, the Americans' lead was short-lived due to a costly goalkeeping error. Matt Freese, who had displaced Matt Turner as the tournament's number one, mishit a simple pass from Tim Ream under minimal pressure. The wayward clearance fell directly to Haiti's Louicius Don Deedson, who capitalized with a composed finish to level the score in the 19th minute.

The equalizer energized Haiti and created a surprisingly competitive atmosphere for much of the first half. The Caribbeans, seeking their first victory over the United States in five decades, matched their higher-ranked opponents for extended periods.

Mauricio Pochettino's side gradually asserted control in the second half, with multiple chances falling to key players. Tillman saw two goals disallowed—one for offside and another due to an unintentional handball—while Quinn Sullivan struck the crossbar with a spectacular volley on his first Gold Cup start.

The decisive moment arrived in the 75th minute when Patrick Agyemang demonstrated composure beyond his years. Receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from John Tolkin, the striker showed excellent touch to round goalkeeper Johny Placide before calmly slotting into the empty net for his fifth international goal.

The victory maintained the Americans' perfect record heading into next weekend's quarterfinal against Costa Rica.

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