Three of Gotham’s USWNT contingent are now injured after playing at the Gold Cup
NJ/NY Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós expressed his frustration with the timing of the 2024 W Gold Cup after he lost yet another U.S. women’s national team player to injury.
Gotham forward Midge Purce left Sunday’s 1-0 win over the Portland Thorns with a knee injury, joining her USWNT and Gotham teammates Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams on the injured list.
All three played for the USWNT as it won the inaugural W Gold Cup, which ran from February 20 to March 10. At issue for Amorós is the tournament’s placement right in the middle of the NWSL’s preseason, when players are not yet fully up to speed fitness-wise.
“We lost Midge during the game which for me is a bittersweet flavor,” Amorós told reporters after Sunday’s game. “By the way, it’s another player that came from the Gold Cup. Last week, it was Debinha. We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened.”
Last week, the Kansas City Current confirmed that Debinha would miss a handful of games with a hamstring problem, having suffered the injury after returning from Gold Cup duty with Brazil.
Amorós said he was unsure of the severity of Purce’s injury, with the 28-year-old forward set to undergo tests. While he doesn’t know the extent of the injury, Amorós had no doubt as to its cause.
“We’re talking about protecting the players, [who shouldn’t] go to play an international competition after one week of preseason,” Amorós said. “We’ve seen the consequences now. We’ve got Rose, Lynn, last week it was Debinha in Kansas [City] and now we have Midge. From my experience, the clubs are going to keep paying for that competition. Unfortunately, in this case, it was Midge and I hope it’s not too serious.”
El Tri badly needed a win, and their best young player provided exactly what was required
Mexico badly needed a lift, and its brightest young star provided exactly what was required with an individual moment of brilliance to win the Gold Cup on Sunday night.
The pressure was fully on Mexico for the Gold Cup, with the U.S. taking a roster that could somewhat charitably be described as a B-squad.
In fact, the oft-anticipated final between Mexico and the USMNT didn’t even materialize after B.J. Callaghan’s squad fell to Panama on penalties in the semifinal.
That set the stage for Mexico and Panama to face off in Sunday’s final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which was filled with green-clad fans hoping to see their side overcome the Central American underdogs.
But despite a number of Mexico chances, the match was scoreless through 88 minutes. El Tri had the better of play, with a goal waved off due to an offside call and several outstanding saves from Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.
But interim Mexico boss Jaime Lozano introduced Santiago Giménez as a substitute in the 85th minute. Three minutes later, the 22-year-old produced a moment Mexico fans will always remember.
Giménez held off Panama’s Harold Cummings near midfield, spun the defender around and then raced clear on goal. With only Mosquera to beat, he scuffed a shot into the far corner to send the stadium into raptures.
“It’s the biggest moment of my career,” Giménez said in quotes published by the AP. “I just tried to get down the field quickly. We followed our principles throughout the game, and they worked perfectly. The result was great, because there were a lot of competitive teams in this tournament.”
Watch Gimenez’s Gold Cup winner
GIMÉNEZ IN THE 88TH MINUTE TO GIVE MEXICO THE LEAD IN THE GOLD CUP FINAL!!!! 😱🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/bScggtL68p
There will be no repeat for the USMNT, which could not win a second straight penalty shootout
]The U.S. men’s national team is out of the Gold Cup.
Just as it did in the quarterfinal against Canada, the USMNT fell behind in the semifinal against Panama in extra time, only to grab a dramatic equalizer and send the game into penalties. Unlike against Canada, however, the U.S. would fall to defeat in the ensuing shootout.
The result sees the U.S. miss out on the Gold Cup final for the first time since 2015, ending a three-tournament streak that included titles in 2017 and 2021.
The USMNT was often second best in the game’s first 90 minutes, which ended scoreless. An extra-time goal from Iván Anderson gave Panama a 1-0 lead, but Jesús Ferreira would reply just minutes later with a stunning equalizer on the volley — his seventh goal of the tournament.
But the USMNT would not have the same shootout fortune that it did in the quarterfinal, as Panama advanced to Sunday’s final after defeating the U.S. 5-4 on spot kicks at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
The defeat ends B.J. Callaghan’s tenure as interim head coach and ushers in the second Gregg Berhalter era, which will begin in earnest with a pair of September friendlies. After Callaghan guided the USMNT to victory in the Nations League last month, a squad made up of fringe national team players was unable to make it a perfect summer for the USA.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Cade Cowell hit post just 20 seconds into the game after a Panama giveaway, but that was as good as it got for the USMNT in the first half.
Panama began to assert itself as the half wore on, keeping the lion’s share of possession while continuing to trouble the U.S. back line with long diagonal balls over the top.
The U.S., perhaps fatigued after going 120 minutes three days earlier, increasingly looked to be on the ropes and was undoubtedly relieved to simply get to halftime with the game scoreless.
The USMNT came out improved in the second half, and both Brandon Vazquez and Ferreira had golden opportunities to give their team the lead that were ultimately spurned.
Just before the end of regulation, the USMNT dodged a major bullet when Panama appeared to have scored through Ismael Díaz, who was ruled offside after a video review. There was also a possible handball on Djordje Mihailovic prior to Díaz’s goal that was not given for a penalty.
The U.S. would not be so lucky just eight minutes into extra time.
Another ball over the top caught the USMNT’s high line out, and Anderson, who only came on as a substitute at the end of regulation, got a vital touch that beat an onrushing Matt Turner before calmly finishing into an empty net.
The game would finish 1-1 and go on to penalties, where Ferreira saw his opening spot kick saved by Orlando Mosquera. Turner would then save from Cristian Martínez to level the shootout, which would ultimately go to a sixth round.
Cristian Roldan saw his penalty saved and Adalberto Carrasquilla made no mistake with his chance to win the match, giving the Central American side the upset and a place in the Gold Cup final for the first time since 2013.
The game started slowly but went full CONCACAF by the end
The U.S. men’s national team reached the Gold Cup semifinals in wild fashion on Sunday night, defeating Canada on penalties in a game that started slow but descended into classic CONCACAF chaos by the end.
The quarterfinal would finish 2-2 after 120 minutes, which saw the USMNT and Canada trade goals late in regulation and again in extra time to send the game into a penalty shootout.
Matt Turner was the hero in the shootout, saving Canada’s first two penalties as the USMNT prevailed 3-2 on spot kicks to advance to Wednesday’s semifinal against Panama in San Diego.
The first half saw Canada successfully frustrate the favored Americans, who had the lion’s share of possession but only managed one shot on target.
That was one more shot than Canada, however, as John Herdman’s side had their best scoring chance come from a VAR review late in the half. Miles Robinson appeared to handle the ball in the box, but the referee did not award the penalty after spotting a shove from Canada’s Moïse Bombito on Gianluca Busio prior to the handball.
The second half started out in much the same fashion before the USMNT started to turn the screws as the half wore on. Busio tested Dayne St. Clair from inside the box in the 68th minute, but the Canada goalkeeper dove low to his right to stop the best U.S. chance of the night to that point.
The U.S. needed a spark and the crowd at TQL Stadium made it clear who they wanted to provide it, chanting “We Want Vazquez” repeatedly for hometown striker Brandon Vazquez.
B.J. Callaghan obliged the home fans in the 73rd minute and 15 minutes later, he looked like a genius as it appeared the FC Cincinnati striker had won the match with a header off a tremendous cross from DeJuan Jones.
But minutes later, Robinson would somewhat improbably be under review for a potential handball in the box for the second time on the night. This time, he wasn’t so lucky.
Steven Vitória stepped up from the spot and with Canada’s first shot on target, buried his penalty down the middle for a 93rd-minute equalizer.
Vitória tied the game with Canada’s first shot on goal, and Jacob Shaffelburg looked like he won it with their second. The Nashville SC winger scored on a fantastic individual effort in extra time, starting the play by forcing a turnover and then squeezing a seeing-eye shot through Matt Miazga and into the net.
But there would be another twist in an increasingly wild game, as the USMNT found an equalizer five minutes later when Busio’s shot was saved by St. Clair, but the rebound caromed off Scott Kennedy and in for an own goal.
That would send the game into penalties, where Turner started off with two saves before the U.S. clinched a spot in the final four when Charles-Andreas Brym’s penalty crashed off the crossbar in the fifth round of spot kicks.
The USMNT will be aiming for a second consecutive continental title this summer
The 17th edition of the Gold Cup is set for the summer of 2023, with 16 teams competing to be crowned the top men’s national team in CONCACAF.
The tournament will mostly take place in the United States, which is home to 14 of the 15 stadiums that will host matches. The lone outlier is BMO Field in Toronto, with Canada set to host Gold Cup games for the first time since 2015.
The United States is also the defending champion, having defeated Mexico 1-0 after extra time of a thrilling final in 2021.
Before the group stage begins on June 24, the Gold Cup Prelims will take place between June 16-20 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The Prelims will see 12 teams enter and three emerge with a spot in the Gold Cup group stage.
From there, the top two finishers in each of the four groups will earn a spot in the quarterfinals, which will begin the single-elimination knockout portion of the tournament.
It will all culminate with the final on July 16 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
In the United States, games will be available through Fox Sports/Tubi in English. All but four of the tournament’s matches will air on FS1, with three group-stage games on FS2 and the final on Fox’s broadcast network. The Gold Cup will also be available on TUDN/ViX in Spanish.
Here is a look at all of the groups for the 2023 Gold Cup, and the schedule of matches all the way through to the final.
Group A
Team
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Points
United States
2
1
0
13
1
+12
7
Jamaica
2
1
0
10
2
+8
7
Trinidad and Tobago
1
0
2
4
10
-6
3
Saint Kitts and Nevis
0
0
3
0
14
-14
0
Group A schedule (all times ET)
June 24: United States 1-1 Jamaica June 25: Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 Saint Kitts and Nevis June 28: Jamaica 4-1 Trinidad and Tobago June 28: Saint Kitts and Nevis 0-6 United States July 2: United States 6-0 Trinidad and Tobago July 2: Jamaica 5-0 Saint Kitts and Nevis
Group B
Team
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Points
Mexico
2
0
1
7
2
+5
6
Qatar
1
1
1
3
3
0
4
Honduras
1
1
1
3
6
-3
4
Haiti
1
0
2
4
6
-2
3
Group B schedule (all times ET)
June 25: Haiti 2-1 Qatar June 25: Mexico 4-0 Honduras June 29: Qatar 1-1 Honduras June 29: Haiti 1-3 Mexico July 2: Honduras 2-1 Haiti July 2: Mexico 0-1 Qatar
Group C
Team
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Points
Panama
2
1
0
6
4
+2
7
Costa Rica
1
1
1
7
6
+1
4
Martinique
1
0
2
7
9
-2
3
El Salvador
0
2
1
3
4
2
1
Group C schedule (all times ET)
June 26: El Salvador 1-2 Martinique June 26: Costa Rica 1-2 Panama June 30: Martinique 1-2 Panama June 30: El Salvador 0-0 Costa Rica July 4: Costa Rica 6-4 Martinique July 4: Panama 2-2 El Salvador
Group D
Team
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Points
Guatemala
2
1
0
4
2
+2
7
Canada
1
2
0
6
4
+2
5
Guadeloupe
1
1
1
8
6
+2
4
Cuba
0
0
3
3
9
-6
0
Group D schedule (all times ET)
June 27: Canada 2-2 Guadeloupe June 27: Guatemala 1-0 Cuba July 1: Cuba 1-4 Guadeloupe July 1: Guatemala 0-0 Canada July 4: Guadeloupe 2-3 Guatemala July 4: Canada 4-2 Cuba
Gold Cup knockout stage
Saturday, July 8 – Quarterfinals
Match 34: Panama 4-0 Qatar
Match 35: Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica
Sunday, July 9 – Quarterfinals
Match 36: Guatemala 0-1 Jamaica
Match 37: United States 2-2 Canada (AET; United States advances 3-2 on penalties)
Wednesday, July 12 – Semifinals
Panama 1-1 United States (AET; Panama advances 5-4 on penalties)
Mexico 3-0 Jamaica
“On July 4, 2023, detectives from the Sacramento Police Department’s East and Central Command Violent Crime Reduction Team and the Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD) arrested suspect Alejandro Garcia-Villanueva at his residence,” read an SCPD statement on the matter.
SCPD said on Wednesday that Garcia-Villanueva has been charged with attempted murder. On Monday police described the victim as being in critical but stable condition.
Initially, the SCPD asked for the public’s help identifying a male suspect as well as a female “person of interest,” but said on Wednesday that detectives had determined the latter “did not commit a criminal offense” and was released
The incident happened amid what appeared on video as a brawl between fans, with the police report stating that “the suspect fled from the scene and was not located” at Levi’s Stadium.
UPDATE – 29 year old Alejandro Garcia-Villanueva has been identified as the suspect in the stabbing incident at Levi’s Stadium and is in custody. Full details available here: https://t.co/TlL0PnL27K. pic.twitter.com/qBjJllVt5A
The 26-year-old will be looking for his first cap since December 2021
Jackson Yueill has been named as an injury replacement for Alan Soñora on the U.S. men’s national team Gold Cup roster.
Soñora was removed from the USMNT’s win over St. Kitts and Nevis at halftime, and has since been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain.
Following the USMNT’s group stage finale against Trinidad and Tobago, interim coach B.J. Callaghan said that Soñora would be replaced ahead of the knockout stage.
Callaghan has opted to bring in San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Yueill, who has been capped 16 times by the USMNT — most recently in a December 2021 friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 26-year-old was called up for April’s Continental Clásico against Mexico, but was an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw.
After topping Group A, the USMNT will face Canada on Sunday in the Gold Cup quarterfinal. Kickoff at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati is set for 8 p.m. ET.
The fan is listed in critical but stable condition
Police are seeking one suspect and one person of interest after a fan was stabbed during Sunday’s Gold Cup match between Mexico and Qatar at Levi’s Stadium.
According to the Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD), officers responded to a fight in the stands at 8:47 p.m.
“Upon arrival, SCPD officers located a male victim with a visible wound to his neck,” the police report said. “Based upon witness statements and video footage, SCPD detectives discovered the victim was stabbed in the neck with a knife during an altercation with the suspect. The suspect fled from the scene and was not located.”
Police said on Monday that the victim was listed in critical but stable condition.
The SCPD released images of the male suspect and female person of interest on its Twitter account, seeking the public’s assistance in locating the pair.
Public assistance sought in stabbing at Levi’s Stadium. If you recognize these individuals please contact Det. Sgt. Gerbrandt at (408) 615-4823. To remain anonymous call our Anonymous Tip Line at (408) 615-4TIP (4847). Full news release available here: https://t.co/QUuawFwkm4pic.twitter.com/6slDgDIhuM
On Tuesday, the Mexican federation released a statement condemning the incident and vowing to work with authorities and CONCACAF to ensure similar incidents won’t happen in the future.
“We at the Mexican Football Federation strongly regret and condemn the acts of violence that occurred after last Sunday’s game in Santa Clara,” the statement read.
“We are fully willing to cooperate and join efforts with CONCACAF, the stadiums and local authorities, to prevent these acts from being repeated in any stadium.”
Qatar defeated Mexico 1-0 in the match, with both teams advancing to the Gold Cup knockout phase.
The USMNT coach won’t coach the USMNT at the Gold Cup. What gives?
U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter is not doing the thing most would expect a U.S. men’s national team coach to do during a tournament the U.S. men’s national team is playing in: coach.
That is to say, after Berhalter was officially named to his former post last week, U.S. Soccer said that interim B.J. Callaghan would still be in charge through the Gold Cup.
Callaghan, who was Berhalter’s assistant for several years, just led the USMNT to a CONCACAF Nations League title. His head coaching resume, brief as it may be, is at least successful.
Additionally, this will not be the A-team the U.S. brought to the Nations League, with the Gold Cup roster mostly comprised of players on the fringe.
But still, it seems a bit odd for a head coach — especially one like Berhalter who is so familiar with the team already — to not do the very thing his job title suggests during a major international competition.
This issue was posed to U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker at last week’s re-introductory press conference for Berhalter. Crocker suggested that Berhalter will actually be more useful to the USMNT doing non-coaching things for the next few weeks.
“What we didn’t want to create was the environment of you know, Gregg puts his boots straight back on, slides back into the environment, and it’s very much business as usual,” Crocker said. “There’s some real big-ticket items around some real strategic stuff over the next couple of seasons that we need to map out first.”
After saying the U.S. is in “good hands” with Callaghan for the Gold Cup, Crocker added that having a former Berhalter assistant in charge provides continuity that will free Berhalter himself to begin planning a strategy for the 2026 World Cup.
“It gives myself and Gregg the real great opportunity of spending some real time together, working through and piecing together the framework of that strategy for 2026. We can then bring that back to the staff and players and start to get their input to really develop it together collectively.”
The USMNT kicks off the Gold Cup on Saturday against Jamaica.
“If [Roldan and Morris] have a choice, I’m sure they’re going to go. I’m not so sure they have a choice”
Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has threatened to not release U.S. national team duo Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris for the upcoming Gold Cup.
The pair was named to B.J. Callaghan’s 23-man squad for the tournament that kicks off later this month. With MLS opting not to pause for the Gold Cup, Roldan and Morris could miss as many as six Sounders games.
While club coaches are usually happy to see their players recognized with international call-ups, Schmetzer’s issues are twofold: First, both players are coming off injuries and second, Callaghan’s interim status means that neither player is guaranteed a spot under the USMNT’s permanent boss no matter how well they perform.
“It’s because of the injuries, yes, first and foremost,” Schmetzer told the media on Wednesday in quotes published in the Seattle Times. “But it’s a funny time in U.S. Soccer. Who’s really in charge? Maybe the new coach, whoever that may be, maybe they like Cristian, maybe they don’t. Maybe they like Jordan, maybe they don’t. Who are they playing for now?”
“If [Roldan and Morris] have a choice, I’m sure they’re going to go,” Schmetzer added. “I’m not so sure they have a choice.”
Roldan has only recently returned after missing two months due to a concussion, while Morris came back last weekend after missing two games with an adductor strain.
“U.S. Soccer should take into consideration fixture congestion and other factors, but I can’t tell you if that’s really going to make a difference,” Schmetzer said. “They’re aware of Cristian’s concussion and him having to come out of the [Charlotte game Saturday] with cramps. Jordan coming back half injured, we’ve told them that.”
Still, Schmetzer admitted that with the pair eyeing a potential place on the 2026 World Cup roster, he’d likely release them if they are healthy.
“At the end of the day, I still go back to what keeps me grounded is those guys as individuals,” the coach said. “If they’re going to potentially be involved in 2026, then you’ve got to let them go.”
