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Concacaf Gold Cup

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago score, result, highlights as USMNT win Gold Cup Group A after another Ferreira hat trick

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Kyle Bonn
• 27 min read
Jesus Ferreira of USA celebrate goal
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The United States knew they needed an onslaught of goals in the final 2023 Gold Cup group stage match to secure their place atop the Group A standings, and they delivered the goods as they trounced Trinidad & Tobago 6-0 in Charlotte on Sunday evening.

Jesus Ferreira became the first USMNT player in history to score back-to-back hat-tricks, backing up his new nickname of “Pirate of the Caribbean” by snagging three goals before the break. Cade Cowell and Gianluca Busio both added the first goal of their international careers, Brandon Vazquez scored again in this Gold Cup, and Matt Turner made a pair of good saves to secure the clean sheet.

With Jamaica blasting St. Kitts & Nevis 5-0, the U.S. needed to protect their goal differential advantage, and they did just that, finishing level with the Reggae Boyz on points but winning the group with a +12 differential to Jamaica’s +8.

The United States will now advance to the knockout round where they will face the runner-up of Group D, which currently features Guatemala and Guadeloupe in the top two spots, with Canada in the hunt. That match will be on July 9 in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a potential semifinal game in Las Vegas on July 12.

MORE: Teenager Cade Cowell eyeing European move

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago final score

  Score (2H) Goal scorers
USA 6 Jesus Ferreira (14', 38', 45+1'),
Cade Cowell (66'),
Gianluca Busio (79'),
Brandon Vazquez (90+4')
Trinidad &
Tobago		 0 –

Lineups:

USA (4-5-1, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 5. Reynolds, 20. Neal, 12. Robinson (Miazga, 46'), 15. D. Jones — 17. Zendejas (Cowell, 61'), 14. Mihailovic (Vazquez, 70'), 8. Sands, 6. Busio, 10. Roldan (Gressel, 61') — 9. Ferreira.

Trinidad & Tobago (3-5-2, right to left): 1. Phillip (GK) — 5. Archer, 6. Singh (Gomez, 46'), 4. Bateau — 16. A. Jones, 15. Hackshaw, 10. Molino (Gill, 46'), 18. Hodge (Corbin, 65'), 3. J. Jones (Rampersad, 46')  — 11. Garcia, 19. Shaw.

Group A final standings

Team Pts W-D-L Goal
Diff.		 Goals
Scored
1. USA 7 2-1-0 +12 14
2. Jamaica 7 2-1-0 +8 10
3. Trinidad & Tobago 3 1-0-2 -6 4
4. St. Kitts & Nevis 0 0-0-3 -14 0

MORE: Updated 2023 Gold Cup standings and schedule, with highlights and results

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago post match analysis

Jesus Ferreira continues to grow into USMNT role

The nickname "Pirate of the Caribbean" was given to Jesus Ferreira in a tongue-in-cheek nature, but regardless of the opponent tonight, his two open play goals were of the highest quality.

BJ Callaghan said after the match that the game seemed to be "slowing down" for Ferreira, and while the 22-year-old himself wouldn't bite on that, it's clear that pressure is being lifted by his goal onslaught.

Ferreira did say that he was asked to play a more creative role today, as a hybrid No. 10, which is ironic given that he ended up snagging a trio of goals. "I have to be a player who can adapt what the coaches need, and today I had to adapt and play a little lower and feed the strikers and feed the wingers."

Young prospects shine in Gold Cup group stage

A number of fringe players have been given chances in this tournament, and they are contributing in big ways. Most notably, the likes of Jalen Neal, Bryan Reynolds, and Cade Cowell are looking electric in their various roles.

Neal is the biggest winner so far, having come on at halftime of the opener against Jamaica, and impressing. Head coach BJ Callaghan has called out Neal multiple times in his media availabilities, and so have the teammates. Matt Turner after the win said that Neal is "really eager to learn, and when he listens, you can see him processing the information, which is really special for a young player to have that ability to learn and adapt and get better quickly."

Cowell was somewhat quiet in his start against St. Kitts & Nevis, but he has been great off the bench in his two substitute appearances, getting his first international goal in this game tonight. He's likely on his way to Europe soon, and he continues to give clubs abroad reason to come calling.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago live updates, highlights, commentary

Final: USA 6-0 Trinidad & Tobago

90+4 min: GOAL! USA! Marvin Phillip can't keep that one from Brandon Vazquez out, and it's 6-0! He finishes calmly on a good vertical delivery from Cade Cowell, and he holds his run expertly off his defender's back shoulder to stay onside until the pass is fed.

90+2 min: Chance, USA! Cade Cowell again goes swimming through defenders in the penalty area, and this time he cuts back to Gianluca Busio who's all alone for a shot on net, but Marvin Philip makes a spectacular save to keep it out.

90th min: Chance, USA! Brandon Vazquez has an opportunity to meet a cross with a one-time delivery from the left, but he scuffs the chance and it rolls slowly, agonizingly wide. He knows he just missed a good one, as five minutes of added time is shown.

88th min: The U.S. have a couple more looks on goal, but can't get the ball on target. Matt Miazga meets a corner with his head, but looks to feed a teammate at the opposite post and there's nobody there. Then Julian Gressel has a go but fires wide, and Cade Cowell meanders his way through the penalty area but can't pull the trigger. They haven't turned the gas off just yet.

81st min: Chance, Trinidad & Tobago! The Caribbean nation isn't going down without a fight, and Matt Turner makes a great save! A shot from a tight angle is on target, and Turner acrobatically dives to parry it away from danger! That's a great save from the Arsenal man.

On the ensuing corner, Andre Rampersad rises high to meet it with  his head, but it's blasted over.

79th min: GOAL! USA! Gianluca Busio joins the party! Julian Gressel feeds him at the penalty spot with a cut-back, and the Venezia man buries the chance. The U.S. will now surely win Group A and advance to the knockout stage!

77th min: Bryan Reynolds is withdrawn for the United States, replaced by DeAndre Yedlin.

74th min: We have our second half hydration break as Jesus Ferreira puts the ball out of play so a Trinidad & Tobago player can receive treatment.

Jamaica scores a fourth and fifth on St. Kitts & Nevis, but they're still trailing the goal differential category by two. It will still be tough for them to top the group.

69th min: Chance, USA! Cade Cowell hits the post! He cuts in on his right, his favorite move, and in tons of space, he fires on net but hits the near post. He's been electric since coming on!

In the aftermath, Brandon Vazquez enters for Djordje Mihailovic, which sends Julian Gressel into midfield, and Jesus Ferreira out wide.

68th min: The U.S. hasn't had much defending to do, but Jalen Neal just stood very tall in a one-on-one breakaway. Trinidad & Tobago brought on forward Kadeem Corbin just before the fourth U.S. goal, replacing a defender, so they're going for it.

66th min: GOAL! USA! Just minutes after entering the pitch, Cade Cowell finds the back of the net! He gets all by himself on a breakaway, and after sending the goalkeeper to the turf, he stays on the ball long enough to put the trailing defender on the wrong side of the ball as well, finishing strongly. That looked like an easy chance, but it could have gone wrong at a number of different moments. It's his first international goal!

Watch in USA:

62nd min: Chance, Trinidad & Tobago! OFF THE POST AND OUT! It's a brilliant hit from Shannon Gomez at the top of the penalty area, and he nearly finds the back of the net, but it's kept out by Matt Turner who somehow gets his fingertips to it (I think?) and pings the ball off the inside of the woodwork and caroms along the goal mouth and out. Hard to get much closer than that without scoring!

60th min: Chance, USA! Jesus Ferreira is human after all! DeJuan Jones again pesters the Trinidad & Tobago flank, and when he looks up, he sees Ferreira WIDE open at the far post. He fires in a cross, and it's just a hair off the mark, forcing Ferreira to adjust, and he can't get the header on frame as it's blasted over.

Two more substitutions for the United States as Julian Gressel comes in for Cristian Roldan, and Cade Cowell enters for Alex Zendejas. BJ Calleghan swaps both wingers.

58th min: DeJuan Jones, who has been very lively down the left today, cuts inside and fires a curler aimed for the far post, but it's a fair bit wide. Needed a better finish, but that's a good move.

53rd min: Jalen Neal purposely absorbs a yellow card after a turnover led to a counter-attack for Trinidad & Tobago. It would have been two-on-one had he not bear-hugged Levi Garcia, who burns another U.S. player with a lovely turn.

Jamaica begins the second half with a goal, meaning they now also lead St. Kitts & Nevis by a 3-0 score. The U.S. may want one more to really seal the deal.

Watch in USA:

47th min: Right off the jump, the U.S. is into the attack, with Alex Zenejas is threaded through in front of goal, but Sheldon Bateau makes a vital challenge before he can get a shot off. It's a very good tackle by the 32-year-old defender playing in Belgium for second-tier club Beveren.

Kickoff: They're back under way in Charlotte, with the United States 45 minutes away from securing the top spot in Group A. This would see them avoid a potential meeting with Mexico until the final.

Both sides have made substitutions, with the United States pulling Miles Robinson off and inserting Matt Miazga at center-back. For Trinidad & Tobago, it's a triple change, with Joevin Jones, Kevin Molino, and Luke Singh all withdrawn for Andre Rampersad, Real Gill, and Shannon Gomez.

Halftime: USA 3-0 Trinidad & Tobago

It hasn't been a perfect performance by the United States, but it was almost perfect. They dominated possession, dominated the scoring chances, and are getting another stellar performance from Jesus Ferreira, who continues to terrorize Caribbean CONCACAF opponents.

Djordje Mihailovic has been great again in midfield, and the lack of width hasn't hurt the U.S. Trinidad & Tobago had about two good chances, and missed with both.

The U.S. will almost surely win the group now, unless something truly wacky happens. Jamaica scored a second before halftime to go up 2-0, but they still trail by four goals on differential.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago: First Half

45+1 min: Penalty, USA! The referee gets this one right. Djordje Mihailovic makes a vertical run in to the penalty area and is scythed to the ground by Alvin Jones. It's a stonewall penalty decision, and the referee had very little thinking to do — he points right to the spot.

Jesus Ferreira steps up to complete his hat-trick before halftime, and...GOAL! USA! Ferreira sends the goalkeeper the wrong way, burying it to the left, and has all three goals before the break!

44th min: There's a HUGE penalty shout for the United States, but the referee does not point to the spot. A through-ball for Jesus Ferreira was just out of his reach, and Marvin Phillips got to the ball first, but the Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper spilled it, and as Ferreira touches it away, the goalkeeper rugby tackles Ferreira to the turf.

In all honesty, that looks like a penalty. VAR has a look, though, and play resumes. They may have said the touch by Ferreira before being tackled sent the ball too far to be dangerous. Still...that's a foul anywhere else on the pitch.

42nd min: The U.S. has to defend its first set-piece delivery, and they handle it well as Miles Robinson gets his head to it for the clearance.

38th min: GOAL! USA! It's Jesus Ferreira AGAIN, he just cannot stop scoring! It all starts with a wonderful ball from Djordje Mihailovic, who threads Alex Zendejas in with a vertical delivery. His cross is awkwardly dealt with, and Jesus Ferreira manages to latch onto the ball as Marvin Phillips hits the deck. He does incredibly well to dribble away from the goal to get out of arms reach of the goalkeeper, and then fires a 180-degree whip-around shot for the finish. What a tournament he's having!

Watch in USA:

35th min: Levi Garcia is a player, man. He just completely shredded DeJuan Jones on the touchline, but Jones managed to drag him back slightly without getting whistled for a foul, and then had help arrive to end the chance. Garcia, a 25-year-old forward with AEK Athens in Greece, is in good form for his club and it's showing. He's had a few really dangerous moments.

32nd min: They're back under way from the hydration break. In the other match, Jamaica finds a goal to go in front of St. Kitts & Nevis. It'll likely now come down to goal differential unless either Trinidad & Tobago or St. Kitts & Nevis can find a goal.

Watch in USA:

29th min: Jesus Ferreira gets free at the top of the penalty area and lets fly from a rare deep spot, but it's nowhere close. The referee signals for a water break, which is much-needed today in the Charlotte heat.

28th min: Chance, Trinidad & Tobago! The visitors come close again, but again Miles Robinson does just enough. The Syracuse product is almost turned inside out by Levi Garcia, but he manages to just barely stay on his feet and cut off the angle, so that Garcia's eventual shot is tame and easily saved by Matt Turner from a tight angle. That very nearly was a dicey moment for the U.S.

27th min: The game has slowed a bit as Trinidad & Tobago begin playing more physical and committing a few fouls. Miles Robinson makes a really fantastic tackle as the Caribbean nation looks to counter down the left half.

20th min: The crowd reacts as Alex Zendejas is called for a foul in midfield, ducking underneath an aerial challenge from a defender behind him. Not much he could have known about that. The referee, Guatemalan official Mario Escobar, has taken some early negativity from the fans in Charlotte.

14th min: GOAL! USA! It's the Pirate of the Caribbean, Jesus Ferreira, who gets the United States started! Cristian Roldan receives the ball down the left, and while he initially gets the ball stuck at his feet, he's able to recover really well. He plays DeJuan Jones on the overlap, and he fires a great cross to Ferreira in front of goal.

Ferreira still had work to do, and my goodness did he do it expertly. With his body facing the delivery from Jones, he popped the ball up perfectly to allow him to turn the other direction and shoot into the open net. A really great goal! It's Ferreira's 12th international goal, and 10th against a Caribbean nation.

Watch in USA:

10th min: Chance, Trinidad & Tobago! Oh my, the U.S. are very lucky that Trinidad & Tobago didn't just grab the opener with their very first attacking possession! James Sands and Djordje Mihailovic are both caught in possession, and it nearly results in an opportunity for Joevin Jones crashing at the far post! He should have put that one away, but sends it miles high with the first-time shot.

Watch in USA:

9th min: The playing surface, a temporary sod laid on top of the regular Bank of America turf, looks to be an early talking point. The grass looks slow, as the ball is rolling like on carpet.

Alex Zendejas flubs an early shot that he sends to the moon from the top of the penalty area, and you wonder if that had an effect.

Watch in USA:

7th min: Alex Zendejas feeds Jesus Ferreira with an absolutely brilliant slicing ball at the top of the penalty area, but it's cooked a little too hot and Ferreira's first touch lets him down, evaporating the chance as the ball pops high into the air, letting the Trinidad & Tobago defense recover. That's really great vision from Zendejas to see that pass and then execute it in a tight window.

5th min: As you might imagine, the U.S. is controlling much of the early possession, but Trinidad & Tobago are pressing high in certain moments. Gianluca Busio nearly turns it over in a bad spot, but gets it back in time to actually start a break, but his ball for Roldan out wide left is too vertical and is collected by Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.

2nd min: We were wondering how the U.S. would set up, and as we mused when the lineup came out, Cristian Roldan is deployed at left wing opposite Alex Zendejas, with Gianluca Busio and Djordje Mihailovic sitting in midfield above the No. 6 James Sands.

Roldan sends a cross in for Busio but it's just over his head. Busio was open at the far post unmarked.

Kickoff: Live from Charlotte, NC, the match is under way at Bank of America Stadium! A 2023 Gold Cup knockout stage spot is on the line.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more

5 mins to kick: Something to keep in mind as kickoff approaches: IT'S HOT here in Charlotte. The kickoff temperature is 90 degrees, with a heat index just north of 100 thanks to a muggy humidity of 55%. Finding moments to stay hydrated, even outside the designated water breaks, will be critical.

10 mins to kick: Only six players remain on this USMNT roster from the 2021 Gold Cup title run, as Jenny Taft tells the FOX broadcast. It was a turning point for goalkeeper Matt Turner, who managed to stick in the first team after that performance, and Taft wonders who on this current roster could stake a claim to a more permanent spot moving forward.

Developing players like Cade Cowell and Bryan Reynolds come to mind with bright futures, while Alex Zendejas and Djordje Mihailovic seem to be on the cusp of a more prominent first-team role. Miles Robinson is a regular starter, but having missed significant time with injuries through the last year, his minutes here are important moving forward.

19 mins to kick: The U.S. has not visited North Carolina often. It's their first visit to the state since a 2018 win over Paraguay, and their first-ever trip to the city of Charlotte. They did play at Davidson in 1994, beating Moldova 3-0 in their only trip to the Charlotte area.

30 mins to kick: Memories of the 2017 disaster in the Caribbean continue to shroud this fixture, but on home soil, the U.S. has been utterly dominant against Trinidad & Tobago.

They have kept 10 straight clean sheets on home soil against tonight's CONCACAF opponent, dating back to a 3-2 U.S. win in the 1996 Gold Cup which saw Kasey Keller concede twice.

45 mins to kick: The Trinidad & Tobago lineup is now also in, and head coach Angus Eve has, as expected, gone to a three-CB system. He rings a host of changes, though, as a number of players swap out from the first two games. The most notable change made is in goal, as he brings back 38-year-old Marvin Phillip for his 94th cap, replacing Nicklas Frenderup who had struggled through the first two games.

1 hour to kick: The U.S. lineup is in, and it's a head-scratcher, formationally. There's an extra midfielder in Gianluca Busio, but a stark lack of width, with only one true winger in Alex Zendejas. Will Cristian Roldan play out wide? Hard to tell. Will be interesting to see how BJ Callaghan puts these players together on the field.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: The U.S. owns a piece of Gold Cup history, coming in a match against Trinidad & Tobago. In the 1991 Gold Cup, which was the first-ever edition of the rebranded CONCACAF title tournament, Marcelo Balboa's goal in the 87th minute completed a dramatic comeback, giving the U.S. the first come-from-behind victory in the competition's history.

Trinidad had scored the opener in the 67th minute, but Bruce Murray drew the U.S. level in the 85th minute, before Balboa put them ahead two minutes later. It was a heck of a strike.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: The U.S. will once again wear their blue kits tonight. They wore these kits in the opener against Jamaica, before switching to the whites for the St. Kitts & Nevis match.

1 hour 45 mins to kick: The situation for the U.S. is clear. They need to either best Jamaica's result, or finish level and retain their goal differential advantage to remain atop the group. If Jamaica beat their result, or make up the goal differential, the U.S. will not win the group.

If they shockingly lose to Trinidad & Tobago, they would be in all likelihood out of the knockout stage.

2 hours to kickoff: While this USMNT squad of young prospects and veteran fringe players has plenty of individuals with uncertain club futures, so too does the first-team group that competed in the Nations League a few weeks ago, but one of those players has sealed a transfer to give him a new home.

Tim Weah yesterday completed a move from French club Lille to Italian side Juventus, with reports claiming his transfer fee is around €12 million, and he has signed a contract worth around €4 million a year. Weah is the obvious replacement for the departed Juan Cuadrado, who played right wing-back for years at Juventus. It's a position that probably suits Weah, who plays right winger for the USMNT but who was forced into the full-back position for much of his final season at Lille.

There are plenty of other USMNT first-team regulars who are looking to also finalize moves this summer, including Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, who reportedly could both be joining another Italian club in AC Milan, which would put a host of American first-teamers in Serie A next season.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago lineups

It was thought B.J. Callaghan could revert to a number of his more regular starters after rotating the squad against St. Kitts & Nevis, but many from the last match remain. Jesus Ferreira gets his third straight start up front after picking up a hat-trick on Wednesday, but Brandon Vazquez impressed off the bench against Jamaica and may have earned minutes in this game, too. Djordje Mihailovic turned in a Man of the Match performance against St. Kitts & Nevis, and is called upon again in midfield here.

In goal, Matt Turner returns in goal after Sean Johnson picked up a spot start last time out. There are two injury concerns for the United States, as Alan Sonora was ruled out with a hamstring strain, while Jordan Morris continues to train on his own after missing the last match with a knee issue. Aidan Morris has left camp for personal reasons, further depleting the midfield. Defender Miles Robinson is fit and starts after failing to appear in the first two games.

Interim head coach Callaghan has gone back to Bryan Reynolds and DeJuan Jones at full-back after impressing against St. Kitts & Nevis, while John Tolkin and DeAndre Yedlin were the ones deployed in the opener against Jamaica.

MORE: Recapping the USA's 6-0 win over St. Kitts & Nevis

USA confirmed starting lineup (4-5-1): Turner (GK) — Reynolds, Neal, Robinson, D. Jones — Zendejas, Mihailovic, Sands, Busio, Roldan — Ferreira.

USA subs (10): Johnson (GK), Slonina (GK), Miazga, Long, Yedlin, Tolkin, J. Morris, Cowell, Gressel, Vazquez.

38-year-old goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, with 93 international caps, gets the start in goal after Nicklas Frenderup struggled in the first two group stage matches.

The most high-profile member of the T&T squad is Kevin Molino of the Columbus Crew, but the 33-year-old has only earned 14 league minutes for his club so far this MLS season. He starts tonight amidst fitness issues.

European-based striker Levi Garcia was excellent last season for his club AEK Athens, scoring 11 league goals in 23 appearances for the Greek side. His international career started extremely slow, but he's taken another step of late, with four goals and five assists in his last 10 caps for the Soca Warriors.

Trinidad & Tobago confirmed starting lineup (3-5-2): Phillip (GK) — Archer, Singh, Bateau — A. Jones, Hackshaw, Molino, Hodge, J. Jones  — Garcia, Shaw.

Trinidad & Tobago subs (12): Frenderup (GK), D. Smith (GK), David, Telfer, Fortune, Corbin, Moses, Gill, Gomez, Rampersad, Auvray, Khan.

Watch USA vs Trinidad and Tobago live stream, TV channel

USA

  • Date: Sun, July 2, 2023
  • Time (ET): 7:06 p.m. ET (4:06 p.m. PT)
  • TV Channel: Fox, Univision, TUDN
  • Streaming: Fubo, Fox Sports site/app, TUDN site/app

The match between the United States and Trinidad & Tobago will be televised in the United States on Fox network channel (English) and on Univision and TUDN (Spanish). All three channels are available to stream on Fubo, which is offers a free trial for new users.

Subscribers to cable, satellite or telco packages can use their credentials to access a stream on the Fox Sports or TUDN site and app.

MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA

Canada

  • Date: Sun, July 2, 2023
  • Time (ET): 7:06 p.m. ET (4:06 p.m. PT)
  • TV channel: Telus Optik TV (Ch. 980)
  • Live stream: Fubo Canada, OneSoccer site/app

OneSoccer has the rights to the entire Gold Cup tournament in Canada, and the channel is televised on Telus Optik TV Channel 980.

The match will also be streamed on Fubo Canada, which features the OneSoccer channel, as well as on the OneSoccer site and app for subscribers to the platform.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago betting odds

The United States are heavy favorites for this game, following Jamaica's dominant 4-1 win over Trinidad & Tobago back on Wednesday. That final score could have been even more had Jamaica taken their many missed opportunities in the second 45, already up 3-0 at the halftime break.

A Trinidad & Tobago result of any kind is not expected, with a draw hovering at around 9/1, and a shock Soca Warriors win at 18/1.

Due to the scoring threat of the United States, who hung six on St. Kitts & Nevis, sportsbooks have elevated the total goals mark to 3.5, with the U.S. handicap set at 2.5.

  USA
win		 Draw T&T
win		 Both teams
to score Y / N		 Over / Under
3.5 goals		 USA
-2.5		 T&T
+2.5
BetMGM
(USA)		 -800 +900 +1650 +120 / -175 -120 / -120 -110 -130
Sports
Interaction
(Canada)		 -909 +740 +1800 +110 / -172 -118 / -109 -106 -119
Author(s)
Author Photo
Kyle Bonn
Kyle Bonn is a soccer content producer for The Sporting News.
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Concacaf Gold Cup
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