Although it was an early lead with head ball by Vines from Zardes that proved to hold for the next 82', the US was dangerous in the first stages of the game. Zimmerman beat up the goal frame with a few attempts. That assist put Zardes into some rare air as he became the 2nd fastest to achieve 10 assists & 10 goals, his 57 caps was only outdone by US Soccer legend Landon Donovan. He joins soccer royalty, Cobi Jones, Clint Dempsey, Earnie Stewart, USSF Sporting Dir.
First caps abound as a trio earned just that, Busio, Sands and Williamson. Busio was on the receiving end of a warm welcome in his home stadium. All three had represented the nation at the youth level. Now some 45 players over 30 games have seen players getting their first caps, tops for any coach over that time span. Half a dozen players are now cap tied as the first game was in an official competition. Of the 6, Turner-Lithuania, Moore-TnT, Gioacchini_ Jamaica & Italy, Dike-Nigeria (brother and sister played for them) as well as Busio-Italy were eligible for other nations. Sam Vines, the goal getting defender was the 6th man with his first cap.
The top pair of teams out of the 4 groups here will move onto the quarterfinals, July24-25 in Arlington, semis July 29 in Austin & Houston then the final Aug. 1, Vegas baby!
USA Kwik Kixx:
-Lletget got the armband for the first time facing Haiti, the 12th player to get it under coach.
-Zimmerman & Robinson made the 13th central defense deployed by coach.
-Moore had his first game since 2018 in Genk facing Italy.
-Zimmerman earned his first start since 2020 facing Costa Rica.
_ Zardes, had his first game also since the Ticos.
-19 of the 23 man roster hail from 13 MLS clubs, the other 4 are European based.
-Zardes tops on the team with 17 Gold Cup caps is 10th overall.
-Zardes is the leader in goals since 2018 with 47 for the USMNT and is #8 for the squad in Gold Cup Goals with a quartet.
-Roldan with his first cap in the 2017 Gold Cup has he anniversary of that event come just 3 days ago.
-The boys in blue took the first title in1991, and another half dozen times, '02,05, '07, '13, & '17, helping them be tops in wins at 62-9-9 overall.
-NOT a typo, the US is 36-1-4 in group stages.
-USMNT has missed the semis but once, 2000.
-Both meetings with Martinique in the Gold Cup have been US wins.
-2003 saw USMNTGM Brian McBride net a brace in a 2-0 win over Martinique.
-Casey Keller has his 31st career shutout facing Martinique, tying him with most in USMNT lore with Tony Meola.
-Last time, 2017, was a 3-2 win , the US had a 2-0 lead erased, Zardes with the assist to Morris made the final 3-1, USA.