The United States men's national team kicked off the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, CA, on Sunday.
Three first-half goals were enough to propel a young USMNT lineup, but the offense could've scored much more against a weak Trinidad and Tobago backline.
Here are three thoughts from the victory at PayPal Park.
Matt Freese gets the start
New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese made his long-awaited USMNT debut against Türkiye on June 7, but sat on the bench against Switzerland three days later, when Matt Turner started but conceded four goals in a messy game.
It wasn't clear which goalkeeper would start against Trinidad and Tobago, but head coach Mauricio Pochettino opted to go with Freese, handing the 26-year-old arguably the biggest start of his career.
Freese had an easy day at the office, recording just two saves, but his first was crucial. He denied Tyrese Spicer's shot that was going into the bottom right corner, getting a finger on his attempt to keep Trinidad and Tobago scoreless.
Matt Freese with the save | Courtesy USMNT
Freese looked comfortable in the Starting XI. He logged his first-ever clean sheet for his country despite it being just his second cap. Yes, it was an easy game, Freese came up big in the one moment he was called upon, and a performance like this one should earn him the right to start again when the USMNT faces Saudi Arabia on June 19.
Offense explodes
After the USMNT scored just three goals in its last four matches — all defeats — the offense came to life on Sunday.
Malik Tillman — fresh off a 16-goal and five-assist season with back-to-back Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven — opened the scoring in the 16th minute, notching his first-ever goal for the USMNT.
Jack McGlynn provides the assist to Malik Tillman | Courtesy USMNT
Houston Dynamo winger Jack McGlynn, who scored a thunderous left-footed goal against Türkiye eight days ago, got the assist with a great cross to the back post.
Tillman would score again 25 minutes later, as Diego Luna intercepted a poor pass from a Trinidadian defender and found the 23-year-old for the simple tap-in, recording a first-half brace.
Diego Luna poaches the ball then feeds Malik Tillman | Courtesy USMNT
Luna was once again at the forefront of the next USMNT goal. Tillman played a long pass to Luna, who dribbled to create space and shot the ball off Patrick Agyemang's foot, giving him credit for the goal.
Diego Luna does it himself | Courtesy USMNT
Substitutes Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright found the back of the net in the second half, adding to the comfortable victory.
Despite scoring five goals, the USMNT's offense could've had much more. They totaled 21 shots, 11 on target, but missed four out of its eight big chances.
Inexperienced lineup
Pochettino fielded a young lineup against Trinidad and Tobago. The average age of the team was 24.7, with 37-year-old Tim Ream being by far the oldest player and the only one with previous Gold Cup experience.
It was also a Major League Soccer-heavy lineup, featuring nine players from the highest level of the United States soccer league system. Crystal Palace center-back Chris Richards and attacking midfielder Tillman were the only two players from European clubs.
But the game also gave valuable experience to a player like Freese, who appeared in just one previous USMNT game – which took place just last week – and whose entire professional career to date has been spent in MLS.
Regardless of experience, the youthful lineup worked, but much of that can be attributed to the poor quality of Trinidad and Tobago, who entered this game ranked #100 in the world by FIFA . The USMNT will face a sterner test on Thursday, when they face Saudi Arabia, who are ranked #58.
