A Crucial First Step: Takeaways from the USMNT's Gold Cup Victory Over Trinidad and Tobago | OneFootball

The U.S. men’s national team started its Concacaf Gold Cup in perfect fashion with a dominant 5–0 win over Trinidad and Tobago at PayPal Park in San Jose.

Malik Tillman scored a brace in the first half and the U.S. were up 3–0 by halftime, with Diego Luna the shining star in creating the opportunities. Later in the match, Brendan Aaronson bagged his first USMNT goal since 2023 and Haji Wright found the back of the net in the late stages to make it 5–0.

It was an MLS-heavy and relatively fresh-faced lineup for the U.S., but it still proved dominant and showed that some players could have a spot in a full-strength squad in the near future.

With a win secured to start the tournament, the U.S. now look ahead to Thursday night in Austin, Texas, as they get set to face Saudi Arabia, while Trinidad and Tobago turn its attention to a Caribbean clash against Haiti.

Here are Sports Illustrated's takeaways from Sunday’s match.

Stop the Bleeding

Brenden Aaronson scored his first goal for the USMNT since a September 2023 friendly against Oman. / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

To say things were tough for the USMNT heading into the Gold Cup would have been an understatement. For the first time since 2007, they had lost four straight matches and were looking to avoid a similar outcome in the opener against a Trinidad and Tobago side that had given them trouble in the past.

While Trinidad and Tobago’s No. 100 FIFA ranking may not concern the USMNT, considering its N0. 16 ranking, it was a more challenging test given the heavy MLS presence on both teams, a battle which Pochettino’s side dominated.

After Bundesliga defender John Tolkin compared the USMNT’s struggles to relegation earlier in the week, getting an ego-boosting win shows significant resilience and progression, especially with it coming against a team that has caused upsets in the past.

Now the question remaining for the USMNT is whether this game can be a game changer and reintroduce some confidence to the group, or whether the team sees it as the 83-spot gap in the FIFA rankings, and a win that won’t push them on to further success.

Nevertheless, stopping the bleeding was essential. Job done. Now, look ahead to beating Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the rest of group play.

Diego Luna Making a World Cup Case

Diego Luna put in yet another starring performance for the USMNT in 2025. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Diego Luna has shown he can impress at the club level with Real Salt Lake in MLS, but if we’ve learned anything from a rather dismal first few months of 2025 for the USMNT, it’s that he can be a key contributor to the national team as well.

Playing in right midfield rather than his usual central role, the diminutive 21-year-old unabashedly ran at defenders, and had two assists, while also showcasing his ability to read a play on a back-pass interception from Trinidad and Tobago defender Alvin Jones, leading to one of Tillman’s goals.

In just seven caps with the USMNT, Luna now has four assists and proved he can be a consistent threat in a variety of ways on Sunday. In addition to his two assists, he had four recoveries, five touches in the opposition box and made three passes into the final third.

While other MLS standouts from Sunday’s win may find themselves on the margins or outright off a USMNT first-choice roster, Luna has taken every opportunity with Pochettino’s group and could very well be a key piece not only this summer but into the future.

Defense, Matt Freese Impress

There wasn’t a whole lot to do for Matt Freese in net, but the New York City FC goalkeeper stood strong between the sticks, making two saves when called upon. However, the biggest takeaway at the back was how strong the entire backline was, despite having little experience playing alongside each other.

While Max Arfsten tends to play a more dynamic and advanced pseudo wingback position with Columbus Crew SC, he looked more comfortable in Pochettino’s four-man backline on Sunday, after a dismal showing against Switzerland, putting up a pair of assists and creating four chances.

Meanwhile, Orlando City SC’s Alex Freeman showed his ability to go forward, while also hanging back when Arfsten attacked, leading to a chance created, eight defensive actions, and 10 duel wins.

Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards and MLS veteran Tim Ream continued to hold down the heart of defense, and put in a strong performance. However, don’t expect the two to play every minute of the tournament, especially with Ream’s form dipping in MLS and the Gold Cup providing an opportunity to test out alternative partners for Richards.

For an American side that had been leaking goals in the last few games, shutting down Trinidad and Tobago, which featured dangerous attackers including Tyrese Spicer, Ajani Fortune, and Kevin Molino, is an essential step in the right direction.