United States Tops Martinique 6-1, Clinches Assign in 2021 Gold Cup Quarterfinals

Daryl Dike’s two targets propelled the US men’s national soccer crew to a 6-1 utilize over Martinique in CONCACAF Gold Cup group play on Thursday evening in Kansas City’s Kid’s Mercy Park.

With the utilize, the US clinched a high-two train in Team B, thereby earning a region within the Gold Cup knockout stage. Martinique has been eliminated from knockout spherical contention.

The US dominated all aspects of this match, accumulating 12 footage on honest to Martinique’s five and earning 65 p.c possession. The U.S. also had 14 nook kicks to Martinique’s zero.

The US began rolling within the 14th minute after a sensational ghastly from Matthew Hoppe stumbled on its attain to Dike, who buried the header.

Dike did now not get credit rating for the 2d honest, nonetheless his involvement resulted in the 2-0 lead.

The US ramped up the strain on Martinique, which failed to sure the ball from its hang terminate. George Bello will get the credit rating for that effort, and the ball stumbled on its attain to Hoppe earlier than being sent in Gianluca Busio’s direction.

Busio then fired a laser off the crossbar that stumbled on its attain to Dike, who attempted to send the ball over the honest line.

As a replacement, Martinique defender Samuel Camille scored an hang honest whereas attempting to sure the ball, leading to a 2-0 United States edge within the 23rd minute.

Dike used to be credited with the honest earlier than it used to be modified to an hang honest.

The USMNT took a 2-0 halftime lead, and its relentless assault did now not clutch long to ramp up within the originate of the 2d half of, with Eryk Williamson’s ghastly discovering Miles Robinson for the crew’s third ranking:

It also did now not clutch Dike long to get his brace for valid.

A pass to Cristian Roldan used to be rapid returned to the Orlando City SC celebrity, who then fracture up the Martinique protection and chipped the ball over goaltender Gilles Meslien for the US’ fourth honest.

Martinique had its section of potentialities on this evening. 

Within the predominant half of, Daniel Herelle’s 32nd-minute free kick stunning sailed over the crossbar.

Within the 2d half of, Martinique broke by after Kevin Fortune drew a penalty kick after Kellyn Acosta fouled him within the box.

Emmanuel Riviere cooly stepped as a lot as handle the leisure.

Undeterred, the US spread out a four-honest wait on all over again. Roldan earned his 2d support of the evening after firing a protracted by ball to Gyasi Zardes, who took wait on of a defensive breakdown for the 5-1 lead:

The US’ final honest got right here courtesy of a participant who plays in Kansas City (Sporting KC’s Busio) and one who used to be born there (Nicholas Gioacchini). Gioacchini took Busio’s ghastly and accomplished the job:

The US will now face Canada to shut Team B play Sunday at 5 p.m. ET from Kansas City. Just like the USMNT, Canada has defeated both Martinique and Haiti to make six parts to advance to the Gold Cup knockout spherical.

Per chance the most efficient thing left to resolve out is which crew will emerge because the group winner, which is able to trot on to face the Team C runner-up in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, July 25. The Team B runner-up will clutch on the Team C winner on the same attach and date.

Canada could possibly be the Team B winner if its match with the US ends in a design. The two groups would be tied on the predominant Gold Cup group tiebreaker (honest differential at plus-six), nonetheless Canada owns the threshold on the 2d tiebreaker of targets scored (eight to seven).

Thru one spherical in Team C, Costa Rica and Jamaica beget one utilize every in Team C play, beating Guadeloupe and Suriname, respectively.