Chris Richards’ goal sends USMNT through to Gold Cup knockout stage

The United States Men’s National Team booked their place to the Gold Cup quarterfinals with a 1-0 over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night. The USMNT and Saudi Arabia came into Thursday night’s match knowing that a win would advance them to the next round of the Gold Cup while facing what is likely to be their toughest opponent of the group stage.

With the stakes set, and following their five goal win over Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday, Mauricio Pochettino came out with an unchanged lineup. The US controlled possession early and Saudi Arabia was pressing high but the team calmly controlled in building out of the back though they struggled to build into the attacking third.

There were a collection of crosses including a corner just after the 12th minute but the Saudi keeper, Alaqidi, got a hand to the corner, which looked the most dangerous of the options, to prevent the US from scoring.

On the rare occasions that Saudi Arabia would gain possession the US was pressing hard and forcing turnovers or long hopeful balls. The Saudis also looked like they have acclimated well to Concacafery with some decent dives and lots of time wasting.

Just under 20 minutes in the US were holding possession edge controlling the ball over three quarters of the time but the Saudi’s got their first look at goal as Aljohani played Al-Buraikan in for a shot from a tight angle that Matt Freese covered.

After a close call in the 22nd minute with Richards shielding so that Freese could just get a touch on the ball the US won another corner but were unable to make much of it.

Just after the 30th minute another long switch from the Saudis, which was misjudged by Freeman at midfield led to the best chance of the match to that point by either team but a late sliding challenge by Chris Richards saved the US from going down halfway through the first. The Saudi’s didn’t make much of the ensuing corner and the US once again regained possession.

Max Arfsten probably should have been shown a card in the 35th minute after a close-line on Marjashi that prevented another Saudi long ball but wasn’t whistled for a foul which was a consistent theme through the night as the match official struggled to recognize contact or control the match.

The US had long stretches of possession late in the half once again but still struggled to do much more than pass the ball around the back until just before the end of first half regulation when Max Arfsten had a great ball across the face of the US goal but it went all the way through as the Saudi keeper got a hand on it and the US was unable to connect, Jack McGlynn put the ball back into the area but Patrick Agyemang’s header was right at the keeper and though it was the USMNT’s first shot on goal it was not a dangerous attempt.

The first half would fittingly end on another US foul and a bit of Saudi time wasting.

Neither team made personnel changes during halftime and the second half started out much the same as the first half with some relatively sloppy play including a US turnover that nearly gave the Saudi’s another dangerous chance. Some nice combo play for the US in the 48th minute nearly led to a chance for the US but Agyemang was just a step late arriving as the Saudi’s avoided the danger.

A misplayed ball by the Saudis in the 53rd gifted the USMNT a corner in the third and the ensuring delivery was nice but the header, this time from Chris Richards, was once again straight at the Saudi keeper, finding the one spot on goal where it wouldn’t go in.

The Saudis would make the first change of the match in the 57th, as Al-Shehri would come on for Ahmed and Sheik came on for Al-Hassan which was accompanied by some more Concacafish time waisting.

Patrick Agyemang nearly bullied his way to a chance moments later but after a nice strong run his touch failed him and the Saudi’s were headed the other way, which resulted in ringing the crossbar, nearly giving the US a shock, though it was ruled to be offsides.

After a Saudi foul in the 61st minute the US made a pair of changes bringing on Tyler Adams and Damion Downs and on the ensuing free kick Sebastian Berhalter served in a well placed set piece ball that was driven home by Chris Richards who was judged to have been just onside after a relatively lengthy review.

Diego Luna was called for a foul and received a yellow card in the 65th minute after a delayed call that took nearly as long as the VAR replay of the goal. The Saudi kick was served into the area but Matt Freese confidently made the aggressive save.

More changes were ahead as Brenden Aaronson came on for Diego Luna, who was sitting on a yellow, in the 75th minute.

The US nearly had another chance moments later but the Saudi keeper came out of his box to make a play on the long ball just ahead of Agyemang getting to it. The keeper also got a piece of Agyemang but it was play on from the referee who was consistent in not using the whistle.

The US had another break in the 82nd but the Saudis put in a last minute tackle on Damion Downs that looked clean though Downs had to go off for a bit and Patrick Agyemang was also down for some time after getting undercut on the ensuing scrap.

Late in regulation the US would make another pair of changes with Johnny Cardoso and Miles Robinson coming on in a pair of defensive changes. Shortly later the match official showed a pair of yellow cards after Tyler Adams got dumped by the Saudis for delaying their restart after a US foul and after the ensuing scrum Sebastian Berhalter was shown a yellow card for his objections.

The Saudis were denied any real chances down the stretch and while things continued to be chippy the US would see out their 1-0 win which was aesthetically unsatisfying but ultimately enough for the US to secure advancement to the knockout rounds in the 2025 Gold Cup.