ST. LOUIS (July 2, 2025) — In a thrilling Concacaf Gold Cup Semifinal, the U.S. Men’s National Team overcame a spirited challenge from Guatemala, emerging with a 2-1 victory, primarily thanks to a standout performance by midfielder Diego Luna.
Playing before a sellout crowd of 22,423 at Energizer Park, the United States secured its spot in a record 13th Gold Cup Final, set to take place on Sunday against the winner of the upcoming semifinal showdown between Mexico and Honduras.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino stressed the importance of matching Guatemala’s intensity early on, particularly given their momentum following a surprising upset over Canada in the quarterfinals.
Pochettino opted to maintain his starting lineup from the previous round, except for Tyler Adams, who is managing an injury sustained earlier in the tournament. This consistent group has featured prominently throughout the tournament, making it critical to their success.
Luna wasted no time in setting the tone for the match, scoring in the fourth minute. After a shot from Luca de la Torre was mishandled by Guatemala’s goalkeeper, Luna seized the opportunity, tapping in the rebound from just outside the six-yard box.
Just eleven minutes later, Luna doubled the score with his second goal. A well-coordinated play involving Sebastian Berhalter, Patrick Agyemang, and Malik Tillman culminated in a perfect cross from Tillman. Luna skillfully dribbled past a defender and unleashed a right-footed strike into the lower left corner, putting the USA up 2-0 in the 15th minute.
From that point, the U.S. defense worked tirelessly to fend off Guatemala’s attempts to equalize, which were persistent despite the early lead. The match intensity increased, resulting in 30 total fouls and six yellow cards, a testament to the physical nature of the contest.
Defender Chris Richards, along with Luna, de la Torre, and goalkeeper Matt Freese, all received yellow cards for the U.S., while Guatemala’s Stheven Robles and Oscar Santis were also cautioned.
Despite the earlier lead, Las Chapines proved to be formidable adversaries, outshooting the United States 20-12. Their tireless efforts bore fruit when Olger Escobar scored in the 80th minute.
After receiving a short pass from Arquímidez Ordóñez, Escobar maneuvered into the box and found the gap for a low strike that slipped past Freese and nestled inside the lower right post, narrowing the gap to 2-1.
The U.S. held firm in the final minutes, especially when Freese, coming off a three-save performance in the quarterfinal against Costa Rica, delivered a stellar display. In what was the most action he had seen in a match with the USMNT, he made a career-high four saves, including a critical stop against José Morales deep into injury time, preserving the lead and allowing the U.S. to avoid a potentially daunting shootout.
The victory ensures that the U.S. will play for the Gold Cup title on Sunday, July 6, at NRG Stadium in Houston. Fans can look forward to the highly anticipated clash, which will kick off at 7 p.m. ET and be broadcast on FOX, Univision, TUDN, Fútbol de Primera, and SIRIUSXM FC.
### GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
– **USA — DIEGO LUNA, 4th minute:** Defender Alex Freeman sent a cross to midfielder Luca de la Torre, whose shot was spilled by the goalkeeper. Luna, alert to the situation, capitalized on the rebound to slot it home from seven yards out, giving the USA the early lead.
– **USA — DIEGO LUNA (MALIK TILLMAN), 15th minute:** Tillman played a long pass to Luna. After dribbling into space and evading a defender, Luna struck a right-footed effort that found the lower left corner of the net, extending the lead to 2-0.
– **GUA — OLGER ESCOBAR (ARQUÍMIDES ORDÓÑEZ), 80th minute:** Escobar broke through after receiving a pass from Ordóñez and finished with a low shot past Freese, making it 2-1.
### Additional Notes:
– This match marks the USA’s advancement to a record 13th Concacaf Gold Cup Final.
– Luna’s brace also signifies his second and third career goals in the tournament. At 21 years, 298 days old, he joins the ranks of historical U.S. players who have scored braces in the Gold Cup at a young age.
– In the current tournament, Luna leads the USMNT with seven goal contributions (3 goals, 4 assists), followed closely by Malik Tillman.
– Tim Ream, captain of the U.S. squad, made his 20th appearance as captain, tying with Clint Dempsey for 11th on the all-time list for the team.
– Historically, the USMNT boasts a strong record against Guatemala, with 17 wins, 5 losses, and 6 draws, including an undefeated record in the Gold Cup against them.
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