USMNT beats Haiti to secure top spot in Gold Cup group

Patrick Agyemang’s second-half goal led the U.S. men’s national team to a 2-1 victory over Haiti on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas, to secure the top spot in Group D of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

The U.S. will meet the Group A second-place team on June 29. It will be either Mexico or Costa Rica on June 29. They play later Sunday. 

Agyemang scored his second goal of the tournament in the 75th minute, taking a pass from John Tolkin and using his first touch to maneuver around goalkeeper Johny Placide. 

The U.S. (3-0-0, nine points) entered the match having already clinched a quarterfinal spot while Haiti (0-2-1, one point) needed a victory to stay alive. 

For the seventh time, the U.S. won all three group matches in the Gold Cup. 

Malik Tillman continued to make his case for a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster with his third goal of the tournament in the 10th minute, but a miscue by goalkeeper Matt Freese gifted a goal to Louicius Don Deedson nine minutes later. 

Tillman was on the right side of the box when he headed a cross by Brenden Aaronson to the far post with authority. 

Aaronson was among the four changes from the lineup coach Mauricio Pochettino used in the first two matches — 5-0 vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and 1-0 against Saudi Arabia. 

Two moves were precautionary. Sebastian Berhalter and Diego Luna each were carrying a yellow card and another against. Haiti would have meant their suspensions for the quarterfinal, so they did not play. 

The other replacements were Tolkin, Tyler Adams and Quinn Sullivan for Jack McGlynn and Max Arfsten. 

The U.S. was in control after the goal until the turnover occurred when defender Tim Ream passed back to Freese. He tried to find Tolkin for a short outlet but instead sent the ball directly to Deedson, who curled his shot inside the right post. 

Tillman twice put the ball in the net past the hour mark. First, he was called for a handball and on the second he was offside, but it didn’t matter once Agyemang scored.