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by Bart Keeler
A summer jam-packed with soccer continues to fill in. Concacaf has released the dates for the 2021 Gold Cup. To mitigate travel, teams will stay in the same city for at least two match days.
Here’s the slate for the USMNT in Group B:
Sunday, July 11 @ 8:30 p.m. - vs. Winner Prelim 7
Thursday, July 15 @ 8:30 p.m. - vs. Martinique
Sunday, July 18 @ 5 p.m. - vs. Canada
All times Eastern.
All USMNT matches will be played at Children’s Mercy Park, home of Sporting Kansas City. The U.S. and Canada will stay in Kansas City, Kansas, for the duration of the group stage.
The quarterfinals will take place on Saturday, July 24, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and on Sunday, July 25, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If the USMNT advance from Group B, they will play in Arlington.
Both semifinals will be played on Thursday, July 29, at NRG Stadium in Houston, or Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (to be determined at the end of the group stage). The final will be at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
See the full schedule HERE.
No matter the strength of the squad or place in the World Cup cycle, the Concacaf Gold Cup is always a chance for the USMNT to prove itself against regional competition. However, with the Concacaf Nations League Finals being played in June, it’s expected the Gold Cup roster will feature players lower on the depth chart.
The first tournament under Gregg Berhalter ended with a 0-1 loss to Mexico in the final. Despite the anticipated lower-tier squad, the pressure will be on Berhalter to bring home a trophy this summer (especially after his program failed to qualify for the Olympics again).
(photo credit: @USMNT)