United States Opens Gold Cup with Dominant Victory over Trinidad and Tobago

The United States national team under Mauricio Pochettino launched their Gold Cup campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago at PayPal Park, San Jose — ending their streak of four consecutive defeats.

Midfielder Malik Tillman starred in the match with two goals, proving his capability to fill in for absent key players including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Antonee Robinson.

“Malik is a talented player, that’s obvious and everyone can see it. Like at PSV where they love him, now myself and the coaching staff are falling in love with him. He’s one of the most talented players we have in the United States,” stated Pochettino.

The United States — seven-time Gold Cup champions — will continue their group matches against:

• Saudi Arabia on June 5
• Haiti on June 22

Pochettino emphasized that players’ performances in this tournament will influence World Cup squad selection, with plans to narrow down the pool of evaluated players after the Gold Cup concludes.