The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) has advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica. The quarterfinal match, held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation time, leading to the tense shootout.
The USMNT had a perfect run in the group stage, winning all three of their matches and conceding only one goal. However, they faced a tough challenge from Costa Rica, a team featuring veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Costa Rica took the lead, putting the USMNT on the back foot. Max Arfsten, after conceding a first-half penalty, redeemed himself by assisting Diego Luna's goal and later scoring his first senior international goal. However, Costa Rica equalized in the second half, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese emerged as the hero for the United States, making crucial saves in the shootout. Freese denied Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo, and Andy Rojas, while Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty to secure the win for the USMNT. The "FOX Soccer" crew interviewed Freese, who explained how the team was able to push through after going down 1-0 to win in penalty kicks.
The USMNT will now face Guatemala in the semifinals. Guatemala, ranked 106th in the world by FIFA, pulled off a major upset by defeating Canada. Canada was considered the favorite, but a Jacob Shaffelburg sending off shifted the momentum in the second half, with Rubio Rubin equalizing. A missed penalty by Luc De Fougerolles sealed Canada's fate in the shootout.
The semifinal match between the USMNT and Guatemala will take place on Wednesday. The other semifinal will feature Mexico against Honduras. Mexico defeated Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals, while Honduras upset Panama.
The Gold Cup final is scheduled for July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Mexico is the defending champion, having won the 2023 tournament by defeating Panama.
While the USMNT were favored against Costa Rica, the match proved to be a difficult test. Similarly, they will be favored against Guatemala, but the pressure to advance remains.
