The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) has advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup after a hard-fought victory against Costa Rica. The match, held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 29, 2025, ended in a penalty shootout after remaining tied.
The USMNT had a strong start to the Gold Cup, winning all three of their group stage matches and conceding only one goal. However, Costa Rica proved to be a tough opponent in the quarterfinal.
Costa Rica took the lead in the match with a penalty converted by Francisco Calvo. The USMNT responded before halftime, with Diego Luna scoring an equalizer in the 43rd minute. In the second half, Max Arfsten scored to give the United States a 2-1 lead. However, Costa Rica leveled the score again with a goal from Alonso Martinez in the 71st minute.
With the score tied 2-2 at the end of regular time, the match went into extra time. Neither team was able to find a winning goal in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese made a crucial save in the shootout, giving his team the advantage. Damion Downs then scored the decisive penalty, sealing the victory for the United States. Freese made three saves during the penalty shootout.
The USMNT displayed resilience and determination throughout the match, overcoming a 1-0 deficit to win in the penalty kicks. Matt Freese's outstanding performance as a goalkeeper was instrumental in the team's success.
The USMNT will now face Guatemala in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, Mexico will play against Honduras. The semifinal matches are scheduled for July 2nd at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, and Energizer Park in St. Louis, MO. The final will be held on July 6th at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup is the 18th edition of the tournament, a biennial international men's soccer championship for North, Central American, and Caribbean region national teams. This year, Canada and the United States are co-hosting the tournament. The tournament began on June 14, 2025. Sixteen teams are participating in the main tournament, including guest team Saudi Arabia. The venues are primarily in the Western United States to avoid conflicts with the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
