- Chris Richards scored the only goal in USA’s 1:0 win over Saudi Arabia
- Mauricio Pochettino’s side secured a quarter-final spot in the Gold Cup
- Only 9 of 424 touches occurred inside the penalty areas in a match of few chances
Key Takeaways:
Team USA qualified for the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup after Chris Richards scored the only goal in a 1:0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Austin, Texas. Mauricio Pochettino’s team leads Group D with six points and can secure the top spot with a draw against bottom-placed Haiti in its last game.
Momentum. pic.twitter.com/dsEXoSg2gj
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 20, 2025
Richards, who had earlier denied Saudi Arabia a near-certain goal in the first half, found the net in the 63rd minute following a deflected set-piece shot by Sebastian Berhalter. The son of former national team coach Gregg Berhalter recorded his first assist in just his third match for the United States.
Matt Freese, also making his third appearance, made just one save and secured a second consecutive clean sheet. In the previous game, the USA had crushed Trinidad and Tobago 5:0, and Pochettino stuck with an unchanged starting eleven against Saudi Arabia.
This match offered few goal-scoring opportunities. According to a striking statistic, only nine of the total 424 ball actions occurred inside either penalty box.
In the other Group D match, Trinidad and Tobago drew 1:1 with Haiti, meaning both teams lost their chances of progressing. The USA are already through to the play-offs, while Saudi Arabia will need at least a point in their final group-stage match.