With a spot in the 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinals already secured, the United States faces Haiti in its final group stage test before knockout play begins. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has had to rotate his squad, relying heavily on MLS-based players due to key absences—whether from injury, Club World Cup duties, or rest, such as the highly discussed Christian Pulisic situation.
While the overall performance hasn’t been flawless, Pochettino’s USMNT has collected all six possible points, thanks to a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago, featuring goals by Agyemang, Brenden Aaronson, Wright, and a brace from Malik Tillman.
They followed that with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, where Chris Richards stood out with a commanding defensive display.
Heading into Matchday 3 of the group stage, the Stars and Stripes lead Group D, and only an unlikely set of events—Saudi Arabia beating Trinidad and Tobago by more than six goals and the U.S. failing to score against Haiti—could knock them off the top spot. While Pochettino might consider some rotations, he’s also likely to use this opportunity to fine-tune his starting eleven.
see also
How to watch USA vs Haiti in the USA: Live Stream and TV for 2025 Gold Cup
Projected lineups – USMNT vs. Haiti
USMNT: Matt Freese; John Tolkin, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Quinn Sullivan; Brenden Aaronson, Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre; Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman; Patrick Agyemang.
Haiti: Johnny Placide; Carlens Arcus, Ricardo Adé, Garven Metusala, Martin Experiénce; Louicius Don Deedson, Leverton Pierre, Danley Jean Jacques, Ruben Providence; Duckens Nazon, Frantzdy Pierrot.
