ST. LOUIS - For a moment, it appeared this would be a long summer night of celebration for the U.S. men's national team. The goals came in early, both from Diego Luna in the first 15 minutes, silencing a raucous pro-Guatemala crowd. It turned out to be anything but.
In the end, the U.S. survived. A late goal from Guatemala led to a furious flurry, one that, ultimately, fell short. The USMNT won 2-1, and are into their 13th Gold Cup final, and truth be told, they'll just be glad that they're in.
It began in the fourth minute with Luna's first, a rebound finish off a Luca de la Torre longshot. Luna was fortunate to see the rebound fall to him, but they say you make your own luck and Luna remains the poster boy of that fact.
There was nothing lucky about Luna's second: a well-struck missile that came seconds after he slipped right on past a defender. But this was no USMNT romp. Things got tense. An 80th-minute goal from Guatemala's Olger Escobar, a Massachusetts native, set up a frantic finish, one in which the U.S. had to sweat out their lead until the very last second, ultimately booking their tickets to Houston and a chance at an eighth Gold Cup trophy.
In 2025, Luna leads the USMNT with seven goal contributions (three goals, four assists), followed by Malik Tillman (three goals, three assists).
"It’s the grit, it’s the determination, that we’ve been lacking, to be honest," Luna said on FOX Sports. "It’s fighting to the end, every ball, every moment. The game’s about moments, and I think this is where we showcase it. It’s 90 minutes of hundreds of moments, and you’ve got to execute on each one.
"It’s finding the rhythm, and being able to get the freedom from the coaching staff and the team, and know that they’re going to have my back. And the trust of the defensive responsibilities allows me to do what I do on the ball."
Job done. Through three group stage games and two tight knockout encounters, the U.S. are still alive - five straight wins after four straight losses entering the tournament. The USMNT will play Mexico the Gold Cup final for the eighth time. One more game, and a trophy on the line.
GOAL rates the USMNT players from Energizer Park.
