Antonee Richards’ Decisive Strike Sends USMNT Through
It wasn’t pretty, but the job got done. On June 19, 2025, the USMNT secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stage. With barely a third of the game to go, Antonee Richards broke the deadlock in Austin, Texas, slotting home after a mix-up in the Saudi backline. The 11,727 fans inside the stadium watched as the U.S. leaned on their defense for the rest of the match to squeeze out the win—and a spot in the knockouts.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup was always going to be under the spotlight, but even more so after this cagey performance.
Defensive Steel Overshadows Attacking Questions
From the outset, the U.S. showed they weren’t interested in an open shootout. The usual backline anchors, Miles Robinson and Mark McKenzie, were front and center, plugging gaps and intercepting what little the Saudis managed to muster going forward. Matt Turner, back in goal, had a relatively quiet night thanks to that defensive discipline.
Pochettino’s approach was simple: maintain shape and wait for the opposition to blink first. Eventually, it was Feras Al Brikan and Ali Majrashi’s Saudi Arabia who blinked. That slip in concentration was all Richards needed to punish the visitors with a composed finish in the 63rd minute. After that, the U.S. created few chances of note, instead retreating and allowing late substitutions—Brian White and Paxten Aaronson among them—to eat up the clock rather than spark fresh attacking intent.
The Saudis responded with their own flurry of changes, bringing on energy in the form of Marwan Al Sahafi, Saleh Al Shehri, and Abdullah Al Salem. But their lack of bite in front of goal summed up the night: lots of movement, little end product. U.S. defenders calmly dealt with whatever came their way, rarely sweating despite some late pressure.
After the final whistle, ESPN’s Herc Gomez did not hold back. He pointed out what many inside and outside the stadium felt—yes, three points are three points, but USMNT’s display lacked fluidity and any spark of creativity. He called out Pochettino for his conservative game plan, something fans have debated since his appointment.
On paper, the U.S. is through to the knockout stage—that’s what matters for the progression. But as Gold Cup ambitions grow and tougher opponents loom, the focus is turning quickly from results to performances. Is this defensive approach sustainable against more dangerous teams? For many, that remains the burning question as the next group game approaches.
