USA tops Haiti to cap perfect Gold Cup group stage

The United States men’s national team beat Haiti 2-1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday to finish the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage with three wins from three games. 

Malik Tillman opened the scoring for the Americans early in the first half on Sunday. An error by U.S. keeper Matt Freese gifted the Haitians the equalizer just nine minutes later, but Patrick Agyemang put the hosts back in front with a quarter-hour left to play.

"I think we showed a great fight today," Tillman told FOX Sports' Jenny Taft afterward. "We're happy to finish the group with three wins." 

The USMNT will play the loser of Sunday’s nightcap between Mexico and Costa Rica in next weekend’s quarterfinal.

Here are three quick thoughts on Sunday’s match.

With the USMNT already qualified for the quarterfinals, coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the starting lineup that beat Trinidad and Tobago and Saudi Arabia in the first two group stage games.

The move didn’t adversely impact the Americans' cohesion; they started on the front foot for the third straight game and went ahead on a well-worked attack finished by Tillman, who scored his third goal of the tournament off a pinpoint cross from Brenden Aaronson—one of the four new starters.

Freese’s gaffe disrupted that momentum and gave the physical visitors a spark, though that faded quickly as the match settled into a slog. Still, the U.S. caught a second wind in the second half; Tillman had two goals disallowed before Agyemang finally potted the winner off a beautiful pass by John Tolkin, who made his first start in place of Max Arfsten.

Tillman continues to be the most productive and impressive American this summer, during which the German-born attacker is getting his first