The U.S. National Team opens the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. MT against Honduras at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, and the Real Salt Lake duo of Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando figure prominently into Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s team as the U.S. vies for its second consecutive Gold Cup title.
“Going into a Gold Cup, especially in our region here, experience means a lot. You need players that stay calm in very emotional and very difficult and very tough battles. It can get nasty, things might not go your way in some moments, so you have to stay cool and you have to always be on top of things,” Klinsmann said after naming his roster last week. “The Gold Cup really is about getting the job done and winning it and qualifying us for the Confederations Cup in Russia in 2017. That’s why it’s really crucial for us to have players on the roster that have tremendous experience.”
The U.S. will face Honduras, followed by Haiti on July 10 and Panama on July 13. Getting out to a good start will be important for the U.S., who won the 2013 Gold Cup to earn at least a spot in a playoff for the 2017 Confederations Cup. If it can repeat, it will bypass the playoff and go straight to the prestigious international tournament in the host country for the 2018 World Cup.
The U.S. last faced Honduras in the 2013 Gold Cup semifinal, winning 3-1 at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This will be their sixth ever meeting in the Gold Cup with the U.S. holding a 5-0-1 advantage with five consecutive victories. Overall, the U.S. holds a 14-4-4 record against Honduras with a 37-21 scoring advantage.
Tuesday’s match will be broadcast live nationally on FOX Sports 1.
