Eye on the Enemy: The USMNT advances to Semi-Finals after 1-0 win over Curacao

The United States Mens National Team came in as heavy favorites coming into Sunday nights quarterfinal clash against Curacao. This marked the first time both nations faced each other and the first time Curacao made it past the group phase of the tournament scoring in the 90th+ minute to draw and make history in the process. The USMNT won all three of their matches winning their group hitting the back of the net 11 times while conceding none. The Yankees hadn’t met expectations even with a dominant group phase and were hoping to start the knockout stage on the right foot. 

The host nation seemed as the more urgent team from the start of the match. They maintained possession with great ball movement as they looked to open up the scoring. It didn’t take long to knock on Curacao keeper’s Eloy Room door, in the second minute Christian Pulisic goes on a 3-3 counter attack with men on both wings ; Pulisic decides to create something of his own taking it down to the top of the 18 year box  but kicks it wide. Two minutes later in the 4th minute Arriola finds Pullisic in the box but plays the ball behind him, Pulisic gets a foot in for the shot on goal but Room gets a hand in to keep it leveled. 

The Yankees kept the pressure for the most part of the first half looking to go up in the scoreboard. The USMNT found what they were looking for in the 25th minute; Pulisic comes down the left wing, cuts right and creates enough space to put the ball into play for Weston McKennie in the far post where he headers it to opening up the scoring for The Yanks. 

After the goal, the U.S took their foot off the pedal a bit, allowing Curacao’s first clear chance in the 32nd minute with a shot outside the 18 year box that went slightly wide after a deflection. A few minutes later in the 42nd minute Curacao set play corner, leads to a header that goes over the top of the bar. 

By the half the USMNT was up 1-0 but the stats would indicate Curacao was bit more dominant. Curacao had seven shots with one on goal forcing five corner kicks, the U.S had four shots with two on goal with just one corner kick to show for it. The U.S had 54% of the possession but were out played possession wise after going up 1-0. 

Curacao started the second-half as they ended it, controlling most of the possession looking to even things up. The Yankees took a step back and looked for the counter to create their chances. Curacao gave the U.S all they had in the second half looking for the draw but nothing U.S keeper Zach Steffen’s could not handle. For the U.S, their only real chance in the second half came in the 79th minute; Gyasi Zardes gets a cross leaving him wide open one on one with the keeper but missed the clear chance. In the 83rd minute, Curacao almost forced overtime when Cardiff’s City Leandro Bacuna takes a clear shot at Steffen’s goal, Steffen manages to get a hand on it to keep them up 1-0. 

At the end of 90 minutes, Curacao ended the night with 53% possession. Since the half, the U.S had six more shots with one on goal compared to Curacao’s 8 shots with four of them on goal.  The Yankees survived maintaining a perfect 4-0 start while conceding zero goals. They will now face Jamaica in the semi-finals in Nashville, Tennessee.