US beats Haiti 1-0 in Gold Cup, clinches group title

The United States made it two wins from two games with victory over Haiti in Group A at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

“I love being with this group of guys; they’re top players”, Zardes said.

The USA had another unconvincing Gold Cup victory, defeating Haiti 1-0.

Klinsmann made a halftime substitution bringing off Altidore for Gyasi Zardes, and it paid immediate dividends.

“I’m very proud. I think today we revealed our character as a team”, he said, reports the Concacaf website.

Zardes’ instant impact is an example of the Americans’ depth.

Klinsmann has taken a few risks so far: starting inexperienced center-back Ventura Alvarado in the first match, switching out seven starters, including his entire back four, in the second.

The game starts at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. For Klinsmann, he will have the luxury of using the third game of group play to properly organize his rotations for the knockout rounds and offer rest for his star players. As you saw there was still some stuff that was not so good, so we keep working on that.

FOXBOROUGH, United States: Clint Dempsey bagged his third goal of the tournament as the United States booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup here on Friday (Saturday in Manila) with a 1-0 win over Haiti. “We know we have an influence on who’s going through….”

All matches from the 2015 Gold Cup can be seen on Fox Sports 1 and UniMas.

However, Haiti should not be written off too easily and the United States must ensure that they still put in a solid day’s work at the office.

Haiti’s Wilde Donald Guerrier, left, bicycle kicks a shot on net toward USA goalie Brad Guzan, right, during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in Foxborough, Mass., Friday, July 10, 2015.

Despite a slow start, the Americans had a decisive first-half advantage in time of possession.

The game suddenly became stretched, as Michael Bradley strode through the middle of the pitch in the 34th minute, hoping to find a breakthrough for the U.S. His run eventually found Jozy Altidore down the left flank, whose shot ricocheted off a mob of defenders and fell to the foot of Aron Johansson, who finished past Johnny Placide, but was whistled back for a dubious offside decision. But ultimately, Haiti’s finishing let them down, and they weren’t able to score despite manufacturing more scoring opportunities than the Americans.

Both teams needed to earn at least a point in the Group A match and a draw was probably a fair result, though Honduras had two chances in added time when Romell Quioto missed from five yards out before Eddy Hernandez had a goal ruled out for offside.

The win assured Jurgen Klinsmann’s side of a place in the last eight before their final Group A game against Panama, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Honduras earlier Friday.