USMNT dominates Cuba in Gold Cup

Clint Dempsey continues to score goal at a rabid rate, starting off the stampede by pouring in a header in the fourth minute of the game.

This time it was Zardes’ run in behind picked out as he tapped in a Fabian Johnson cross to make it 2-0.

The hosts continued to dominate possession and they doubled their lead in the 15th minute. It’s a problem familiar with this team when it travels to the US because of defections. In what would become a recurring theme, Dempsey took advantage of some suspect defending to hit the header past a defenseless goalkeeper. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann is aware of the talks about their performance, but he understands their uninspiring play because of lack of strong preparation heading into the tournament. Alberto Gomez sent a weak shot to the bottom left corner and it was easily saved by Brad Guzan.

Johannsson would have a hand in the next two goals, which both came before the break.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for it. I’m very happy that I got my goal, especially in a town where it’s very important to me”, said Gonzalez. Chandler assisted on the opening goal, but exited at halftime with soreness in his right knee. Johannsson was dragged down in the box in the 63rd minute, earning the Americans a penalty that Dempsey slotted home easily.

“You get to this point, what’s happened up until now means zero, and what happens the next eight or nine days means everything, ” said captain Michael Bradley, whose team is eyeing the title and an automatic berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russian Federation. “His energy to come back and help out and constantly stay in the game – he’s not switching off at all”.

Bradley charged into the box and played a ball across the face of goal.

Dempsey finished with his first hat-trick in his global career, leading the United States of America into the semifinals for the eighth consecutive time.

The next match for the U.S.A.is set for July 22, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Baltimore crowd of 37,994 even greeted the USA team with the obligatory “O” during the national anthem.

It also was Dempsey’s ninth career Gold Cup goal, tying him with U.S. Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda for second place on the US list.

In no way did this match show that the USA has improved or sorted out any of the problems plaguing the team during this tournament.

“I think we are definitely the team to beat in this tournament”, Klinsmann told a news conference. The Cubans are already out of the World Cup! In 2008, two Cuban players sprinted from the team hotel before Cuba’s World Cup qualifier against the U.S.in RFK Stadium. “They have chosen another path”, Cuba coach Raul Gonzalez said. The quality of the Cuban domestic league is quite poor and allowing players to play in other leagues will surely benefit the national program. But there were plenty of flags and cheering for the Haitian, Jamaican and Cuban players too. This is its largest margin of victory ever in a Gold Cup match.

The USA defense still often falters when challenged.

Cuba began the tournament by losing to Mexico, 6-0, July 9, then lost to Trinidad and Tobago, 2-0, Sunday.