MNT Rewind: Gold Cup Hopefuls Make Their Roster Case

The U.S. Men’s National Team’s 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster is set to be named in a week’s time and a number of players on the 40-man preliminary roster made cases for inclusion.

At midweek, Graham Zusi served up a great corner kick for Ike Opara to head home and open the scoring in the 43rd minute of Sporting KC’s 4-0 U.S. Open Cup win against Minnesota United FC. Later in the match, new U.S. citizen Dom Dwyer tallied his sixth goal across all competitions when he slotted home the third in the 72nd minute as the three-time champions eased to victory.

WATCH: Zusi, Dwyer Key in Sporting KC U.S. Open Cup Win

At the weekend, Gold Cup hopeful Cristian Roldan worked through the soggy conditions at Yankee Stadium to score Seattle’s lone goal in the 40th minute of their 2-1 defeat to New York City FC.

WATCH: Roldan Tallies in Sounders FC’s 2-1 Defeat at NYCFC

North of the border, Jozy Altidore returned from U.S. MNT duty to reconnect with Sebastian Giovinco, the Italian international providing a picture-perfect ball that allowed the veteran forward to bag his seventh goal of the season in Toronto FC’s 2-0 win against D.C. United.

WATCH: Altidore Pushes TFC Ahead of D.C. United

Later that night, defender Jonathan Spector headed home a corner kick from Matías Pérez García to equalize in the 94th minute of Orlando City SC’s 3-3 draw with Montreal Impact. The goal was Spector’s first since joining the Lions earlier this season from Birmingham City.

WATCH: Spector Helps Orlando City Grab a Point vs. Montreal

Here’s a look at how the domestic player pool performed this past week: 

Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (June 17)
Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution) – 45 substitute minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Chicago Fire (June 17)
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) – 78 minutes, GOAL in 2-0 win vs. D.C. United (June 17)
DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo) – 65 minutes in 2-2 draw at LA Galaxy (June 17)
Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) – Hamstring injury; Not in 18 for 2-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (June 18)
Joe Bendik (Orlando City SC) – 90 minutes in 3-3 draw vs. Montreal Impact (June 17)
Matt Besler (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 4-0 U.S. Open Cup win vs. Minnesota United FC (June 14); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (June 17)
Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Toronto FC (June 17)
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. D.C. United (June 17)
Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at New York City FC (June 17)
Dom Dwyer (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 4-0 U.S. Open Cup win vs. Minnesota United FC (June 14); 76 minutes in 0-0 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (June 17)
Greg Garza (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Columbus Crew SC (June 17)
Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (June 17)
Bill Hamid (D.C. United) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Toronto FC (June 17)
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 2-1 U.S. Open Cup win vs. Tulsa Roughnecks (June 14); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (June 17)
Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (June 17)
Sean Johnson (New York City FC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 U.S. Open Cup loss to New York Red Bulls (June 14); 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Seattle Sounders FC (June 17)
Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire) – 58 minutes in 1-0 U.S. Open Cup win vs. Saint Louis FC (June 14); 90 minutes in 2-1 win at New England Revolution (June 17)
Tommy McNamara (New York City FC) – 76 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Seattle Sounders FC (June 17)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at New York City FC (June 17)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. D.C. United (June 17)
Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Colorado Rapids (June 17)
Matt Polster (Chicago Fire) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at New England Revolution (June 17)
Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union) - 70 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (June 18)
Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Minnesota United FC (June 17)
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-1 loss at New York City FC (June 17)
Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Chicago Fire (June 17)
Jonathan Spector (Orlando City SC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 3-3 draw vs. Montreal Impact (June 17)
C.J. Sapong (Philadelphia Union) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (June 18)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 U.S. Open Cup loss at FC Cincinnati (June 14); 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Atlanta United FC
Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes) – 90 minutes in 2-0 U.S. Open Cup win vs. San Francisco Delta (June 14); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Sporting KC (June 17)
Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) – 66 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Houston Dynamo (June 17)
Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 4-0 U.S. Open Cup win vs. Minnesota United FC (June 14); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (June 17)