USA vs. El Salvador
2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinal
July 19, 2017
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Live Broadcast: Coverage at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, UniMas and UDN (Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET)
Today’s U.S. MNT Starting XI vs. El Salvador: 3-Omar Gonzalez, 9-Gyasi Zardes, 15-Eric Lichaj, 16-Justin Morrow, 20-Paul Arriola, 21-Matt Hedges, 24-Tim Howard, 25-Darlington Nagbe, 26-Michael Bradley, 27-Jozy Altidore, 28-Clint Dempsey
Substitutes: 12-Bill Hamid, 29-Jesse Gonzalez, 2-Jorge Villafaña, 4-Matt Miazga, 5-Matt Besler, 7-Chris Pontius, 8-Jordan Morris, 10-Joe Corona, 13-Dax McCarty, 18-Juan Agudelo, 19-Graham Zusi, 23-Kellyn Acosta
Referee: Drew Fischer (Canada)
Assistant Referee 1: Marcos Quintero (Mexico)
Assistant Referee 2: Ainsley Rochard (Trinidad & Tobago)
4th Official: Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)
- For the second-straight match, Bruce Arena makes 11 changes to the team that started against Nicaragua on Saturday.
- U.S. MNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Clint Dempsey (135), Michael Bradley (134), Tim Howard (116), Jozy Altidore (105), Omar Gonzalez (43), Gyasi Zardes (35), Darlington Nagbe (18), Eric Lichaj (13), Paul Arriola (9), Matt Hedges (5), Justin Morrow (3).
- U.S MNT Starting XI Gold Cup Cap Numbers (including this match): Clint Dempsey (21), Michael Bradley (17), Tim Howard (11), Jozy Altidore (8), Gyasi Zardes (8), Omar Gonzalez (7), Eric Lichaj (6), Paul Arriola (3), Matt Hedges (2), Justin Morrow (2), Darlington Nagbe (1).
- The Starting XI’s average cap number (including this game): 56 (overall) and 7.8 (Gold Cup).
- Five of the team’s six roster additions start the match: Altidore, Bradley, Dempsey, Howard and Nagbe. Tournament regulations state that players added to the roster after the Group Stage must wear numbers 24-29.
- Nagbe celebrates his 27th birthday by making his Gold Cup debut for the USA. The midfielder also shares his birthday with substitute defender Matt Miazga, who is 22 today.
- Four players are making their first appearance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Knockout Round: Arriola, Nagbe, Hedges and Morrow.
- Arena has now utilized 27 of the 29 players that have been called in for the tournament. Only Sean Johnson (Group Stage goalkeeper) and Jesse Gonzalez have not appeared for the USA at the Gold Cup.
- Earning his 135th career appearance, Clint Dempsey moves past Jeff Agoos and into sole possession of third on the USA’s all-time caps list, sitting behind only Cobi Jones (164) and Landon Donovan (157).
- Captain Michael Bradley makes his 134th appearance, moving him into a tie with Agoos for fourth on the all-time list.
- Clint Dempsey (56) comes into the match just one goal behind Landon Donovan (57) for the U.S. MNT’s all-time goal scoring lead.
- Tim Howard earns his 11th CONCACAF Gold Cup appearance and first since June 25, 2011 vs. Mexico.
- The veteran goalkeeper is a perfect 5-0-0 all-time vs. El Salvador, earning three clean sheets along the way.
- Having partnered in last Wednesday’s 3-2 win vs. Martinique, Omar Gonzalez and Matt Hedges pair in central defense for the second time.
- Jozy Altidore leads the team with two career goals against El Salvador. The striker scored in a 2-2 draw on March 28, 2009 in San Salvador and joined Clint Dempsey in finding the back of the net in a 2-1 win on Sept. 5, 2009 in Sandy, Utah.
- Justin Morrow and substitute Joe Corona each carry yellow cards into the match.
- The USA is 16-1-5 all-time vs. El Salvador and 13-0-2 on U.S. soil.
- The U.S. holds a 5-0-0 edge in Gold Cup play, outscoring Los Cuscatlecos 17-1.
- The teams have met twice in the Gold Cup Quarterfinals, with the USA using a Brian McBride hat trick to earn a 4-0 win on Jan. 27, 2002 and a 5-1 win on July 21, 2013.
- Substitute Joe Corona tallied what stood as the game-winning goal in the teams’ 2013 meeting.
- Having gone 6-0-5 since Bruce Arena returned as head coach, the team’s current 11-match unbeaten streak is for the longest to start a U.S. MNT head coaching tenure.
- The U.S. MNT went 10-0-1 when Bob Bradley took over as head coach in 2007.
- Arena is also 5-0-0 all-time vs. El Salvador, with four of those wins ending in a 2-0 result.