The US men's national team booked their spot in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final Wednesday night with a 2-1 win over Guatemala at St. Louis CITY SC's Energizer Park.
Diego Luna's first-half brace powered the USMNT, who edged past a tough underdog opponent that shocked Canada in the quarterfinals.
But Luna quickly eased fears of another Guatemalan upset, with Real Salt Lake's All-Star midfielder opening the score just four minutes in after goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro coughed up the rebound on a shot from San Diego FC's Luca de la Torre.
Luna then delivered a spectacular solo effort to double the USMNT lead in the 15th minute. The 2024 MLS Young Player of the Year skillfully controlled a long ball from Malik Tillman, shuffled past a defender at the edge of the box and fired an unstoppable effort into the lower left corner.
CF MontrƩal's Olger Escobar struck in the 80th minute for Guatemala to add some late suspense, but Luna's brace was enough for the USMNT to secure victory.
The US will face either Mexico or Honduras in Sunday's final at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: What a turnaround for the USMNT, who limped into the Gold Cup on a four-game losing streak. Now they're just one win away from the first trophy of head coach Mauricio Pochettino's tenure. That accomplishment ā against either Mexico or Honduras on Sunday ā would give the US their eighth Gold Cup title and a massive boost with less than a year to go before they co-host the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Diego Luna's 15th-minute stunner helped the USMNT win with some swagger.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Summer of Soccer? More like Summer of Diego Luna, who further cemented his USMNT breakout at the Gold Cup with another gifted and gutsy performance.
Next Up
- USA: Sunday, July 6 vs. TBD | 7 pm ET | Concacaf Gold Cup Final
- GUA: To be determined
