The Concacaf Gold Cup is an official regional tournament, designed like the European Championship and Copa América. But for U.S. Coach Gregg Berhalter, the three-week competition will serve multiple purposes.
Yes, he would like to win it. But he also sees the opportunity to rest many regulars and test less-experienced players in an effort to deepen the roster before 2022 World Cup qualifying begins in September.
In their Group B opener Sunday, the young Americans scored an early goal, then performed like a team with mixed parts in surviving a scare from undermanned Haiti, 1-0, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.