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| Luna’s Early Double Sends USMNT to Record 13th Gold Cup Final, |
The United States Men's National Team advanced to their 13th Gold Cup final after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Guatemala at Energizer Park in St. Louis on Wednesday night. The hero of the night was 21-year-old Diego Luna, who bagged two early goals to put the US in control.
Just four minutes into the match, Luna reacted quickest to a rebound after Luca de la Torre's shot was saved by Kenderson Navarro, slotting home the opener from close range.
He doubled the lead only 11 minutes later, cutting in from the left after receiving a sharp pass from Malik Tillman and curling a beautiful shot into the bottom corner.
Luna’s brace made him just the fourth US player to score multiple goals in the first 15 minutes of a Gold Cup knockout game — a historic mark that put the US firmly in the driver’s seat.
Guatemala fought back in the second half and managed to pull one back late in the match. Arquimides Ordonez and Olger Escobar combined, with Escobar finishing clinically to make it 2-1. But the US held firm and saw out the game.
Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT have rediscovered their rhythm after a rocky patch. Luna now has three goals in just two competitive knockout matches, becoming the second American after Haji Wright to achieve that feat.
The US has now won all 11 of their competitive home matches against Guatemala — the most wins with a perfect record against a single opponent in team history. They also extended their unbeaten streak in St. Louis to 13 games (10 wins, 3 draws), the longest such run in any city.
One game remains — and it's the final. The USMNT are back where they believe they belong.
