The USMNT kicked off its 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign on Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago in the Group D opener. And it was Malik Tillman who got the team off to a strong start with a well-taken opening goal.
With Trinidad and Tobago sitting deep in a five-man backline, the U.S. was patient in possession—circulating the ball from side to side to find gaps while pressing high to quickly recover it. After a few early chances went begging, it was the PSV star who provided the breakthrough.
Patrick Agyemang applied pressure high up the pitch to win the ball and played it through to Jack McGlynn, who cut inside and delivered a pinpoint pass to the far post. Tillman took it down cleanly and calmly slotted it home in the 16th minute to give the U.S. the lead.
The goal was significant not just because it opened the scoring for the USMNT in the Gold Cup—it was also a milestone moment for Tillman. The PSV midfielder finally opened his account for the national team, scoring his first goal in his 20th appearance.
But Tillman wasn’t done. In the 41st minute, Alvin Jones attempted to play the ball back to his goalkeeper, but Diego Luna read the pass, intercepted it cleanly, and laid it off to Tillman, who tapped it in for his second of the night.
Just before halftime, the U.S. added a third. After a long ball forward, Luna cut inside the box and fired a powerful shot that deflected off Agyemang and past the keeper to make it 3–0 in the 44th minute.
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Tillman has earned a bigger role with the USMNT under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, thanks to strong performances in Europe. And with several stars—including captain Christian Pulisic—absent from the Gold Cup squad, Tillman is stepping up as a key figure for the U.S. throughout the tournament.
