It was the gritty, nerve-wracking knockout-round test that Gregg Berhalter was expecting—and perhaps hoping for—and his young U.S. men’s national team powered through and passed. It may not have been with fluid flying colors, but there was mettle and maturity that could end up being just as vital down the road. Sunday’s hard-earned, often-in-doubt 1–0 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal win over Jamaica—the third-ranked team in the region—was a significant step for an inexperienced squad.
Berhalter chose to use this tournament to see which of his second-tier players might rise to the occasion in World Cup qualifying, and the closest thing he’ll get to that level of competitive tension is an elimination game at the confederation championship.