The Concacaf Gold Cup’s group stage typically is a perfunctory procession lacking in tension or intrigue. But there was the U.S. men’s national team on a warm Sunday evening in Kansas City, Kan., facing some first-round stakes.
Three points against Canada would seal first place in the group (the visitors needed only a draw thanks to their goal differential advantage). More importantly, a U.S. win would probably mean a more forgiving draw in the tournament’s knockout rounds. That’s about as much pressure as you’re going to find at this stage of the biennial confederation championship. Toss in the budding rivalry between the northern neighbors, and this was an early Gold Cup game with more subplots than usual.