Before the Gold Cup got going, U.S. men's national team interim coach B.J. Callaghan divided the tournament up into two halves. The first was the group stage, clashes with Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago, which he could use to mix and match while figuring out his team. And then would come the knockouts, a chance to reset, refocus and charge forward towards another trophy.
Well, we're in the business end of the tournament now and, with a week between games, the U.S. heads into the knockout rounds with a clash against Canada. The time for rotating and experimenting is done; now let's see who steps up.
The Gold Cup, of course, is more about individual performances than anything else for the USMNT. The main team, by and large, is on vacation after their Nations League triumph. The players in this camp are largely on the fringes and pushing for more.
Several have seized their chance thus far, earning the right to keep their starting place for the knockouts. However, Callaghan does have some difficult decisions to make. With everyone fit and healthy, who does he leave out? And, with one key player on yellow card watch, does Callaghan make a change now to avoid a potential semifinal suspension?
GOAL takes a look at how the U.S. could line up...
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