USMNT vs. St. Kitts and Nevis Breakdown

Heading into Saturday’s match, the Stars and Stripes had been undefeated in its last seven games across all competitions (5-2-0) dating back to their Jan. 28 friendly against Colombia in California. They were tested by The Reggae Boyz of Jamaica, however, until forward Brandon Vazquez tallied the equalizer in the 88th minute at Soldier Field.

⏰ Fulltime! 🔚

In the last 5 minutes, @USMNT 🇺🇸 tied the game against @jff_football 🇯🇲 #GoldCup pic.twitter.com/R1B5jez8Td

— Gold Cup (@GoldCup) June 25, 2023

Group A Play Continues in St. Louis for USMNT Against St. Kitts and Nevis

Heading into Wednesday night’s match against St. Kitts and Nevis (9;30 pm ET/ 6:30 pm PT, FS1/ TUDN), the Americans currently sit at second place in group A of the Gold Cup with one point. St. Kitts and Nevis are in a must-win situation in the middle game of the group stage.

Going into Matchday Two of Group A, the team’s dead last, having dropped a 3-0 defeat on Sunday to Trinidad and Tobago. MLS’ newest grounds, Citypark in St. Louis, the home venue of St. Louis City SC, will host the contest.

USMNT Coming In on Decent Form Despite Internal Chaos

As previously mentioned, the Americans have been undefeated across all competitions since January. The team’s stellar on-field play has been underscored by the backstage drama that it’s quietly had to endure in recent months.

In the event that you’ve just woken up after a marathon coma, back at the beginning of 2023, USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter was the focal point of an investigation stemming from an alleged 1992 incident of domestic violence against his wife.

Fast-forward to March, when the investigation’s findings revealed that Berhalter didn’t commit any crimes, resulting in US Soccer keeping him in the running for the permanent job for a second consecutive cycle. During the June 15 Nations League semifinal, the federation announced that Berhalter would return as the manager.

When Will Berhalter Return?

Having to go through several international windows with two different interim managers is no easy task, but the USMNT has thrived. Barring any newly-scheduled friendlies after the conclusion of this tournament, Gregg Berhalter is currently scheduled to resume his duties as manager of the team with the October window.

In the fall, the USMNT will play Germany on Oct. 14 in East Hartford CT, followed by an Oct. 17 tilt against Ghana in Nashville ahead of CONCACAF Nations League qualifiers in November. Again, everything is subject to change between now and then, so stay tuned.

BJ Callaghan Says Gold Cup is About Players Getting Minutes

BJ Callaghan, who will stay with the USMNT as its interim gaffer for as long as the Stars and Stripes remain alive in this Gold Cup, used his postgame media availability on Saturday night to mention that this tournament is about finding the next big star for the club.

“The whole thing is we’re trying to give everybody experience,” Callaghan began. “I think we have a plan put in place, how we’re going to navigate the group stage with all the players and where they are individually in terms of fitness and the ability to recover. So I think as we continue, everyone’s going to contribute to our success, and I think you saw that tonight with guys coming off the bench stepping in different types of circumstances.”

While much of the USMNT’s Nations League roster isn’t playing in this Gold Cup, with stalwarts like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie  omitted from the roster for this particular tournament (it should be noted that the latter would not have been able to compete in the Gold Cup regardless due to a three-match ban for a brawl in the Nations League semifinal vs. Mexico), it’ll be up to the youth of the squad to step up as the CONCACAF event continues.

St. Kitts and Nevis Entering On Great Form

The 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup marks the first appearance in tournament history for the St. Kitts and Nevis national team. St. Kitts and Nevis had to qualify for the main draw through the preliminary round in Miami, but did it the hard way.

Both qualifiers ended in draws after regular and extra time failed to produce a winner, with the team emerging victorious on penalty kicks. On Sunday afternoon, during St. Kitts and Nevis’ third straight match in South Beach, the club finally dropped points for the first time in 2023 with a 3-0 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.

With the loss, St. Kitts and Nevis had its four-match unbeaten streak snapped, yet they still enter the midweek fixture having gone 2-2-1 over the last five matches.

Look for Tyquan Terrell to be St. Kitts and Nevis’ Guiding Light

Let’s not kid ourselves here: Ahead of Wednesday night’s game in St. Louis, the deck is stacked against St. Kitts and Nevis. One would surmise that no one on the planet is giving this country’s national team any type of chance against the red, white, and blue.

That having been said, an outside chance of a shocking upset still exists, and St. Kitts and Nevis can look to one man to provide a needed spark, midfielder Tyquan Terrell. He’s already come through for them in the clutch during the prelims of the tournament.

On June 16, during St. Kitts and Nevis’ match against Curacao, he netted the tying tally during the 83rd minute of play before converting the winning penalty kick in the fourth round of the shootout. If Terrell gets a sliver of daylight, he can make the Americans pay.

USMNT vs. St. Kitts and Nevis Should be Winnable

On paper, Wednesday night’s match should be a comfortable 3-pointer for the Stars and Stripes. Why wouldn’t it be the case?

Presently, the Americans sit with the No. 13 ranking in all of FIFA for men’s national teams, compared to the No. 139 ranking in the world for their opponents. St. Kitts and Nevis have never climbed higher than No. 73, having held that place in October of 2016.

Herein lies the beauty of sports: No one knows who will win the game until it’s time to play. You’d expect the Stars and Stripes to romp all over their opposition here, but with St. Kitts and Nevis having won four out of its last five matches, an upset could be brewing.

Final Thoughts

The Americans didn’t look like themselves at Soldier Field last Saturday evening. If they get behind the 8-ball on Wednesday, it could spell disaster for them.

Prediction: USMNT 4, St. Kitts and Nevis 0.