AUSTIN, Texas — Center back Chris Richards scored with a flick of the ball off a second-half free kick to lift the U.S. men’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night, securing the Americans’ place in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a game in group play to spare.
Richards tracked the ball as it flew into the box on a curving free kick from Sebastian Berhalter in the 62nd minute to tap the ball with his left foot past Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aquidi.
The win and Haiti’s 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago in Group D’s other match Thursday in Houston clinched a berth in the knockout stage for the Americans, who improved to 42 wins, one loss and five draws in group play overall in Gold Cup tournaments. The U.S., which has won its group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups, closes Group D play on Sunday against Haiti in Arlington.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino stuck with the same lineup that produced a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, the first time he made no changes in consecutive matches since taking over the team last October. Playing against world-ranked No. 58 Saudi Arabia, though, the 16th-ranked Americans showed little of the attack firepower they displayed against the No. 100 Soca Warriors.
Saudia Arabia, although not part of CONCACAF — the region for North and Central America and the Caribbean — is an invited guest for this Gold Cup.
The match, played before a crowd of 11,727 in a half-full Q2 Stadium, included few real chances on goal by either team. The Americans had just one shot in the first half. Richards’ speed to track back to cover for Alex Freeman’s mistake and block a shot kept Saudi Arabia from a 1-0 lead.
Matt Freese got his second consecutive start in goal for the U.S. and third in four matches as he appears to have displaced Matt Turner.
The Gold Cup represents the last competitive test for the Americans ahead of the 2026 World Cup. As co-host with Canada and Mexico, the U.S. is an automatic qualifier for the World Cup.
The Americans limped into the Gold Cup on a four-match losing streak that included a 4-0 rout by Switzerland in their final tuneup. And with many of the top players either sitting out this tournament for personal reasons, injuries or to play in the concurrent FIFA Club World Cup, Pochettino selected a roster full of relatively untested and unproven players.
Missing the tournament for the U.S. are regulars Folarin Balogun, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah.