Americans defeated Haiti in Kansas City on Sunday night
By Official Florida FC
The United States topped Haiti 1-0 to kickoff its 2021 Gold Cup campaign on Sunday night in Kansas City. Fullback Sam Vines scored in the eighth minute and the Americans had enough to be a side that could not field five players because of coronavirus protocols.
Here are a trio of thoughts from the match:
Big Dike Energy
Orlando City forward Daryl Dike made his debut in a competitive international match. The 21-year-old earned his fourth international cap with a substitute appearance. Though he did not score for the second straight international match, Dike did conjure a shot on goal in his 28-minute appearance.
His presence meant that he may be an option should USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter elect to use a system with two forwards either in this Gold Cup or in World Cup qualifying.
The USMNT doesn’t have a solidified No. 9. A strong showing from the Orlando City man could prove beneficial to club and country in the weeks and months to come.
Anonymity on the wing
Florida native Jonathan Lewis started for the USMNT on the left side of a 4-3-3 system. He had the fewest touches of any outfield player for the Americans, turned the ball over too frequently in wide spaces and was not dangerous in the second half.
He was replaced after 62 minutes by Dike.
Lewis has the pace to trouble teams, but he does not always apply it in ways that can unsettle a defense. Sunday was one of those circumstances. Considering he is 24 years old, and only started 21 MLS matches over the last three seasons, this was an opportunity missed for the one-time Plantation resident.
Winning is not enough
The United States won the game, but the Americans were less than convincing in doing so. Yes, the USMNT had a possession advantage (56-44) and completed more passes; but the Haitians had a higher pass completion percentage (90.1 to 87.7).
Haiti defended ruggedly in the second half. What they didn’t have was enough firepower to trouble a USMNT backline and goalkeeper that had a total of 26 caps entering Sunday’s match. Martinique, Thursday’s opponent, may not have enough potency to trouble the Americans, but fellow Group B contestant Canada will.
It’s true the best players in the pool — like Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Jordan Pefok and Tim Weah and Josh Sargent – are not on this Gold Cup roster, attackers like Dike, Gyassi Zardes, Lewis and Paul Arriola are trying to play their way into Berhalter’s plans for World Cup Qualifying that begins in September.
More importantly, for now, if the U.S. wants to reclaim the Gold Cup, it will have to find a way to create more opportunities and finish them.
