USMNT’s Luna, Tillman Have Impressed Most At Concacaf Gold Cup

Regardless of how the U.S. men’s national team fares against Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final in Houston on Sunday, one thing is clear.

The tournament has allowed several players not only to be seen, but heard, as well.

The two standouts have been midfielders Diego Luna and Malik Tillman.

That doesn’t mean they will earn a spot on the 26-man FIFA World Cup roster next May, but they took important steps to be considered seriously considered to be part of the mix.

We need to remember that several key performers were not included on the roster, including Christian Pulisic, who wanted the summer off to regenerate himself for another difficult Italian A Serie A before next summer, and three players who were unavailable due to their respective teams participation in the FIFA Club World Cup – Juventus’ Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, and Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna.

But for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the more the merrier, in terms of depth at just about every position. He would prefer to be forced to make difficult decisions when naming a roster than picking someone just to fill it out.

Here is a quick look at each player:

Top Level

Diego Luna

The Real Salt Lake No. 10 has emerged as a vital player for the Americans, particularly in the knockout round. Luna has tallied three goals in his last two matches, including two in the 2-1 semifinal victory over Guatemala on Wednesday. What has stood out about 21-year-old midfielder has been ability to take risks and not being afraid to make mistakes. The U.S. hasn’t had a player like that for years. While a different player than Tab Ramos, he reminds this writer of the National Soccer Hall of Famer in that he is fearless on attack and not being afraid of taking risks and failing.

It might be difficult to believe, but Luna was left off the U.S. Under-23 team that competed in the Paris Summer Olympics last year. Yes, that is a head scratcher, given what he has accomplished this year.

While Luna has been a focal point of the U.S. attack, it must be noted that he has excelled against Concacaf competition. How would he fare vs. top European sides, who are likely USA opponents, particularly in the knockout round in the 2026 World Cup? There is no doubt that Luna has lifted his level, but he needs to take another step against more sophisticated defenders, midfielders and teams. That next big step would be a transfer from his MLS team to a European club for the upcoming season.

Malik Tillman

A member of Dutch Eredivisie champion PSV Eindhoven, the 23-year-old Tillman has proved himself for the Netherlands’ top club. And in this tournament, you can add Concacaf and international soccer to the list.

He has struck thrice for the USA in the tournament, twice in the 5-0 triumph over Trinidad & Tobago in the group stage on June 15, and the first goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Haiti on June 22.

Beyond his God-given ability to make life miserable for opposing midfielders and defenders, Tillman has displayed a sense of unique positioning, being in the right place at the right time. You can’t teach that to players. They are either born with it or it just comes with experience.

And he is doing it for club and country. Tillman is coming off his finest PSV season, having tallied 12 goals in league play and 16 across all competitions for his club.

Two others to consider

Patrick Agyemang

Agyemang has earned a spot in among forward candidates for two reasons.

One has been his production since making his international debut in January. The Charlotte FC forward has scored five goals in 11 international appearances, and another six (and one assist) in 16 MLS matches.

And two, at 6-foot-4 and 200 lbs., Agyemang has given the Americans a big target man up front. In some games, he has been difficult to knock down. He has gotten fouled, giving the USA some free kicks, even if his ball skills aren’t always first class. Still, he is too good to ignore.

Agyemang also has scored twice for the USMNT, against Trinidad and Haiti.

Unfortunately, we did not see enough of the 24-year-old Agyemang’s ability against Guatemala.

The good news is that it seems that Agyemang reportedly is close to be transferred to Derby County of Championship, the second tier In England, for a reported $8 million.

Matt Freese

Pochettino gave Freese an opportunity to prove his worth in the tournament. The New York City FC goalkeeper has done OK. Even against Guatemala he looked a bit shaky, leaving rebounds after saves. Elite sides and strikers will slice and dice goalkeepers and teams who do that. Freese grabbed the spotlight in the shootout win over the Central Americans in the semifinals after the team played to a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes. Freese was impressive in the shootout, making three saves in the six-round tie-breaker. But being superb in penalty kicks is just one part of a goalkeeper’s skillset.

Perhaps the Mexicans will test the 26-year-old Freese in the final and we’ll get an opportunity how he deals with pressure against a quality side in a final.

Whether Freese will start or be one of three keepers on next year’s team could come down to whether another goalie named Matt, Matt Turner, will see plenty of action in Europe this upcoming season. He was a non-entity with Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, and the team he recently signed with Lyon, has been relegated to the French second division due to financial breaches, although the team is appealing the decision.

It’s way too early for any decision

When the U.S. gathers for its next international window in September against Japan and the Korea Republic it will be intriguing to see which players are called in. With so few opportunities to have the team playing together before the World Cup, it is mandatory to bring in the best players, even for friendlies.

Between now and next May, Pochettino and his staff will be evaluating the U.S. squad on a regular basis.

So many factors will go into their decision as to who to select for the team and those to leave out. Well beyond a player’s reputation, the top factor is his form and how he can work with his USMNT teammates. There will be dreaded injuries suffered by players between now and then. That’s part of the game. That’s why getting an opportunity to see some other players just might give the USA a little depth and a better chance to advance deep into the knockout round next year.

Every little bit helps. You never know who is going to come off the bench and become an unlikely hero.