United States vs Trinidad and Tobago Match Analysis & Prediction
17/11/2023 5:00 am
The United States will begin their quest for a third successive CONCACAF Nations League crown when they host Trinidad and Tobago on Friday at Q2 Stadium in Austin in the opening leg of that quarter-final tie.
The US won the previous edition of this competition, beating Canada 2-0 in the final and were pre-seeded ahead of this tournament, thus claiming an automatic spot at this stage, while the Soca Warriors were second in Group A despite losing their final game 5-3 against Curacao.
Three days after a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Germany last month, the US reeled off an impressive 4-0 victory over Ghana, having never suffered successive losses under Gregg Berhalter.
With three goals in the opening 22 minutes of that game, it was the fastest trio of goals that the US has managed against a non-CONCACAF opponent since at least 1931, although this team have failed to beat their previous two opponents in this region in normal time, overcoming Canada on penalties at the previous Gold Cup quarter-finals, before losing in a shootout against Panama days later.
Tha Yanks have never lost a Nations League game at home, with their only defeat coming in the inaugural edition of this competition in 2019 when Canada beat them 2-0 at BMO Field in Toronto.
The opening phase of this competition appeared to be a rebirth of sorts for Trinidad and Tobago, who progressed beyond the group stage of a continental tournament for the first time since making the quarter-finals of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Following their elimination from the Gold Cup this past summer with a pair of lopsided defeats against Jamaica (4-1) and the USA (6-0), many were questioning whether or not Angus Eve was the right man to rebuild a TNT program that has not come close to making the World Cup since their inaugural appearance in 2006.
However, during the opening round of this tournament, Eve’s youngsters showed plenty of character, winning their opening three matches by a single goal and adjusting well to his tactical tweaks with Trinidad employing three different formations in the group phase.
They played a lot more aggressively that than they have been accustomed to be seen under Eve, and eventually, it paid off as eight of their 10 goals came in the second half, including five beyong the 70th minute.
The Soca Warriors have not won a knockout game at a CONCACAF tournament since the 2000 Gold Cup, shocking Costa Rica 2-1 in extra time of that quarter-final match in San Diego.
United States vs. Trinidad and Tobago Head to head
In the 29 previous meetings between these two teams, United States have claimed 22 victories while TNT have won four, and they have drawn in three. TNT have scored 18 goals and conceded 63 in the process.
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09/06/2017United States2Trinidad and Tobago0Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers
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11/10/2017Trinidad and Tobago2United States1Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers
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23/06/2019United States6Trinidad and Tobago0Concacaf Gold Cup
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01/02/2021United States7Trinidad and Tobago0Friendlies
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03/07/2023United States6Trinidad and Tobago0Concacaf Gold Cup
United States Team News
There will be two notable absentees for the US heading into this match as Serie A strikers Christian Pulisic of AC Milan and Tim Weah from Juventus are out with hamstring injuries.
Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson from Fulham, Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath from Nottingham Forest, and Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi from PSV were selected to this squad.
United States's Last 5 Matches
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13/07/2023United States1Panama1(P)Concacaf Gold Cup
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10/09/2023United States3Uzbekistan0Friendlies
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13/09/2023United States4Oman0Friendlies
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14/10/2023United States1Germany3Friendlies
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18/10/2023United States4Ghana0Friendlies
Trinidad and Tobago Team News
Kaile Auvray and Reon Moore replaced Noah Powder and Tyrone Charles in the Soca Warriors starting XI from matchday three to four in the Nations League group stage.
Levi Garcia returns to the squad for the first time since the 2023 Gold Cup after he was injured during a Champions League qualifier for his club side AEK Athens.
Trinidad and Tobago's Last 5 Matches
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03/07/2023United States6Trinidad and Tobago0Concacaf Gold Cup
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08/09/2023Trinidad and Tobago1Curacao0Concacaf Nations League
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11/09/2023El Salvador2Trinidad and Tobago3Concacaf Nations League
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14/10/2023Trinidad and Tobago3Guatemala2Concacaf Nations League
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18/10/2023Curacao5Trinidad and Tobago3Concacaf Nations League
United States vs. Trinidad and Tobago: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
Handicap Trinidad and Tobago (+3.5): Yes
Best Odds
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