Austin, Texas – Reigning Concacaf Nations League champions United States will begin their title defense on Friday when they take on Grenada in Group D of League A at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.
The U.S. will return to a venue that has already yielded some very good results for them. Last summer in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, the U.S. came away with a 1-0 semifinal win over Qatar at Q2 Stadium, and then followed that up with a 2-0 victory last October against Jamaica in Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022.
Many of the players that starred for the U.S. in last summer’s CNL Finals conquest will be back in the mix, including star attacker Christian Pulisic, who scored the winning goal in extra time against Mexico in the Final, and MF Weston McKennie, whose late equalizer against El Tricolor forced the additional period.
Meanwhile, Grenada arrive at Friday’s encounter fresh off a 2-2 home draw with El Salvador in which they led late but saw an 88th minute equalizer from the Cuscatlecos deny a full three points.
Despite just one point from their first two games, Grenada are still very much in the mix for a strong finish in the group and can strengthen their case with a win in Austin.
It would be a historical one for the Caribbean side, as in three previous encounters with the U.S., the North Americans have taken each contest, with 3-0 and 3-2 wins in Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Germany 2006 and a 4-0 final in the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage.
R: Said Martinez (Honduras)
AR1 Walter Lopez (HON) AR2 Zachari Zeegelaar (SUR)
4th Official Oliver Vergara (PAN)
