Trinidad and Tobago vs. USA live score, result, updates, highlights from USMNT in Nations League second leg

raidelvonex 0 Comments

The United States can secure official qualification to the 2024 Copa America as they look to finish off Trinidad and Tobago in the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal matchup.

A 3-0 home win on Thursday gives the USMNT a strong aggregate advantage coming into the subsequent road match in Port of Spain, coming on a late trio of goals that put to bed an otherwise frustrating match against a heavily bunkered opponent.

The first leg victory means the narrative of today’s game is far more easy-going. Had it finished with a more even score, there would be a more uncomfortable narrative around the team’s first game back in the country of the 2017 World Cup qualifying humiliation.

Whoever emerges with a place in the Nations League semifinals also locks down a spot in next summer’s Copa America, while the defeated nation must navigate a March playoff against another quarterfinal loser to earn a spot in the all-important tournament.

MORE: Recap the first leg as the USMNT used a furious finish to down Trinidad and Tobago

The Sporting News is following the Trinidad and Tobago vs USA match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Trinidad and Tobago vs USA live score

	Score	Goal scorers
Trinidad and Tobago	–	–
USA	–	–

Kickoff: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
Location: Hasely Crawford Stadium (Port of Spain, Trinidad)
Referee: Walter Lopez Castellanos (GUA)

Starting lineups:

Trinidad and Tobago (5-3-2, predicted): D. Smith (GK) — S. Gomez, A. Jones, David, J. Garcia, Raymond — Telfer, Rampersad, Goddard — L. Garcia, Shaw.

USA (4-2-2-2, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 2. Dest, 3. Carter-Vickers, 13. Ream, 5. A. Robinson — 14. de la Torre, 6. Musah — 7. Reyna, 11. B. Aaronson — 20. Balogun, 9. Pepi.

Trinidad and Tobago vs USA live updates, highlights, commentary

45 mins to kickoff: Tonight, Gregg Berhalter plays his first true road game since rejoining the USMNT as head coach. One of the weak points in Berhalter’s resume is a relative inability to achieve results away from home, with just two victories in true CONCACAF road matches, coming against Cuba in 2019 and Honduras in 2021.

Winning on the road in CONCACAF is difficult for a few reasons, one being the quality of playing surface, and another being the varying conditions in each region. Yet ultimately, if the USMNT wishes to be considered a force in global football, they must do better against smaller continental opposition regardless of where games are played. Tonight is a potential step towards that goal.

Concacaf under the lights 🔦 pic.twitter.com/yV0nO2GKIQ

— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) November 20, 2023

1 hour to kickoff: There’s some good news on the USMNT injury front, as Christian Pulisic will reportedly return to AC Milan training soon. The 23-year-old American star was left off the roster for these two games against Trinidad and Tobago after suffering a hamstring injury late in their final match before the international break, but reports were that it wasn’t too serious.

It seems that Pulisic probably could have played if the opposition was stiffer, but the rest seems to have done him good, and you imagine he could return to action once club play restarts, or soon after at the latest.

📰 MN: Davide #Calabria, Ruben #LoftusCheek, and Christian #Pulisic will return to training with the group in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/3VJ7Fnsvon

— Milan Posts (@MilanPosts) November 20, 2023

1 hour 15 mins to kick: The U.S. lineup is in, and as Gregg Berhalter hinted, there isn’t nearly as much squad rotation as we attempted to speculate. The entire back four is retained from the first leg, including Antonee Robinson who has accumulated a heavy minutes load for club and country this season.

The three changes made by Berhalter see Luca de la Torre come in for the injured Weston McKennie, while Brenden Aaronson enters in place of Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi comes in to replace Kevin Paredes. Seeing Pepi alongside Folarin Balogun is interesting, and suggests more of the heavily criticized 4-2-2-2 that was deployed against Trinidad and Tobago in the first leg.

The boys are in the building. pic.twitter.com/fLk4tw61NB

— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) November 20, 2023

1 hour 30 mins to kick: Folarin Balogun has quietly been an integral part of the USMNT push towards the 2026 World Cup. In his first seven matches with the United States, Balogun has provided a goal or an assist in five of them, including each of the last four, with his assist to Gio Reyna in the first leg against Trinidad and Tobago his latest effort.

Even still, Gregg Berhalter has talked repeatedly about trying to get Balogun more involved, saying he’s one of the best players running in between the lines that he’s ever coached, and imploring his players to find the AS Monaco striker more with through balls. If this is his contribution while feeding on scraps, imagine what he can provide once the players begin learning to get him on the ball more in the penalty area.

5 – Folarin Balogun has contributed to at least one goal in five of his first seven @USMNT appearances (3 goals, 2 assists), the third player since 2000 to do so along with Eddie Johnson and Brenden Aaronson. Involved. pic.twitter.com/gQZjBC91FS

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) November 17, 2023

1 hour 45 mins to kick: It will be interesting to see how many players Gregg Berhalter looks to rotate in this match. He denied looking to switch things up in his pre-match press conference, but there’s an argument to be made for a number of first leg starters taking a seat given the heavy aggregate scoreline.

Full-backs Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest have played significant minutes for their clubs, and guys like Joe Scally have performed well enough for their club to earn a start in this match. Up front, Kevin Paredes and Malik Tillman struggled in the first leg, so guys like the Aaronson brothers could be deployed to see what they can provide.

Gregg Berhalter, speaking ahead of the 2nd leg vs Trinidad & Tobago, said the #USMNT has everyone fit & available aside from Weston McKennie. Turned down the idea of rotating the players.

Said McKennie’s knee issue cropped up in training, they decided to “nip it in the bud.”

— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) November 19, 2023

2 hours to kickoff: These two teams have significant history in CONCACAF play. While much of the focus today is on the USA’s return to the country of their historic flop in 2017, there’s also happy history to celebrate for the U.S. Yesterday was the 34th anniversary of the goal known as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” scored by Paul Caligiuri in 1990, which secured qualification to the 1990 World Cup.

Caligiuri, who collected 110 caps for the USMNT across his career, scored a sensational volley in the 30th minute of a 1-0 victory at this very stadium in Port of Spain, ending a 36-year World Cup drought for the USA on the finaly day of qualifying.

Gregg Berhalter showed his team the moment and then presented Caligiuri with a commemorative jersey with the number 399, as the 399th-capped player in USMNT history.

THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD TURNS 34 🇺🇸

On This Day in 1989, the USMNT made first World Cup in 40 years, thanks to this PAUL CALIGIURI banger on final day of qualifying. Goal came at Trinidad & Tobago, fitting as US play in Port of Spain on Monday.pic.twitter.com/2Z1ddVdl14

— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) November 19, 2023

Trinidad and Tobago vs USA lineups, team news

A second booking for Noah Powder before halftime of the first leg left Trinidad and Tobago a man down for a long period of the match, and he will be suspended for this second leg as well.

Knowing they need goals to have a chance at a miraculous comeback, head coach Angus Eve could sacrifice a midfielder from the bunkered 5-4-1 in the first leg in order to pair strikers Levi Garcia and Malcolm Shaw up front for a direct approach.

Neveal Hackshaw was booked in the first leg after coming off the bench at halftime, which triggered a yellow card suspension for accumulation.

Trinidad and Tobago projected starting lineup (5-3-2): D. Smith (GK) — S. Gomez, A. Jones, David, J. Garcia, Raymond — Telfer, Rampersad, Goddard — L. Garcia, Shaw.

Trinidad and Tobago subs (12): (Lineups released one hour prior to kickoff)

As he hinted in his pre-match press conference, Gregg Berhalter has largely stuck with the same lineup that was deployed in the first leg, with a few changes.

Ricardo Pepi comes in alongside Folarin Balogun, suggesting more of the 4-2-2-2 that was criticized across much of Thursday’s match. Also entering the lineup are Brenden Aaronson and Luca de la Torre in midfield.

A trio of hamstring injuries has kept three regular starters out of the squad in Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Tyler Adams. Weston McKennie took a beating in the first leg and has departed camp with knee inflammation, returning to Juventus early to recover. Johnny Cardoso was scratched before the first leg due to an ankle injury, leaving the midfield extremely thin.

USA starting lineup (4-2-2-2): Turner (GK) — Dest, Carter-Vickers, Ream, A. Robinson — de la Torre, Musah — Reyna, B. Aaronson — Balogun, Pepi.

USA subs (11): Horvath (GK), Slonina (GK), Richards, M. Robinson, Lund, Scally, Maloney, Tillman, P. Aaronson, Zendejas, Paredes.

How to watch Trinidad and Tobago vs USA

Date: Monday, November 20, 2023
Time (ET): 7 p.m.
TV channel (English): TNT
Streaming (English): Fubo, Max (formerly HBO Max)
TV channel (Spanish): Universo
Streaming (Spanish): Fubo, Peacock

While the rest of the CONCACAF Nations League is broadcast on Paramount+ via the confederation’s rights deal with CBS, the United States matches are shown on TNT as U.S. Soccer’s deal with its domestic broadcaster takes precedent.

Meanwhile, a Spanish-language broadcast can be found on Universo, and streamed on Peacock.

Both English and Spanish broadcasts can be streamed on Fubo.