United States vs. Mexico
2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Final
Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021 | 8 p.m. CT
Allegiant Stadium | Las Vegas
Broadcast Schedule:
English | FS1
Spanish | Univision, TUDN
Streaming | FOX Sports app, TUDN app
With the bright lights of Las Vegas providing an epic backdrop, a Sporting Kansas City player is assured of winning the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup title on Sunday night.
Midfielder Gianluca Busio and the United States will go head-to-head against striker Alan Pulido and Mexico in a Gold Cup championship bout that fans and pundits alike were hoping for when the tournament kicked off earlier this month.
Sunday’s heavyweight encounter will kick off at 8 p.m. CT as two Concacaf goliaths battle for a trophy for the second time this summer, with the U.S. previously edging Mexico 3-2 in the Concacaf Nations League Final on June 6. Fans can catch the action live in English on FS1 and the FOX Sports app and in Spanish on Univision, TUDN and the TUDN app.
Busio has been a revelation in 2021, using standout performances at Sporting Kansas City to break his way into the U.S. MNT for the first time. The 19-year-old has appeared in all five Gold Cup matches for the Yanks and started each of the last four, with head coach Gregg Berhalter’s side securing five victories on the trot and posting four shutouts behind goalkeeper Matt Turner.
Just like the U.S., Mexico has conceded one single goal at the 2021 Gold Cup under head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino. Pulido has amassed 26 minutes in three substitute appearances for El Tri, who have relied on scoring output from Rogelio Funes Mori and Orbelin Pineda.
Both teams enter Sunday’s final on the heels of dramatic semifinal slugfests. Busio started and played 63 minutes in Thursday’s clash against Qatar, which was decided in the 86th minute when substitute Gyasi Zardes struck to give the Americans a 1-0 win. Pulido did not feature for Mexico on Thursday as El Tri outlasted Canada 2-1 with a Pineda penalty kick and a 99th-minute winner from Hector Herrera.
The United States and Mexico have met in six previous Gold Cup finals. El Tri have held a decisive upper hand with five wins and a loss, including a 1-0 triumph in the 2019 title match. The Americans’ lone victory over Mexico in a Gold Cup final came in June 2007 when Sporting Kansas City great Benny Feilhaber bagged a world-class strike from distance to settle a 2-1 thriller at Soldier Field in Chicago.
USA RESULTS AT 2021 GOLD CUP
- Group B (July 11): USA 1-0 Haiti (Busio enters as 62nd-minute sub)
- Group B (July 15): USA 6-1 Martinique (Busio starts, plays 90 minutes, records assist)
- Group B (July 18): USA 1-0 Canada (Busio starts, plays 74 minutes)
- Quarterfinal (July 25): USA 1-0 Jamaica (Busio starts, plays 90 minutes)
- Semifinal (July 29): USA 1-0 Qatar (Busio starts, plays 63 minutes)
MEXICO RESULTS AT 2021 GOLD CUP
- Group A (July 10): Mexico 0-0 Trinidad and Tobago
- Group A (July 14): Mexico 3-0 Guatemala (Pulido enters as 83rd-minute sub)
- Group A (July 18): Mexico 1-0 El Salvador (Pulido enters as 76th-minute sub)
- Quarterfinal (July 24): Mexico 3-0 Honduras (Pulido enters as 85th-minute sub)
- Semifinal (July 29): Mexico 2-1 Canada
Held every two years, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for Concacaf and just like in the European Championships and Copa America, lifting the trophy brings prestige and regional supremacy. Over the course of 15 previous Gold Cup tournaments, the United States has won six titles (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017), just behind all-time leaders Mexico with eight (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019). Canada is the only other tournament champion, having prevailed in 2000.
