Bruce Arena will now know which teams he'll face in the upcoming Gold Cup. The last place left in Group B was finally sorted out this Tuesday, when Nicaragua shockingly bounced back from a 3-1 loss in the first leg to beat Haiti 3-0. Los Pinoleros will return to the regional tournament after their first performance in 2009, when they were eliminated during the Group Stage.
Arena's men will have to face a familiar foe: Panama. Los Canaleros are currently one of the rising teams in the region, with their 2015 Gold Cup 3rd place speaking for them. Under Hernán Darío Gomez, Panama managed to beat the Stars & Stripes during that competition aftet a grueling penalty shootout, cementing their place among the best teams in CONCACAF. These teams will meet on July 8 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Next off, the American Outlaws will travel to Tampa. Martinique will be their opponent at Raymond James Stadium on July 12, in what will be the second match between these teams. Back in 2003, a brace by Brian McBride secured the win for Arena's men.
The Stars & Stripes will face Nicaragua for the first time ever on July 18, in what will be the final game of the tournament's Group Stage. The Central American side has shown their drive, as they managed to beat Haiti with a 3-goal rally in six minutes, earning their spot in the tournament in electric fashion.
Bruce Arena will try to lead the USMNT to a sixth Gold Cup title, which will be good enough to match Mexico's tally of silverware in the competition.
