Miles Robinson’s last-gasp header lifts USA over Mexico in Gold Cup final

Miles Robinson scored on a header in the 117th minute, and a reduced-strength United States lineup upset a mostly front-line Mexico team 1-0 on Sunday night to win the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Kellyn Acosta, the only player in the US lineup who gets playing time when the first-choice roster is together, took a free kick, and Robinson outjumped Edson Alvarez and headed the ball in on one hop to the right of goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.

Robinson, a 24-year-old defender in his fourth Major League Soccer season with Atlanta, got his third international goal in nine international appearances, his second goal of the tournament.

Matt Turner got his fifth shutout in six matches of the Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The US won their seventh Gold Cup title, and their first since 2017, matching Mexico for the most in the 15 tournaments. Canada won in 2000. It was just the second victory for the Americans in seven finals against El Tri.

The US have won nine consecutive games overall and 14 home games in a row.

Top players, who are with their clubs for European preseasons, will return when the US opens World Cup qualifying at El Salvador on 2 September. Mexico start at home that day against Jamaica.

Before an overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd, El Tri started seven of the 11 players who began the Nations League final that the US won in extra time in June: defenders Luis Rodriguez, Nestor Araujo, Hector Moreno and Jesus Gallardo plus midfielders Alvarez, Jesus Corona and Hector Herrera. The newcomers were Talavera, midfielders Jonathan dos Santos and Orbelin Pineda, and forward Rogelio Funes Mori, starting in place of goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa plus Carlos Rodriguez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano.

The US lineup included nine players from Major League Soccer.

The field Concacaf chose was 69 yards wide, narrower than the recommended 75 yards.

US coach Gregg Berhalter made four changes from the lineup in the semi-final win over Qatar, inserting Cannon for Shaq Moore, Bello for Sam Vine, Williamson for Gianluca Busio and Zardes for Daryl Dike.

Defender Henry Kessler made his debut for the US in extra time stoppage time.