US ends 4-game losing streak, routs Trinidad 5-0 in Gold Cup opener as Malik Tillman scores twice

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Malik Tillman scored twice as the United States built a three-goal, first-half lead and ended a four-game losing streak by routing Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 on Sunday in a CONCACAF God Cup opener.

Tillman scored in the 16th and 41st minutes for his first two international goals, both following giveaways by Alvin Jones, and Patrick Agyemang scored his fourth international goal in the 44th.

Brenden Aaronson added his ninth goal in the 82nd and Haji Wright his fifth just 1 minute, 13 seconds later as the 16th-ranked Americans overwhelmed the No. 100 Soca Warriors and ended their longest losing streak since 2007.

Victory in the Group D opener came after days of controversy over Christian Pulisic’s desire to rest during the Gold Cup and coach Mauricio Pochettino not including the star in a pair of pre-tournament friendlies the attacker offered to play in.

The U.S. had 70.4% possession and a 21-3 advantage in shots against the Soca Warriors, whose 2-1 home win against the Americans in 2017 ended a streak of seven straight World Cup appearances by the U.S.

The Americans have won their group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups, along with a second-place finish behind Panama in 2011, and improved their group stage record to 41 wins, one loss and five draws. They play invited guest Saudi Arabia on Thursday at Austin, Texas, then close group play on June 22 against Haiti at Arlington, Texas.

Matt Freese was in goal in place Matt Turner, who had started 14 consecutive competitive matches for the U.S. and 23 of 24 dating to the 2022 World Cup. The lone exception was a Gold Cup group stage game against St. Kitts and Nevis in 2023.

Missing Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun and Sergiño Dest, the U.S. starting lineup averaged 14.8 international appearances. That was the second-fewest for the Americans in a Gold Cup opener behind 9.8 against Bermuda in 2009, according to Opta.

Adams (turf toe), Johnny Cardoso and Damion Downs (both illness) didn’t dress.

Defender Tim Ream started, extending his Gold Cup span for the U.S. to 14 years and surpassing DaMarcus Beasley (2002-15) for the American high.

Trinidad, coached by former star Dwight Yorke, has lost four of its last five games and has been outscored 46-0 in its last 13 games against the U.S. on American soil.

In the other Group D game, Saudi Arabia beat Haiti 1-0 at San Diego as Saleh Al-Shehri converted a 21st-minute penalty kick after Frantzdy Pierrot pulled him down by his jersey.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Tyrese Spicer (13) runs toward the ball against United States midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, front left, during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Tyrese Spicer, center, brings the ball upfield between United States defender Alexander Freeman, left, and midfielder Jack McGlynn (6) during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino gestures from the sideline during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

United States forward Malik Tillman, center left, celebrates with teammates after scoring against Trinidad and Tobago during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

United States forward Malik Tillman (17) scores Trinidad and Tobago defender Justin Garcia (5) and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, bottom, during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Shreyas Iyer was provisionally named in India’s squad on Saturday for the home one-day international series against New Zealand starting Jan. 11.

India will host the Black Caps in a white-ball engagement — three ODIs and five T20s — in the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Iyer returns to the international fold after sustaining a spleen injury during an ODI against Australia in Sydney last October.

His selection is subject to fitness clearance from BCCI’s medical team and he will return as India’s vice-captain for the three-match series.

Skipper Shubman Gill also returns, after he missed the ODI series against South Africa in December. He had a neck spasm in the test series earlier, and subsequently played in the T20s against the Proteas.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Verma missed out. Gaikwad had scored a maiden ODI hundred against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.

Rishabh Pant is retained as second keeper-batter behind Lokesh Rahul, who had stood in as captain against the Proteas.

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had both participated in the domestic List A tournament — Vijay Hazare Trophy — and return to the international stage for the ODIs.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is fit, but not sufficiently enough to bowl 10 overs in an ODI. Thus, he has been rested further ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup (in India and Sri Lanka) starting Feb. 7. Nitish Kumar Reddy is included in the squad.

Pacer Mohammed Siraj returns to lead the bowling lineup with Jasprit Bumrah rested again. Siraj had missed the South Africa series because of workload management.

The three ODIs will be played in Vadodara (Jan. 11), Rajkot (Jan. 14) and Indore (Jan. 18), with the five-match T20 series starting Jan. 21.

Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

FILE - Captain of Punjab Kings Shreyas Iyer addresses a news conference on the eve of the final match of Indian Premier League at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, File)