Miazga's late goal gives US 1st place in Gold Cup group
CLEVELAND (AP) — Alejandro Bedoya can watch the rest of the CONCACAF Gold Cup after helping the U.S. avoid an embarrassing secondplace finish in its group.
Bedoya set up goals by Joe Corona and Kelyn Rowe, and Matt Miazga's close-range header in the 88th minute from Graham Zusi's free kick gave the United States a 3-0 win over 10-man Nicaragua on Saturday, just enough to leapfrog Panama for the Group B lead.
Bedoya is among six players on the 23-man roster who will be replaced for the knockout phase. His second child is due early next week.
"It's tough, but this is something we have talked about," Bedoya said. "As much as I would have loved to stay, we're welcoming a new life."
Goalkeeper Tim Howard and midfielder Michael Bradley watched from the stands and are among the players U.S. coach Bruce Arena plans to add along with forwards Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore, midfielder Darlington Nagbe and goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez — whose approval to switch affiliation from Mexico to the U.S. was granted in late June.
"Alejandro is a very good player," Arena said. "In this three- or fourweek period that we've been together he continues to demonstrate that. He can play a number of positions and he's a really versatile player. He does an excellent job."
Panama's 3-0 win over Martinique in the first match of the doubleheader meant the U.S. needed a three-goal win to move back over Los Canaleros into first. But the Americans struggled for long stretches against Nicaragua, a team ranked 105th by FIFA. They squandered opportunities when Dom Dwyer and Corona took poor penalty kicks in the second half that easily were saved by Justo Lorente.