USMNT vs. St. Kitts & Nevis: Top Storylines and Predictions for 2023 Gold Cup
The United States men's national team is expected to cruise to a victory on Wednesday night.
The Americans take on Saint Kitts & Nevis in their second of three Concacaf Gold Cup group-stage matches.
Group A play did not start as expected, as the USMNT needed a late Brandon Vazquez equalizer to tie Jamaica on Saturday night.
The USMNT will be in a fight with Jamaica for first place in Group A, and that will come down to goal differential if both nations win their next two games.
Scoring in bunches is mandatory for the USMNT against a Saint Kitts and Nevis side that is the weakest of the four in Group A.
The need for goals should lead to a start for Vazquez, who impressed up top in his substitute role against Jamaica.
Brandon Vazquez Deserves Start
Vazquez made an impact off the bench on Saturday to earn a point in a match that was trending toward defeat.
The FC Cincinnati striker should be the preferred choice of USMNT interim manager B.J. Callaghan for Wednesday's match at CityPark in St. Louis.
Vazquez made more happen in front of goal than Saturday's starter, Jesus Ferreira, and the Americans could use his physical presence in the starting XI against an opponent that lacks size and top-tier professional experience.
Ferreira does have eight goals in 19 USMNT appearances, but he has not scored in a competitive game at the international level in over a year. His only tally in that span was in an April friendly against Mexico.
Vazquez has two goals in four USMNT appearances. His other goal came in a January friendly against Serbia.
There is a possibility that Callaghan starts both Ferreira and Vazquez to finish off the result before halftime.
In that scenario, the USMNT would be able to rest one or both of the strikers ahead of Sunday's Group A finale against Trinidad and Tobago.
Multi-Goal Victory Is Required for USMNT
The USMNT's situation in Group A requires a multi-goal victory over Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Saturday's draw with Jamaica means that first place in the group could come down to goal differential, and Wednesday's match is the best chance for the USMNT to balloon that total.
Saint Kitts and Nevis comes into the match 126 spots beneath the Americans in the FIFA men's world rankings.
The Caribbean side fell 3-0 in its Gold Cup opener against Trinidad & Tobago, who is 34 spots ahead of it in the world rankings.
Even if the USMNT beat Jamaica, the expectation for Wednesday would be a multiple-goal win because of the disparity in talent between the two clubs.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is participating in its first Gold Cup, and its roster lacks top-flight experience in any major league.
That could lead to an aggressive approach from the outset for the Americans, not just at forward, but in the midfield as well.
Cade Cowell and Djordje Mihailovic are among the creative players Callaghan can call upon to produce service for the strikers, and break down the Saint Kitts and Nevis defense through the middle.
Prediction
United States 6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 0
There is plenty of precedent for a massive USMNT victory over a weaker Caribbean side.
The Americans beat Grenada, who is 36 spots below Saint Kitts and Nevis in the FIFA rankings, 7-1 in the Concacaf Nations League in March.
Two years ago, the USMNT put up six goals on Martinique in the middle game of the group stage.
That may be the better result to compare Wednesday's game to because the USMNT also used a squad of reserve and fringe first-team players in the 2021 Gold Cup.
Four USMNT players scored in that win, with forward Daryl Dike netting a brace.
We could see a similar result with Vazquez or Ferreira leading the scoring, and others, like Cowell and Mihailovic chipping in in supporting roles.