The US soccer team’s subs have had a knack for making an instant impact throughout the CONCACAF Gold Cup this month. Eddie Johnson scored on his first touch when he was subbed in during the quarterfinal against El Salvador. Though Brek Shea couldn’t quite live up to those standards, it only took him about 42 seconds to bag the country’s fifth Gold Cup when he came off the bench to score in the final against Panama on Sunday.
A simple tap-in, sure, but it was an important goal that also has implications beyond the Gold Cup win.
Per The State:
This was the 11th straight victory for the Americans, four more than their previous record, and they likely will leapfrog Mexico as the best team from the North and Central America and Caribbean region when the next FIFA rankings come out Aug. 8.
The rankings impact seeding when it comes to group allocation in the World Cup, and the United States could jump as high as 16th in the world in the next FIFA rank. If the US continues the crazy form they have been in this summer, they could be in nice position when it’s time to determine the groups for next year’s World Cup.
