US Soccer Clinches Group A Of Gold Cup With Draw

It wasn't gorgeous, but US Soccer's 1-1 draw with Panama was enough to solidify their claim for Group A in the 2015 Gold Cup.

Panama drew first blood, but the USMNT responded early in the second half thanks to their veteran leader, Michael Bradley. The aggressive midfielder came forward for the equalizer and was pivotal in creating a lot of the action for the Americans. His goal and Brad Guzan's efforts in between the posts were enough to stave off Panama and ensure advancement in the Gold Cup.

It might not be the World Cup, but the Gold Cup is still a big deal. A solid showing from the US would not only help cement their identity as a legitimate soccer outfit in the international futbol world, it would provide American players with a larger platform to audition for larger clubs outside the MLS and other lower rung leagues.

There was no stupendous Clint Dempsey goal or insane free kicks. It was a simple draw, but sometimes that's enough. Especially in competition play, survive and advance is the sweetest concept, regardless of how you get there.

With Bradley's leadership in the middle, Dempsey's creativity up front and Guzan stepping up in the net, the USMNT is becoming a solidified unit. There are always holes to fill, but consistency at all three levels of the field always helps.