Key takeaways from USMNT's nerve-settling Gold Cup win over Haiti

Patrick Agyemang may not be perfect, but he's what we've got

It's ironic that the USMNT's motto is "Only Forward" when forwards seem to be in frustratingly short supply for the squad. Pochettino brought just four traditional forwards — Charlotte FC's Patrick Agyemang, Vancouver's Brian White, Köln's Damion Downs and Coventry's Haji Wright — to this Gold Cup, and he's already lost one of them (Wright) to a long-term injury. 

Between Agyemang, White and Downs, Pochettino is working with a very inexperienced front line. He's decided that Agyemang, while not an ideal USMNT starter, is the best of his lot — and honestly, the USMNT fandom needs to back him on that decision for now.

Will Agyemang be dropped at next summer's World Cup in favor of, say, currently unavailable Folarin Balogun or Ricardo Pepi? Almost certainly. That's a done deal. But it's Agyemang, not Balogun or Pepi, who is available right now, and the USMNT fandom does its team no favors by acting like doesn't belong. 

When Agyemang finally scored against Haiti after fluffing shot after shot, the relief etched across his face was palpable. He's not just fighting on the field right now: he's fighting off it, too, and he's fighting against the very people who should be supporting him through this difficult growth period.

Chris Richards remains in the form of his life

We gave Richards a glowing review after his goal — and his under-appreciated goal-preventing tackle on the other side of the field — handed the USMNT a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia during Game 2. Richards was brilliant in that game, but he was brilliant in this Haiti game, too, even if he was a touch less visible. 

Richards's calm demeanor in the center of the USMNT's defense pushed the team through intense periods of Haitian attack dominance, and his wicked center-park through balls opened up a much-needed central attacking channel for the USMNT. It was Richards's quiet, effective play that made this Haiti game the USMNT's strongest attacking performance of the tournament.