USMNT squeak past Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarterfinals; Club World Cup cream rising to the top in knockouts

Hello there! The high-stakes matches that define major tournaments are coming thick and fast in the U.S., with the Club World Cup and Gold Cup so far delivering entertaining moments as the knockout rounds begin. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest as a busy summer of soccer continues.

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All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, June 30🏆 CWC: Inter vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ➡️ DAZN🏆 CWC: Manchester City vs. Al-Hilal, 9 p.m. ➡️ TBS

Tuesday, July 1🏆 CWC: Real Madrid vs. Juventus, 3 p.m. ➡️ DAZN🏆 CWC: Borussia Dortmund vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ➡️ TNT

⚽ The Forward Line🇺🇸 USMNT survive in penalty shootout win

The U.S. men's national team did not make it easy on Sunday, but they booked their spot in the semifinals after a rollercoaster of a match against Costa Rica, tying 2-2 before winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

Things got off to a rocky start when Max Arfsten conceded a penalty in the 11th minute, which Francisco Calvo subsequently converted to give Costa Rica a 1-0 lead. It did not exactly deter a lively USMNT, though, who created chance after chance in the first half. Malik Tillman's missed penalty in the 37th minute offered another setback but Diego Luna's 41st minute equalizer was a worthy reward for their efforts, as was Arfsten's go-ahead goal in the 49th minute. The U.S. then took their foot off the gas and later paid the price with Alonso Martinez's 71st-minute equalizer, sending the game to penalty kicks. In a contest that went to six rounds, Matt Freese made three saves and Damion Downs scored the shootout-winning penalty to send the USMNT to the next round.

It was a genuine moment in the sun for Matt Freese, who has become the unlikely first-choice goalkeeper even at a tournament that head coach Mauricio Pochettino is using to explore the wider player pool. Those minutes were once likely to land to Patrick Schulte or Zack Steffen, but injuries meant Freese was the default understudy to Matt Turner and though he has not always impressed, the 26-year-old made a case for himself in the shootout. Freese made his way up the ranks in MLS Next Pro, where matches do not end in ties but go straight to penalties, meaning he now has a record of six wins in seven shootouts between his experiences as a youth player and as a senior professional, indicating as much in a post-match interview.

• Freese: "Penalties are my thing. [On] the plane ride over here to Minnesota. I was studying the penalties. I've been studying them all week and was ready for it if we needed it, and the one that I didn't move on [was a] suggestion from my goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez."

Freese becomes the latest USMNT player to make a name for himself during a Gold Cup run that is chock-full of opportunities for inexperienced players, joining Malik Tillman on that list. The goalkeeper was not the only one to do so on Sunday, either – Luna, who has quickly become a Pochettino favorite for his mentality, coupled his competitive drive with an important goal against Costa Rica, while Arfsten played a big role in the USMNT's energetic start to the first half, even with his flaws.

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🔗 Midfield Link Play🏆 Heavyweights take charge at Club World Cup

The Club World Cup knockouts are officially underway, with four quarterfinal berths already booked and another four to be decided over the next couple of days. The field for the round of 16 represented a unique collection of teams, most of them from Europe and South America but three from outside those continents making it. As the knockouts have played out so far, though, the favorites seem to be coming out on top – and there's a growing feeling that everything might tilt in Europe's favor sooner rather than later.

Some results are less surprising than others, like Paris Saint-Germain's 4-0 pummelling of Inter Miami on Sunday. Lionel Messi did not make much of an impact as the last MLS team standing were exposed by the UEFA Champions League winners, offering a stark reminder of what can happen if the World Cup winner shoulders far too much of the responsibility in a team sport, as James Benge writes.

• Benge: "Inter Miami felt like a Lionel Messi team, just not the ones you remember most fondly. Instead, they were redolent of those last few years at Barcelona when he was carrying too heavy an offensive load, the weird PSG sojourn where all the attacking talent was on his side but the other team were playing as a unit. Whatever the value Messi has brought to the American footballing project -- and indeed to Inter Miami's results in his time with the club -- it is fair to note that catering for the great man has made for a team uniquely ill-suited to taking on the best teams in the world. Rather than surround Messi with the legs to do his running for him, the club hierarchy afforded the Argentine a chance to reunited with his 30-something mates."

Elsewhere, Chelsea bested Benfica in a weather delay-impacted match that went to extra time and Palmeiras took out Botafogo in the all-Brazilian matchup of the round of 16. Bayern Munich's 4-2 win over Flamengo on Sunday, though, provides the set-up for what could be a Europe-focused last eight. Their match is one of two that are between European and South American teams in the last 16, the other being Inter's match with Fluminense on Monday, presenting the possibility that Palmeiras will be CONMEBOL's lone quarterfinalist. The remaining round of 16 matchups will favor Europe, too – Real Madrid and Juventus will play each other, while Manchester City are the favorites against Al-Hilal and Borussia Dortmund have the odds in their favor against Monterrey.

It all sets up for an outcome that may lack surprises, as well as the international flair that gave the group stage legitimacy and charm on the field.

🔗 Top Stories

🇺🇸 USWNT win again: The USWNT picked up a second consecutive 4-0 win over Ireland on Sunday as head coach Emma Hayes continues to use the team's depth to her advantage.

🇬🇹 Guatemala oust Canada: Canada are out of the Gold Cup after losing in a penalty shootout to Guatemala, who are in the semifinals of the competition for the first time since 1996.

🇧🇷 Palmeiras take out Botafogo: Palmeiras delivered a statement win over Botafogo at the Club World Cup on Saturday, and may be in position to be the last South American team standing at the tournament.

❌ Pochettino denies Brentford links: USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he did not interview for the Brentford job after a report surfaced that he was in the running for the vacancy filled by Keith Andrews.

🗣️ Pique on Kings League: Gerard Pique discusses the Kings League, which he calls a "parallel" soccer ecosystem that can co-exist alongside the traditional game, in an interview with CBS Sports.

🇮🇹 Lazio falconer update: Lazio evicted the falconer who was fired in January for posting photos of prosthetic genitalia, spending the time since squatting at the club's training ground.

💰 The Back Line💵 Best bets

• Club World Cup round of 16: Real Madrid vs. Juventus, Tuesday, 3 p.m.💰 THE PICK: Gonzalo Garcia to score (+160) – While Kylian Mbappe's availability remains up in the air following a battle with gastroenteritis and Rodrygo's future with Real Madrid perhaps in doubt, Gonzalo Garcia has picked up the slack. The 21-year-old has two goals in three games at the Club World Cup, including the first goal in Xabi Alonso's tenure as the manager, seizing his opportunities as Alonso starts to build a new-look team in time for next season. Expect Garcia to step up to the challenge yet again on Tuesday and to play his part as Los Blancos target a spot in the quarterfinals.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.

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