- Diego Luna scored his first USMNT goal in the Gold Cup quarterfinal.
- The goal tied the game against Costa Rica, leading to a 2-2 draw in regulation.
- USMNT advanced to semifinals after winning the penalty shootout.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — It took 10 games and a couple of false alarms, but Diego Luna finally has a goal to his name for the U.S. men's national team.
The 21-year-old Real Salt Lake star scored the game-tying goal just before halftime for the USMNT in Sunday's Gold Cup quarterfinal at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after Costa Rica took an early lead on a penalty in the 12th minute.
Luna has had a knack for hitting other players with his shots toward goal recently, including missing out on a potential first international goal earlier in the Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago, when Patrick Agyemang was credited with the score.
Sunday's shot also hit a player on its path toward goal, but luckily, it was a Costa Rican defender and didn't take Luna's name off the goal.
Another look at Diego Luna's first international goal 🔥🇺🇸@USMNTpic.twitter.com/Q8NDsisDUX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 30, 2025
The California native, who at one point was thought to be considering a switch to the Mexico national team, let out a passionate, "Vamos!" after sparking the USMNT comeback.
The U.S. scored again just after halftime to take a 2-1 lead, but Costa Rica responded in the 71st minute to tie the game at 2-2 and eventually send it to a penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese saved three penalties for the USMNT and 20-year-old Damion Downs hit the deciding shot to send the U.S. through to the semifinals against Guatemala on Wednesday at 5 p.m. MDT. A win over Guatemala would send the U.S. through to the final against either Mexico or Honduras.
Luna has missed two games for RSL during his international stint so far, which his club was able to come out of with a draw and a win, and will likely miss one more on July 5 before returning for a home match against Houston on July 12.
