da apostaganha： GOAL takes a look at the U.S. players that boosted their stock and those that faltered following the semifinal exit at the hands of Panama.

da aviator aposta： Going into the Gold Cup, we all knew what it meant for the U.S. men's national team. After winning the Nations League earlier this summer with a star-studded team, the USMNT's Gold Cup squad was built differently. The aim would be to win the trophy, obviously, but this summer was also about seeing which players on the fringes could step up.

With the gift of hindsight, we now know that the U.S. probably got a bit lucky back in 2021 when they won this competition with a similarly-depleted roster. They won't be winning it this time around as they were eliminated by Panama on Wednesday night, and deservedly so.

Two years ago, several players used that 2021 Gold Cup to springboard themselves into World Cup contention. This time around, some fringe members of the full squad did their chances no harm, even if this tournament didn't end with a trophy, and more USMNT chances will come for them.

On the flip side, though, not every player stepped up and, if they had, we'd be writing a preview for Sunday's Gold Cup finale rather than a tournament post-mortem like this. Indeed, there were many that left a lot to be desired, squandering their chance at making a statement heading into the true start of this new cycle.

GOAL takes a look at the winners and losers of the USMNT's Gold Cup run:

GettyWINNER: James Sands

Probably the biggest winner of this tournament, Sands hardly put a foot wrong the whole way through.

His club, NYCFC, has been going through it this season, but Sands didn't bring any of that with him to the international level. He was calm and composed starting as the lone No.6, shielding the defense with ease through large stretches of the tournament.

Sands was one of the few players to look good throughout, putting in solid shifts against both Canada and Panama. His stock will climb higher than anyone else's from this team and Gregg Berhalter will have taken notice.

The U.S. is still looking for a backup No.6 for Tyler Adams – that role has belonged to Kellyn Acosta before – and based on what we've seen, it could be Sands' for the taking as he's more than earned a chance with the full team.

As for his club situation, Sands has stated his intentions of heading back to Europe after recently returning to MLS after a stint at Rangers. European teams watching will have seen a solid defensive midfielder, and it's safe to assume he'll will be back playing abroad before too long.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Alejandro Zendejas

The Club America star just never got going.

He started each of the first four games but made little offensive impact in each. For the semifinal, he was out of the XI due to injury, unable to come in and change a game that definitely could have benefitted from his introduction.

This wasn't the tournament Zendejas needed, not by a long shot. Prior to the Gold Cup, he appeared to be a player challenging for a spot with the A-team as a creative force off the bench. None of that creativity was apparent in these games, though, as Zendejas struggled to shoulder the responsibility of being a key piece of the attack.

Is it smart to write off a 25-year-old newcomer due to a few bad games? Absolutely not. Zendejas will get more chances to prove that this summer wasn't a true representation of his game.

You can't deny, though, that his stock took a hit as the U.S. may have to look elsewhere for wingers heading into the next few camps.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Jalen Neal

Heading into the tournament, most people had the same perception of Neal: talented, but very, very raw. He'd struggled a bit in his USMNT debut earlier this year and, despite breaking through with the Galaxy in the months since, there were questions about how he'd fare at this level.

However, he answered all of those questions with ease, and Neal was probably the team's best central defender during this Gold Cup run, which is a huge compliment to the 19-year-old.

Neal still has holes in his game, for sure, particularly on the defensive end. His positive attributes, though, are clear for all to see. His ability on the ball makes him a standout, and the U.S. did miss him in the semifinal.

The teenager is so far ahead of the curve now due to this experience. He has over 400 USMNT minutes under his belt before his 20th birthday, which is massive for a central defender.

He's definitely one to keep an eye on as he continues to develop in MLS and, if he does keep developing, who knows where he'll be by the time 2026 rolls around?

GettyLOSER: Matt Miazga

For Miazga, this tournament was all about getting back into Gregg Berhalter's good graces. The USMNT head coach wasn't here, but, after having a rocky relationship last cycle, the 27-year-old was hoping to use this tournament as a springboard back into his plans.

Well, it's hard to imagine Berhalter's opinion changing much during this five-game run. There's no way he will have been overly impressed by Miazga's performances in a USMNT shirt this summer.

Defensively, the FC Cincinnati man was okay, but a bit shaky. He wasn't awful by any stretch but, for a player looking to leapfrog those ahead of him, you'd have liked to have seen far more. Indeed, he was a bit uncertain on Canada's second goal in the quarters and got it all wrong when trying to step out for Panama's opener in the semifinal. It really wasn't great.

And then there's the whole sportsmanship debate. Miazga's attempt to unsettle Cecelio Waterman in the penalty shootout will divide opinion but, for a USMNT group built so much on accountability and chemistry, it wasn't a good look.

At 27, Miazga still has time to make his case with the national team and, given his success in MLS, his club play will keep him in the pool going forward. Still, he definitely didn't help his case this summer.