in three consecutive World Cups. Dempsey went on to suffer a broken nose midway through the first half as the United States defeated Ghana 2–1. In the following match against Portugal, Dempsey notched his fourth World Cup goal in a 2–2 draw. This goal drew Dempsey level with Bert Patenaude as the second-highest goalscoring American in the World Cup, one behind Landon Donovan. Before the 2015 Gold Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann gave Michael Bradley the captain's armband, in wake of the U.S. Open Cup incident. During the Gold Cup, Dempsey scored both U.S. goals in a 2–1 group stage win over Honduras at the Toyota Stadium in his native Texas. Three days later, at his former club ground in New England, he struck the only goal to defeat Haiti, sending his team into the quarter-finals, where he scored his first international hat-trick in a 6–0 victory against Cuba. In the third-place play-off, he scored his seventh goal of the tournament to equalize for a 1–1 draw against Panama, and also netted his attempt in the penalty shootout which his team eventually lost; he finished the tournament as its top scorer. Copa América Centenario In June 2016, Dempsey started all three group stage games of the Copa América Centenario. Against Costa Rica he recorded his 50th international goal, and against Paraguay he recorded his 51st international goal to help the U.S. finish first in the group and advance to the quarterfinals. The U.S. were eliminated in the semi-finals by Argentina. In the quarterfinal win over Ecuador, Dempsey scored the opening goal and assisted on the second goal, which was scored by Zardes. 2018 World Cup Qualification Dempsey's first goal during qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was scored in the 4–0 victory by the U.S. over Guatemala on March 29, 2016, at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. He also earned an assist on the fourth goal of the evening, scored by Jozy Altidore. On March 24, 2017, during the final round of qualification, Dempsey scored a hat trick in the 6–0 victory by the U.S. over Honduras, one goal from a free kick and the other two assisted by Christian Pulisic at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, CA. Four days after that, on March 28, he scored the U.S.'s lone goal, again assisted by Pulisic, in a 1–1 draw with Panama at Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City. 2017 Gold Cup