USMNT rolls previous Grenada to clinch Gold Cup berth

The U.S. males’s nationwide crew reclaimed the highest spot in Group D of the Concacaf Nations League on Friday after breezing previous Grenada at Kirani James Nationwide Stadium.

Ricardo Pepi and Weston McKennie each registered braces for Anthony Hudson’s squad whereas Brenden Aaronson, Alex Zendejas, and Christian Pulisic additionally celebrated objectives in a 7-1 romp. Auston Trusty and Taylor Sales space each made their senior worldwide debuts because the Individuals clinched a spot on this summer season’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

Pepi wanted solely 4 minutes to propel the USMNT in entrance of the Spice Boys, powering a header off of Pulisic’s cross into the underside nook. It was Pepi’s first worldwide objective since October 2021 and his fourth general this yr for membership and nation.

Matt Turner denied Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Regan Charles-Prepare dinner from tying the match earlier than Brenden Aaronson prolonged the USMNT’s result in 2-0. Aaronson reduce onto his proper foot earlier than unleashing a robust shot into the left nook.

Weston McKennie benefitted from a failed clearance within the field by scoring his tenth worldwide objective. McKennie’s left-footed shot nestled into the bottom-left nook, making it 3-0 to the Individuals.

Myles Hippolyte reduce the deficit to 3-1 within the thirty second minute, stroking a left-footed shot previous Turner and into the bottom-right nook. The USMNT failed to choose up Hippolyte on the high of the field and the midfielder made no mistake.

McKennie added his second objective of the night time earlier than halftime, poking dwelling within the field after Auston Trusty stored Pulisic’s free kick from going out of bounds. It marked McKennie’s first multi-goal efficiency since October 2019 vs. Cuba.

The Individuals continued to pile on the offensive strain after halftime with Pulisic’s low drive sneaking previous Jason Belfon within the forty ninth minute. Pulisic’s shot was deflected by Belfon, however the veteran keeper couldn’t hold his shot from crossing the goal-line.

Luca De La Torre’s lethal by ball move up the center of the sphere within the 53rd minute allowed Pepi to fit dwelling his second objective of the match. Pepi was left one-on-one with Belfon, delivering a right-footed shot down the center of the objective.

Alex Zendejas got here off the bench within the sixty fourth minute and made an prompt affect simply eight minutes later to pad the ultimate rating at 7-1. Zendejas picked up a move simply outdoors of Grenada’s field earlier than curling a left-footed shot into the bottom-left nook.

Yunus Musah, Daryl Dike, and Johnny Cardoso appeared off the bench to earn vital minutes because the Individuals held on for a convincing victory.

The USMNT now leads El Salvador by two factors heading into Monday’s ultimate group stage match in Orlando, Florida.

Supply – sbisoccer.com