The U.S. Men’s National Team used a brace from Jozy Altidore and goals from Sacha Kljestan and Paul Arriola to earn a hard-fought 4-0 victory against Trinidad & Tobago Tuesday night.
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Young Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic earned his first senior-level start and became the youngest player ever to start a match for the US national team.
The USA took the lead in the 44th minute when neat interplay down the right flank involving Fabian Johnson, Kljestan and Pulisic sowed confusion in the Trinidad box.
The US tried to press their advantage, but ran out of time before the half.
The Borussia Dortmund attacker made his first-ever start for the Stars and Stripes, supplanting Jozy Altidore as the youngest Yank to get the nod for the senior team. His 44th minute goal against Trinidad sent the US into halftime with something to show for their continued attacking prowess in the opening period.
“For us, playing here in Jacksonville, is really a good feeling”.
“We badly want to win this game”, Klinsmann said.
Head coach, Stephen Hart, has lamented Trinidad and Tobago’s lack of ruthlessness, following their dramatic 2-2 draw with Guatemala. It will be Howard’s 32nd appearance in a World Cup qualifier, moving him past mentor and former teammate Kasey Keller as the team’s career leader in that category. Pulisic used a give-and-go with Kljestan to get open and then crossed to Altidore for a tap-in near the far post.
There were a couple important news items involving the USA women’s national team last week as midfielder Heather O’Reilly (46 goals, 54 assists) announced her retirement after an incredible 15-year global career (her final match will be on Sept.15 vs. Thailand) and former midfielder Lauren Holiday will need to have surgery for a benign tumor that was found on her brain (after she has a baby).
The first match in the Hex for the Americans will be on November 11 against Mexico, and early reports, as well as tradition, suggest that it will be played in Columbus.
USA notes: About 17,000 tickets have been sold for a match that, given the opponent, day of the week and ramifications, was not expected to draw more than 20,000.
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Clean through in stoppage time, Altidore blew his chance for a hat-trick, chipping the ball over the bar, but it hardly mattered as the United States impressively maintained their unbeaten home record in World Cup qualifiers since 2001 and handed the visitors their first loss of the stage. “He knows ‘Hey, I can not afford more injuries.’ I need to make sure my lifestyle is OK and that I look after myself, I prepare for every training session and I do all the work on the side”.
