USMNT scores three second-half goals to win in its Concacaf Nations League opener
For 82 minutes, the U.S. men’s national team was frustrated against a shorthanded, but resolute Trinidad and Tobago side on Thursday night in Austin.
But in the space of just eight head-spinning minutes, the USMNT finally made its man advantage count, scoring three times in the blink of an eye to earn a 3-0 win in the first leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal.
The prospect of a nerve-racking trip to Port of Spain for Monday’s second leg loomed large throughout most of a frustrating evening for Gregg Berhalter’s side, which played up a man after a 38th-minute red card for T&T.
But the U.S. will now travel to the Caribbean with a comfortable, if not completely unassailable advantage, after late goals from Ricardo Pepi, Antonee Robinson and Gio Reyna at Q2 Stadium.
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The USMNT controlled the first half but was unable to make its huge possession advantage count for much, as the visitors frustrated a home side that looked bereft of inspiration without the injured Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah.
But the U.S. got a true gift with 10 minutes remaining in the first half when Noah Powder, already on a yellow card, made an ill-advised challenge from behind on Weston McKennie to pick up a second booking.
Noah Powder is sent off after a second yellow for a foul on Weston McKennie leaving Trinidad and Tobago down to 10 😳
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Still, the U.S. struggled to trouble the T&T back line, managing zero shots on goal in a first half that saw it have 75 percent possession.
The second half saw the U.S. push harder to solve the 10-man visitors, finally getting a few shots on target after the break. Yunus Musah had perhaps the best chance with a screamer from distance that Denzil Smith did well to palm away.
The USMNT’s frustrations grew when referee Oshane Nation awarded it a penalty, only to take it away after a VAR review.
Just when it looked like Berhalter’s men may not find a way through, the dam broke.
Pepi finished off a Robinson cross with a stylish flick to open the scoring, before Robinson doubled the advantage four minutes later with a deflected strike from distance.
Ricardo Pepi 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 gets the breakthrough for the USMNT 🚂
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Antonee Robinson from way out 🚀
Watch the match live on TNT and Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/JE2VQFpJaK— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 17, 2023
Reyna completed the scoring after a neat layoff from Folarin Balogun, giving the U.S. some breathing room heading into Monday night.
Gio Reyna scores the USMNT's third goal in eight minutes 😤
Watch the match live on TNT and Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/S2vMjGh9Rd— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 17, 2023
The job isn’t completely done, but the U.S. will now feel much better about its chances of reaching the Nations League semifinal — and earning the berth at the 2024 Copa América that comes along with it.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT defeats Trinidad and Tobago in Nations League first leg match