USA blasts Canada 4-1 in Concacaf Nations League victory
The U.S. Men’s National Team gained revenge for its 2-0 Concacaf Nations League defeat in Canada last month with a 4-1 win over its northern neighbor at Exploria Stadium. Gyasi Zardes grabbed a brace, Jordan Morris tallied a goal and an assist while Aaron Long also scored in the victory that pulled the U.S. within three points of Canada atop Group A and made head coach Gregg Berhalter the second-fastest coach in team history to reach 10 wins.
The USMNT can win Group A with a victory in its final Concacaf Nations League A game against Cuba next Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands.
Coming into the game in scintillating form for club and country, Morris gave the USA the perfect start when he volleyed home Sergiño Dest’s chip in just the second minute. The right back, who earned his first career international assist on the USA’s opening goal and came up through the Ajax and U.S. Youth National Teams, is now officially cap tied to the USA due to his participation in the match, after declaring he would pursue his international ambitions with the USA last month.
Zardes doubled the USA’s lead in the 23rd minute when he headed home a Morris cross, and the USMNT took flight from there, controlling the flow of the game and carving out scoring chances with nearly every offensive foray.
In the 34th minute, it was Long’s turn to add his name to the score sheet, snapping home a Tim Ream cross with a towering header that extended the USA’s lead to 3-0.
Dest (pictured above) initially came closest to adding the USA’s fourth in the 37 th minute. The speedy defender burst past the Canada back line on the breakaway but flashed his effort just past the left post.
The second half was more of a battle for both teams as the physicality ratcheted up and Canada coach John Herdman went to his bench for all three subs before the hour mark in an effort to bring the visitors back into the match. It seemed for a moment, Canada might find a way back into the back when Steven Vitória headed home in the 72nd minute to cut the lead to 3-1.
U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan then made an important save in the 84th minute, denying Davies with a quality save from a low effort after the Canadian starlet had worked his way through the U.S. defense to fire off a sharp-angle shot.
Five minutes later, Zardes (pictured above) put the game to bed with a fierce, first time hit that made it 4-1 and put the USA a win against Cuba away from winning Concacaf Nations League A, Group A.
Next on the Schedule: The USA has a quick turnaround when it travels to George Town, Cayman Island for the conclusion of CNL Group A play vs. Cuba. The match at Truman Bodden Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 19 kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1, TUDN and UniMas.
Lineups:
USA: 1-Brad Guzan; 18-Sergiño Dest (21-Tyler Boyd, 90+2), 3-Aaron Long, 5-John Brooks, 13-Tim Ream; 8-Weston McKennie, 14-Jackson Yueill, 17-Sebastian Lletget (15-Alfredo Morales, 69); 11-Jordan Morris (2-DeAndre Yedlin, 86), 9-Gyasi Zardes, 7-Paul Arriola
Substitutes not used: 22-Matt Turner, 23-Sean Johnson, 4-Walker Zimmerman, 6-Wil Trapp, 10-Cristian Roldan, 12-Nick Lima, 16-Daniel Lovitz, 19-Josh Sargent, 20-Reggie Cannon
Head coach: Gregg Berhalter
CAN: 18-Milan Borjan; 2-Richie Laryea, 5-Steven Vitória, 15-Doneil Henry (4-Derek Cornelius, 48), 12-Alphonso Davies; 8-Scott Arfield (capt.), 14-Mark-Anthony Kaye (7-Stephen Eustáquio, 62), 6-Samuel Piette, 21-Jonathan Osorio; 19-Lucas Cavallini (10-Junior Hoilett, 61), 20-Jonathan David
Substitutes not used: 1-Jayson Leutwiler, 22-Maxime Crépeau, 3-Samuel Adekugbe, 9-David Wotherspoon, 11-Liam Miller, 13-Liam Fraser, 16-Amer Didić, 17-Kamal Miller, 23-Dominick Zator
Head coach: John Herdman
Attendance: 13,103
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