Ferreira’s hat trick leads US over St Kitts and Nevis 6-0 in CONCACAF Gold Cup

Jesús Ferreira scored his second worldwide hat trick, Djordje Mihailovic had two targets and the Thirteenth-ranked United States overwhelmed No. 139 St. Kitts and Nevis 6-0 on Wednesday night time within the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Mihailovic, Bryan Reynolds and Ferreira scored in a 3:50 span to construct a 3-0 lead by the sixteenth minute. The U.S. outshot St. Kitts 34-2.

“We know that we had to come out here and gain points, gain goals, and I think the team went out there and took care of business,” Ferreira mentioned.

Ferreira has 11 targets in 20 appearances and have become the quickest American to double-digit targets, carrying out the feat in three video games fewer than Clint Mathis. Seven of Ferreira’s targets have been in opposition to St. Kitts and then-No. 170 Grenada.

Ferreira turned the fifth American with a number of hat methods behind Landon Donovan with three, and Peter Millar, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey with two every. Ferreira was the one American starter who performed ultimately 12 months’s World Cup, showing within the first half of the second-round loss to the Netherlands.

Mihailovic additionally had two assists for the defending champion Americans, who matched their largest Gold Cup victory margin, additionally 6-0 in opposition to Cuba in 2015 and Trinidad in 2019.

PHOTOS: Ferreira’s hat trick leads US over St Kitts and Nevis 6-0 in CONCACAF Gold Cup

The U.S., which wanted a late aim for a 1-1 opening draw in opposition to Jamaica, leads Group A with 4 factors. Trinidad and Tobago has three, Jamaica one and St. Kitts none. The prime two groups advance and the U.S. wants merely a draw in opposition to Trinidad on Sunday at Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Tonight was one more step forward for us,” U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan mentioned.

St. Kitts, which turned the U.S.’s a centesimal worldwide opponent. dropped to 0-2 because the U.S. improved to 39 wins, one loss and 5 attracts within the Gold Cup group stage.

Making his first begin since June 2019, Mihailovic put the U.S. forward within the twelfth minute earlier than a crowd of 21,216 with a left foot shot from the aspect of the penalty spot after a cut-back move from Gianluca Busio.

Reynolds, enjoying on his twenty second birthday, beat Julani Archibald with a 20-yard volley within the 14th after Alejandro Zendejas’ nook kick bounced twice throughout the penalty space. He turned the primary American to attain a global aim on his birthday since Earnie Stewart in opposition to Honduras in 2001.

Ferreira dribbled into the penalty space following a Busio move, scoring on a 12-yard angled shot within the sixteenth to present the U.S. three aggressive targets within the shortest span in group historical past. Ferreira then bought previous an offside lure to attain between the goalkeeper’s legs from a Mihailovic feed within the twenty fifth.

Ferreira added his third from quick vary within the fiftieth and Mihailovic added his third worldwide aim within the 79th.

Callaghan inserted seven new starters from final weekend’s opener, including goalkeeper Sean Johnson, Reynolds at proper again, central defender Jalen Neal and left again DeJuan Jones together with Busio and Mihailovic in midfield and ahead Cale Cowell. The holdovers have been defender Matt Miazga and midfielder James Sands together with Ferreira and Alex Zendejas up entrance.

Johnson captained the U.S. for the primary time.