Pulisic, McKennie on target as US sink Mexico
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie scored the goals as the United States downed Mexico 2-0 to move to the top of Concacaf’s 2022 World Cup qualifying race on Friday.
Chelsea star Pulisic nodded home a 74th-minute cross from Timothy Weah just five minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute to put the Americans 1-0 up in Cincinnati.
Juventus’s McKennie then made the game safe five minutes from time, sweeping a low finish past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa after Weah’s deflected low cross caused confusion in the Mexican area.
A late red card for Miles Robinson after a second bookable offence left the US down to 10 men for the closing stages, but US Coach Gregg Berhalter’s young side were not to be denied.
The win leaves the United States on top of the eight-team final round of Concacaf standings with 14 points from seven games.
The top three finishers in the standings qualify automatically for next year’s finals in Qatar, while the fourth place team advances to an inter-continental play-off.
Friday’s win means the US are firmly on course to exorcise the ghost of their 2018 World Cup qualifying debacle, when they failed to reach the finals in a devastating blow for US football.
It also completed a clean sweep of victories by the US over Mexico in 2021 following wins over ‘El Tri’ in the Concacaf Nations League final and Gold Cup final.
In other games on Friday, Canada boosted their chances of a first World Cup appearance since 1986 after a 1-0 win over Costa Rica in Edmonton.
Jonathan David’s 57th-minute goal sealed a win which leaves Canada in third place in the table with 13 points, just one off the lead.
Panama, bidding to repeat their 2018 World Cup appearance, also reignited their challenge with an improbable 3-2 away win over Honduras.
Honduras looked to be cruising to victory after goals from Alberth Elis and Brayan Moya left them 2-0 up with 13 minutes remaining.
But three goals in eight minutes from Cecilio Waterman, Cesar Yanis and Eric Davis sealed a remarkable comeback for Panama, who are now fourth with 11 points.
In the day’s other game Jamaica and El Salvador played out a 1-1 draw in San Salvador.
