The United States defeated Mexico 3-0 on Thursday night, securing a spot in the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada. Christian Pulisic, who was making his first start since April 15, scored twice, once in the late first half and early in the second half. Pulisic has now scored 25 goals in 59 international appearances, with four goals against Mexico. Ricardo Pepi added a third goal in the 79th minute, just five minutes after he entered the game.
US and Mexico both lost players and the match was stopped due to anti-gay chants
The match was not without controversy, however, as both teams lost players due to red cards. Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest, César Montes, and Gerardo Arteaga all received red cards in the second half. The match was also stopped in the 90th minute by Salvadoran referee Iván Barton due to anti-gay chants from the crowd. The game resumed, but so did the chants, leading Barton to end the match in the eighth minute of 12 scheduled minutes of stoppage time. McKennie and Dest will be suspended for Sunday’s final due to their red cards.
“I’m upset, the game didn’t need to turn into this,” Pulisic said. “We don’t expect this to happen anymore. Now we are missing two good players for the final.”
US stretches unbeaten streak against Mexico to six games
The US’s victory over Mexico was their first three-goal victory over Mexico in 23 years, and their unbeaten streak against El Tri has now stretched to six games with three wins and three draws, matching the Americans’ longest unbeaten streak from 2011 to 2015.
B.J. Callaghan coaches his first game as interim coach
B.J. Callaghan coached his first game as the second U.S. interim coach after Anthony Hudson quit to join a Qatari club. Shortly before the game, news broke that the U.S. was set to rehire Gregg Berhalter as its permanent manager. Folarin Balogun made his debut, starting at forward after the 21-year-old decided to play for the U.S. over England and Nigeria.
The US went ahead in the game when Giovanni Reyna poked the ball off Montes and then, while prone, poked it forward off Jorge Sánchez. Pulisic burst behind the defenders, took a pair of touches, and from the edge of the 6-yard box, slotted the ball past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. McKennie started the move for the second goal with a long pass down a flank to Timothy Weah, who put in a cross. A sprinting Pulisic got behind Israel Reyes and Sánchez, stabbing the ball in with his left foot from 6 yards.
Montes was given a straight red card in the 69th minute for kicking Balogun while the two were battling for the ball. McKennie was given a red card two minutes later for placing a hand on Sánchez’s neck during the ensuing argument and for shoving.
“I don’t like to lose, and there are ways to lose. They have really beaten us; you have to accept it,” Mexico coach Diego Cocca said. “I feel I have the support of the executives [of the Mexican federation]. They say that I have full support, and this has to be seen in difficult times. Now is time to look ahead and see the players and leaders reacting, and we have a Gold Cup to compete.”
Pepi scored his seventh international goal, taking a pass from Dest, taking a touch, and rounding Ochoa. Dest and Arteaga were sent off in the 86th minute for hitting each other above the neck. Reyna, with his hair dyed blond, made his first start for club or country since March 27, also the last time Dest and goalkeeper Matt Turner had appeared in any match.
Canada beat Panama 2-0 in the opener on goals by Jonathan David in the 25th and Alphonso Davies in the 69th. Mexico and Panama will meet in the third-place match.
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