Pulisic scores twice in US rout of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Vincent and the Grenadines – The U.S. slammed St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier here on Friday behind goals from Bobby Wood, Jozy Altidore, Matt Besler, Christian Pulisic (two) and Sacha Kljestan.

The USMNT were in full control and while they didn’t immediately score, they dominated possession and it was really just a matter of time.

Captain Jozy Altidore, back from a hamstring injury that kept him from the Copa America, extended the lead with a 43rd-minute penalty after Wood was brought down in the box, giving the US a 3-0 edge at the half. Besler then celebrated rocking his arms like a cradle, welcoming his daughter Parker, who was born earlier that day.

Altidore converted a penalty kick in the 43rd minute after Roy Richards kicked down Wood, who was streaking into the penalty area.

It just wasn’t the day for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which saw a pair of goals waved off in the second half for offside calls – first in the 51st, then again five minutes later in the 56th. The match won’t be shown online in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but you can find listings for other countries on LiveSoccerTV.

That match stands to be more challenging than Friday’s affair.

Pulisic struck in the 71st after a nice feed from Kljestan.

Besler – who had celebrated the birth of his baby daughter just hours before kick-off – then marked the occasion with his first worldwide goal on 32 minutes, volleying home from close range after a Graham Zusi free-kick caused panic in the St Vincent penalty area.

He took a pass from Kljestan expertly and finished easily for a 4-0 lead, and then Pulisic returned the favor to feed Kljestan for goal No. 5.

With the win, the USMNT has all but advanced to the Hex, the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. If that doesn’t happen, the US could clinch its spot with a win over T&T on Tuesday in Jacksonville, Fla. A T&T win Friday would clinch advancement for the Americans and the Soca Warriors. Of course, the USMNT’s road record in this qualifying group is pretty abysmal, losing 2-0 to Guatemala in March and stumbling to a scoreless draw with Trinidad and Tobago in November.

-If Guatemala defeat T&T, that would set up a final day where the United States of America and Trinidad and Tobago would be tied for first while Guatemala would be a point behind.

And, with all due respect to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a big win shouldn’t be out of the question.