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Jesus Ferreira continued his red-hot run at the Gold Cup as the United States beat Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 to win Group A in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday.
The FC Dallas striker made U.S. soccer history with a first-half hat trick — his second in as many games at the Gold Cup after scoring three against St. Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday — to put the U.S. on its way to a lopsided victory win that sees B.J. Callaghans Americans edge Jamaica on goal difference atop its group.
Ferreira scored with a classy striker’s finish for his first, a scrappy poacher’s goal for his second and added a third from the spot just before half-time to send the U.S. storming into the knockout rounds after a shaky 1-1 draw against Jamaica to open the tournament last Saturday.
The impressive showing took Ferreira’s total up to a Gold Cup leading six goals and marked the first time in U.S. team history that a player scored three goals in back-to-back games as he joined Landon Donovan as the only two Americans to have three national team hat tricks to their credit.
Substitute Cade Cowell scored his first senior goal for the U.S. shortly after coming on for Alejandro Zendejas, capitalizing on a sloppy back pass from the Trinidad defense and dribbling around goalkeeper Marvin Phillip to fire into an open net.
Gianluca Busio scored an important goal for the U.S. just before the 80-minute mark, slotting past Phillip from the center of the penalty area for his first international goal at senior level to restore breathing room for Callaghan’s side over Jamaica.
Brandon Vazquez then added his second of the tournament for the U.S. to complete the rout. The U.S., which has 40 wins, one loss and five draws in the Gold Cup group stage, will play the second place finisher in Group D in a quarterfinal at Cincinnati on July 9.
The U.S. won its group for the 16th time in 17 Gold Cups, along with a second-place finish to Panama in 2011, while Trinidad was eliminated, finishing with a win over St. Kitts and a pair of losses. The Soca Warriors denied the U.S. a trip to the 2018 World Cup with a victory at home on the final day of Concacaf qualifying in 2017.
Ferreira put the U.S. ahead in the 14th minute. Cristian Roldan shuffled the ball to DeJuan Jones, who cut back to Ferreira. He settled the ball and poked the ball in from near the penalty spot.
Ferreira doubled the lead in the 38th when Phillip palmed his initial shot and Ferreira put the rebound in off a leg of defender Sheldon Bateau.
Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar awarded the penalty kick when Alvin Jones pulled down Djordje Mihailovic, and Ferreira sent his kick to Phillips’ left.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner, defender Miles Robinson and Roldan were inserted into the starting lineup in place of Sean Johnson, Matt Miazga and Cowell.
Midfielder Alan Soñora missed the game because of a strained right hamstring, and midfielder Aidan Morris was allowed to leave camo for what the U.S. Soccer Federation said were personal reasons.
Jamaica, which drew 1-1 with the U.S., advanced with a 5-0 win over St. Kitts at Santa Clara, California. The Reggae Boyz went ahead on an own goal by goalkeeper Julani Archibald, then got goals from Jonathan Russell, DiShon Bernard, Daniel Johnson and Cory Burke.
