Reyna shines as USMNT blanks Ghana 4-0
A brace by the young striker led to a goal blitz in the opening half
The United States scored four goals in the opening half against Ghana, downing the West Africans 4-0 on Tuesday at Geodis Park in Nashville.
Gio Reyna scored twice in the friendly, while Folarin Balogun and Christian Pulisic also found the back of the net in one of the finest performances of the year for coach Gregg Berhalter’s team.
The resounding victory came three days after the USMNT lost to Germany 3-1.
"To me, it's a work in progress," Berhalter said of the team after the game. “Our job is continue to build and progress and get better and improve. When you see a half like the first half that we played, it certainly is a marker that we're getting better and we’re improving.”
The U.S. threatened from the start and took the lead with Reyna after just 10 minutes in what would result in three goals in a span of just 12 minutes.
Nine minutes after Reyna’s opening goal, the U.S. was awarded a penalty kick following a foul on Tim Weah in the box. Pulisic stepped up to the spot and buried the shot for his 28th international goal. The goal put Pulisic just two behind Brian McBride for fifth on the U.S.’s all-time scoring list.
In the 22nd minute, it was Weah who once again pressed Ghana’s backline. His pass found Balogun, who turned on his first touch and fired toward the back-post side netting for the goal.
The Americans put the game away for good six minutes before the break after earning an indirect kick from just 12 yards out when defender Nicholas Opoku had obstructed play by guarding the ball while sitting on the ground.
With three players over the ball, Balogun tapped it for Pulisic, who rolled it for Reyna. The young striker buried it high over the wall and into the net.
The USMNT improves its record this year to 9-2-5 and takes a 3-2-0 series edge against Ghana.