USMNT cruises to victory against Saint Kitts and Nevis
Ferreira's second career national team hat trick lifts Americans to 6-0 win
The United States crushed Saint Kitts and Nevis 6-0 in their second Gold Cup game on Wednesday in St. Louis thanks to a Jesus Ferreira hat trick.
Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic added two goals and two assists, Bryan Reynolds scored his first national team goal on his 22nd birthday and Gianluca Busio added two assists in the USMNT’s first meeting against the twin-island nation.
The result tied the USMNT’s largest margin of victory at the Gold Cup after having previously defeated Cuba in 2015 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2019 by the same score.
Interim USMNT coach B.J. Callaghan made seven changes to the lineup that had tied Jamaica 1-1 on Saturday with defender Matt Miazga, midfielder James Sands and strikers Alex Zendejas and Ferreira the only holdovers.
Mihailovic got the U.S. on th board after just 12 minutes with a shot from eight yards off a Busio pass from the endline. Two minutes lates, Reynolds hit a bouncing ball from 20 yards out off a corner kick.
Ferreira made it 3-0 with his first of the evening in the 16th minute off another nice pass from Busio. The FC Dallas forward would have had his hat trick in the first half if not for three outstanding saves by goalkeeper Julani Archibald.
The third came minutes after the break as Mihailovic sprung Ferreira alone at goal from 40 yards out before the striker calmly slotted the ball through Archibald’s legs to complete his second career national team hat trick. Mihailovic closed out the scoring with a calm finish from inside the box with 10 minutes left.
Starting goalie Matt Turner was given the night off as Sean Johnson, who wore the captain’s armband, recorded the shutout.
The U.S. currently sit atop Group A with four points and will close out the group stage against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.