The US men’s national team began their Concacaf Nations League title defense with a 5-0 victory Friday evening over Grenada at Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium, led by five combined goals from the FC Dallas duo of Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola.
Looking to stake his claim as Gregg Berhalter’s starting No. 9 for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Ferreira erupted for four goals between the 43rd and 78th minutes. Arriola added the other tally for the US in the 62nd minute.
After dominating play but struggling to finish their chances for most of the first half, Ferreira finally found the breakthrough for the US just before halftime, collecting a deflected cross from Arriola and depositing his ensuing attempt at the far post.
The FCD homegrown then scored his second and third goals of the evening in a two-minute span shortly after the second-half restart, starting with a 54th-minute breakaway finish that was set up by a through ball from Arriola. He found his hat trick in the 56th minute, scorching home a clinical strike off a clever corner-kick feed from LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta.
The US struck twice more before it was over, first via Arriola, who finished off a 62nd-minute counter-attack with a tight-angled strike assisted by a pinpoint ball from Luca de la Torre. Ferreira rounded it off, striking for his fourth of the night with a 78th-minute finish that sealed the 5-0 scoreline.
4 – @Jesusfcd27 is the fifth player in @USMNT history to score four goals in a match, joining Archie Stark (1925), Aldo Donelli (1934), Joe-Max Moore (1993), and Landon Donovan (2003). History. pic.twitter.com/9Ch5JVEUDy
source: MLSsoccer.com
