Antonee Robinson broke via a freeze within the air and the US offense, scoring an enormous objective within the 52nd minute that lifted the Individuals over El Salvador 1-0 on Thursday evening and saved them on observe for a return to the World Cup.
The slim victory on a 29F evening that tied the report low temperature for a house American qualifier boosted the US to 18 factors with 5 video games left.
The US have two extra chilly matchups within the subsequent week and might transfer to the verge of a berth with victories on Sunday towards Canada in Hamilton, Ontario, and Wednesday towards Honduras at St Paul, Minnesota. The ultimate three qualifiers are in March.
Canada remained prime with 19 factors after their 2-0 win over Honduras on Thursday evening, Mexico have 17 factors after beating Jamaica 2-1, and Panama have 14 adopted by Costa Rica with 9. El Salvador are left with six and have nearly no likelihood to achieve this yr’s event in Qatar.
The highest three nations qualify, and the fourth-place group advances to a playoff towards the Oceania champion, seemingly New Zealand. Profitable dwelling video games is a key, and the Individuals have received 4 of 5 matches on US soil, stumbling solely in a draw towards Canada in September.
Robinson scored after Weston McKennie performed an extended ball down the proper flank to Tim Weah, who let it bounce thrice as he ran previous Roberto Domínguez and Eduardo Vigil.
Goalkeeper Mario González made a sliding block, and the ball rebounded to Jesús Ferreira. He headed it throughout the goalmouth and Christian Pulisic let the ball bounce previous him to Robinson, who kicked it in along with his left foot from eight yards for his second worldwide objective. Robinson did a ahead flip and a backflip to have fun, including to the backflip he carried out after scoring the tying objective within the 4-1 win at Honduras in September.
Matt Turner took over in objective from Zack Steffen, who remained in England due to a foul again, and didn’t must make a save. Turner performed following experiences he'll transfer subsequent summer time from New England to Arsenal.
The US Soccer Federation scheduled the match in a chilly local weather to reduce journey and put the nippiness on El Salvador, which went to a sporting items retailer to buy further winter gear.
The Individuals’ fifteenth straight dwelling win over El Salvador since 1989 didn’t come simply. They outshot El Salvador 8-3 within the first half however put none on course. However the offense adopted its sample: The US have scored 11 of its 13 targets within the second half.
González leaped to parry Yunus Musah’s goal-bound shot three minutes after Robinson’s objective. He additionally stopped a 12-yard shot by Robinson within the sixty fifth.
El Gráfico, a Salvadoran sports activities newspaper, headlined the match “En una hielera”. Translation: “In a freezer”. Snow flurries fell throughout warmups and the temperature was the identical as for the “Guerra Fria” win over Mexico at previous Columbus Crew Stadium in February 2001 and the Snow Clasico victory over Costa Rica at Commerce Metropolis, Colorado, in March 2013.
US gamers had electrical heated cushions on the bench and refreshments of hen broth and cider. The locker room temperature was set unusually low to acclimatize the group.
Defenders Walker Zimmerman and Chris Richards have been the one starters for both group to put on quick sleeves.
About 12 minutes in, El Salvador’s Enrico Hernández went to the bench and took off his thermal underwear.
Pulisic, McKennie and Tyler Adams began collectively for simply the second time, the primary time since a March 2019 exhibition towards Ecuador. Ferreira was a shock choose at ahead over Ricardo Pepi, scoreless in 12 matches for membership and nation since 7 October.
Ferreira was excessive with an angled 10-yard shot along with his left foot within the sixteenth minute. The perfect US likelihood of the primary half got here three minutes later, when Adams, Musah, Sergiño Dest and Weah mixed on a fast assault that left Ferreira open in entrance of González solely to misfire over the crossbar along with his right-foot flick.
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