ST. George – The trio of Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi and Weston McKennie teamed up to help power the United States to a 7-1 victory over Grenada in Group D of League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League on Friday night at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada.
Pulisic had a goal and two assists, while Pepi and McKennie each had braces to pace the U.S. to another three points and the top spot in the group. With the result, the U.S. have also clinched a berth in this summer’s 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, where they will try to defend their title.
The U.S. came storming out of the gates and Pepi handed his side a 1-0 lead just four minutes into the game when he headed in a cross from Pulisic from the left wing.
Pulisic was back to his playmaking best in the 20’, slipping in a pass to Brenden Aaronson and the Leeds United man firing into goal for a 2-0 U.S. advantage.
The U.S. got their third in the 31’, with Pulisic again serving things up, this time via free kick. The initial effort was popped up into the air by the Grenada defense, allowing McKennie to scissor kick into net for a 3-0 lead.
Grenada refused to drop their heads and just a minute after the McKennie goal, it was 3-1 when Jacob Berkeley Agyepong found a wide-open Myles Hippolyte, who guided a left-footed laser into net.
It was raining goals in St. George’s and back came the U.S. in the 34’ with a goal to restore their three-goal advantage at 4-1 when a knockdown header from Auston Trusty allowed McKennie to poke home.
Pulisic finally got to etch his name onto the scoresheet by squeezing in a shot past Grenada GK Jason Belfon in the 49’ to give the visitors a 5-1 advantage.
Pepi notched his second of the net thanks to a surgical pass from Luca De La Torre and a right-footed finish from the striker in the 53’ for a 6-1 lead.
It became a 7-1 game when Alejandro Zendejas came off the bench and fired in from outside the box in the 73’, thus completing the scoring on the night.
