American players unfurled a red-and-blue banner with 바카라QUALIFIED바카라 in bold, white letters, when Christian Pulisic realized what was going on. ()
바카라The guys didn바카라t know at all what it said. It was just hand handed to them,바카라 the U.S. star said. 바카라Once we realized 바카라 there바카라s no need to show that off because we still have a job to do.바카라
Pulisic바카라s first international hat trick led the U.S. over Panama 5-1 on Sunday night and moved the Americans to the brink of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
Only a loss of six or more goals in Wednesday night바카라s finale at Costa Rica would cause the Americans not to get one of three automatic berths from North and Central America and the Caribbean. They can finish no worse than fourth, which earns a June playoff, likely against New Zealand.
바카라We honestly approach it like any other game,바카라 Pulisic said. 바카라We바카라re going to prepare exactly the same as we would if we needed a win.바카라
Pulisic converted two penalty kicks during a four-goal burst in the first half that also saw Paul Arriola and Jesús Ferreira score, then boosted the lead to 5-0 on a memorable goal with two brilliant touches that evaded a pair of defenders.
Canada (28 points) secured its first berth since 1986 with a 4-0 win over Jamaica. The U.S. (25) is second ahead of Mexico on goal difference and Costa Rica (22) is fourth.
While the U.S. has never won at Costa Rica, goal difference is the first tiebreaker, and the Americans are plus-13 to the Ticos바카라 plus-three. The U.S. also has the second tiebreaker of total goals, 21 to 11.
In October 2017, the U.S. defeated Panama 4-0 in Orlando and needed only a draw at Trinidad four days later but flopped to a 2-1 loss. Pulisic and Arriola were the only holdovers from that night.
바카라I바카라m not celebrating anything,바카라 Arriola said. 바카라I was in this exact position or very similar position four years ago, and we know how that qualification ended.바카라
Pulisic바카라s 21 international goals include 12 in World Cup qualifying. Wearing the captain바카라s armband, he scored in the 17th minute and fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, both after fouls by Aníbal Godoy. Pulisic is 6-for-6 on penalty kicks in his U.S. career.
His 65th-minute goal was exquisite. After Luca de la Torre and Antonee Robinson twice exchanged passes, Robinson crossed. With his back to the goal, a spinning Pulisic took a touch with his left leg, spun around Fidel Escobar and dummied the ball through his own legs. Pulisic poked the ball with the outside of his right foot through the legs of Andrés Andrade and slotted over the a leg of sliding goalkeeper of Luis Mejía with his right foot from 8 yards.
바카라I just really want to play in a World Cup and so does this team,바카라 Pulisic said. 바카라I바카라m just really happy that we바카라re able to be in a good position to go do that and finish the job off.바카라
Pulisic바카라s fire showed during a shoving confrontation with Michael Amir Murillo that earned him a yellow card in the 69th minute.
바카라His role involves making special plays and scoring some goals,바카라 Berhalter said. 바카라His defensive work rate, his duels, his second balls, his challenges passing, dribbling, you name it, he did it tonight.바카라
After reaching the World Cup for the first time in 2018, Panama was eliminated. Godoy scored Panama바카라s goal in the 86th with a header from Éric Davis바카라 free kick that beat Zack Steffen.
Salvadoran referee Iván Barton awarded the first penalty after a video review, concluding Godoy shoved the face of Walker Zimmerman, his Nashville teammatee.
Pulisic helped set up the second goal in the 23rd minute, running down a long ball from Zimmerman and dishing to Antonee Robinson, who crossed. Arriola, all of 5-foot-6, outjumped the 5-foot-11 Davis for his ninth international goal 바카라 just the second goal on a header in his professional career.
Fans who repeatedly denigrate Major League Soccer players in online forums have criticized Berhalter for selecting Arriola.
바카라There바카라s always going to be people that hate and that have their own opinions, and I just try and stay focused on myself,바카라 a beaming Arriola said. 바카라I know how valuable I am and how valuable I can be to this team.바카라
Ferreira made it 3-0 in the 29th minute with a 4-yard right foot shot that beat goalkeeper Luis Mejía goalkeeper. Ferreira바카라s third international goal capped a flowing buildup that involved Shaq Moore (four touches), Yunus Musah and Arriola (two touches each) and Luca de la Torre.
Moore was a late addition as the fourth-choice right back after Sergiño Dest hurt a thigh, DeAndre Yedlin was suspended for yellow-card accumuation and Reggie Cannon tested positive for COVID-19. About 20 members of the U.S. traveling party had gotten a stomach bug in Mexico.
Godoy바카라s second penalty was for shoving Miles Robinson. Luis Mejía dived left, and Pulisic went to the keeper바카라s upper right with the first kick. Mejía correctly guessed left on the second, but Pulisic바카라s drive was too hard and too close to the post for the keeper to reach. The U.S. scored four goals in the opening half of a qualifier for the first time since a 5-2 win over Cuba in 1949.
After his second goal, Pulisic celebrated with a worm dance. His parents were in the sellout crowd of 25,022 and she shared the victory with them at the front of the stands after the final whistle.
바카라They were just just told me they were proud,바카라 Puisic said, his voice filled with emotion. 바카라They바카라ve been everything for me in my life. So it was just a nice moment.바카라
Notes: Costa Rica won 2-1 at El Salvador on goals by Anthony Contreras on a bicycle kick in the 30th minute and Joel Campbell in the first minute of first-half stoppage time around Christian Gil바카라s score in the 31st. ... Mexico won 1-0 at Honduras on Edson Álvarez바카라s 70th-minute goal.
