Have yourself a day, Quinn Sullivan.
The Philadelphia Union homegrown midfielder was the star of the show Wednesday night in Honduras, scoring a first-half hat trick for the United States as they concluded Group E play at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship.
That sealed a 3-0 win over Cuba, booking first place in the group and a Round of 16 match vs. Nicaragua on Saturday, June 25 (8:30 pm ET).
Check out Sullivan’s dynamic performance below, which included goals in the 2nd, 8th and 43rd minutes:
Sullivan is now fully focused on navigating the knockout round as the US chase a third straight Concacaf U-20 title. The tournament’s top four teams secure berths to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, while the two finalists also qualify for the 2024 Olympics, a stage the US haven't reached since 2008.
“Same mentality as we’ve had,” said the 18-year-old. “We’ve got to end teams early, try and get off on the right foot like we did tonight. Nicaragua’s the next stage, so it’s a must-win. Every game’s a must-win to this point, with the goal to lift the trophy and qualify for both the World Cup and the Olympics. It’s vital.”
Sullivan is one of four Union homegrowns currently representing the United States, as joined by defender Brandan Craig, midfielder Jack McGlynn and attacker Paxten Aaronson. The 20-man roster includes 17 MLS players in total.
In their other Group E matches, the US thumped Saint Kitts & Nevis 10-0 and battled Canada to a 2-2 draw.
