Weston McKennie scored a hat trick inside the opening 13 minutes as the US men’s national team cruised to a 7-0 win over Cuba in their Concacaf Nations League Group A opener Friday at Audi Field.
McKennie also set up Jordan Morris for a 9th minute goal and three minutes after a Cuban own goal, Josh Sargent gave the USMNT a six-goal cushion heading Into the break. Morris tied a USMNT record for assists in a match with three in the first half.
Christian Pulisic tacked on a seventh goal from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute in one of the USMNT’s most lopsided victories.
McKennie got the party started with the second fastest USMNT goal ever, tapping in a Morris cross at the back post 30 seconds after kickoff.
The Schalke midfielder scored a carbon copy four minutes later, again scoring at the back post off a Morris service.
McKennie then set up Morris, who put a left-footed shot inside the near post to make it 3-0 inside the first 10 minutes. McKennie completed the hat trick four minutes later, crashing the net to latch onto a Reggie Cannon driven ball across the face of goal. It was the fastest hat trick from the start of the match in USMNT history.
Goals
- 1’ — USA — Weston McKennie | WATCH
- 5’ — USA — Weston McKennie | WATCH
- 9’ — USA — Jordan Morris | WATCH
- 13’ — USA — Weston McKennie | WATCH
- 37’ — USA — Dario Ramos (own goal) | WATCH
- 40’ — USA — Josh Sargent | WATCH
- 62’ — USA — Christian Pulisic (PK) | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Nations League Group A will come down to the US and Canada and goal differential could loom large so it was important for the USMNT to do one better than Canada’s 6-0 win over Cuba at BMO Field last month. Cuba, which has again been hit hard by defections, are now 0-3-0 with a -14 goal differential.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It’s all about the start, and McKennie’s opening goal was the second fastest in USMNT history, setting the tone in a game that quickly got out of hand.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: McKennie gets the nod with the 18th hat trick in USMNT history and fastest from kickoff. He also assisted on Morris’ goal and played a sick backheel to the Seattle Sounders winger on Ramos’ own goal.
Next Up
- USA: Tuesday, October 15 at Canada (7:30 pm ET | ESPN2, UniMás, TUDN, www,Onesoccer.ca)
- CUB: Tuesday, November 19 vs. United States (7:30 pm ET | FS1, UniMás, TUDN)
