USMNT 7, Trinidad and Tobago 0 | 2021 International Friendly Recap

The US men's national team put in a dominant performance in their first match of 2021, topping Trinidad and Tobago 7-0 in the Sunday friendly between the sides at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.

Jesus Ferreira was one of the stars of the evening for the US on the attacking end, stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of two goals and three assists, while Paul Arriola and Jonathan Lewis each scored a brace. 

The Yanks got the scoring started just two minutes into the match via Lewis, who slotted home a feed from Ferreira into an open net after the FC Dallas man was set in on goal by a perfectly threaded ball from Sam Vines.

Ferreira then struck for one of his own in the ninth minute, with Vines factoring in again as the facilitator. The Colorado Rapids left back made an overlapping run and flicked his cross in front of goal, allowing Ferreira to pounce for the easy finish and his first international goal.

Arriola continued the early onslaught, collecting a lay-off from Ferreira at the back-end of a counterattack and depositing the finish into an open goal in the 22nd minute. The DC United attacker added his second in the 41st, cashing home the USMNT's fourth of the evening from the top of the area off yet another assist from Ferreira, who set Arriola up with a flicked header.

The USMNT continued to pour it on in the second half, as Miles Robinson struck for his first international goal and Lewis and Ferreira each scored again to make it 7-0. New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner didn't have much to do in his first senior cap, but did get in on the action in the second half with a penalty-kick save on Trinidad's Alvin Jones to maintain the clean sheet.

Goals

• 2' - USA - Jonathan Lewis | WATCH
• 9' - USA - Jesus Ferreira | WATCH
• 22' - USA - Paul Arriola | WATCH
• 41' - USA - Paul Arriola | WATCH
• 52' - USA - Miles Robinson | WATCH
• 55' - USA - Jonathan Lewis | WATCH
• 62' - USA - Jesus Ferreira | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: It should be noted that they were playing a Trinidad and Tobago side that was playing its first match in nearly a year, but it was still a good platform for a collection of USMNT players looking to make their case for more caps as the program looks ahead to a busy year in 2021. Ferreira, Vines and Lewis were among the young players who made the most of the opportunity to make a splash, and it was also to good to see Arriola find the scoresheet twice as he looks to work his way back into the international fold coming off his ACL injury that cost him all of the 2020 season with DC United.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: 
The Yanks' first of the evening was a well-worked team goal, starting with the gorgeous ball from Vines.

MAN OF THE MATCH: There are several worthy candidates, but the explosive effort from Ferreira is the story of the night. The 20-year-old FC Dallas homegrown was a beast throughout the match, factoring into all four goals in the opening 45 minutes and getting his first two international goals.