FC Dallas forward Eddie Johnson received his second start for the U.S. Men's National Team in their World Cup Qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago today and scored a goal in the 30th minute to give the U.S. a lead they would never relinquish.
The U.S. team went on to defeat Trinidad and Tobago by a 2-1 score in their first match of the final qualifying round before World Cup 2006. Eddie Lewis scored the second goal for the U.S. as Landon Donovan notched the assist in the 54th minute.
Johnson, 20, scored on a header from a beautiful centering pass by Steve Cherundolo at the top of the box giving the U.S. National Team a 1-0 lead at the 30th minute. It was Johnson's sixth goal in four World Cup qualifying matches as he became the first player in Men's National Team history to record a goal during his first four World Cup qualifiers. The 6-0, 180-pound forward now has goals against El Salvador, Panama, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. During the mach against Panama on Oct. 13, Johnson collected a hat trick as a substitute in a 6-0 win. He became the first substitute in U.S. Men's soccer history to record a hat trick and the eighth total player to accomplish the feat.
Including today's 2-1 win over Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. will play 10 matches in the final round of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup from Feb. 9 - Oct. 13, 2005. The USA, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago are competing for three automatic berths to the World Cup finals in Germany. The fourth-place finisher will face the fifth-place team from the Asian Football Confederation in a home-and-home series to determine the last entrant into the tournament.
Newly acquired FC Dallas forward Cornell Glen appeared in the 70th minute for Trinidad and Tobago and played the final 20 minutes of the match.
