KANSAS CITY, Kan. – That's one step closer to Rio de Janeiro for the United States Under-23 team, and one huge hill to climb for defection-depleted Cuba.
Jerome Kiesewetter scored once in each half on Saturday, and the USA continued their roll through CONCACAF's Olympic qualifying tournament with a 6-1 rout that saw five different players find the net.
Center backs Cameron Carter-Vickers and the New York Red Bulls' Matt Miazga each scored once in the first half, and the USA also got goals from Emerson Hyndman and Alonso Hernandez after the break.
Cuban captain Daniel Luis broke up the shutout with a goal late in second-half stoppage time, denying Zack Steffen his first clean sheet of the tournament.
The victory gives the U.S. six points through two matches, locking up a semifinal spot no matter what happens in Tuesday's group finale against Panama in Commerce City, Colo. With a plus-7 goal differential, they're all but guaranteed to win the group going away.
Cuba, who lost four players to defection before Thursday's opening 1-1 draw against Panama, had a fifth player – midfielder Brian Rosales – listed as absent for Saturday's match. They have just one point from two matches, with a minus-5 goal differential, but are technically still in contention for the second semifinal spot going into their last group stage match against Canada.
Carter-Vickers opened the scoring for the Americans in the 16th minute, nodding Luis Gil's free kick past Cuban goalkeeper Sandy Sanchez, and nearly made it 2-0 with another header in the 21st minute -- only to see it cleared away from the goalmouth by Adrian Diz Pe.
Cuba nearly equalized in the 28th minute on a rip from distance from Maykel Reyes, but Steffen made a long, outstretched dive to his right to deny him.
Miazga made it 2-0 in the 36th minute, also on a header, off a cross from the Chicago Fire's Matt Polster. Less than two minutes later, Jordan Morris took Luis Gil's pass and laid it off to a wide-open Kiesewetter for an open-goal tap-in and a 3-0 lead.
Kiesewetter completed his brace in the 49th minute, sneaking in at the far post to tuck in a pass out of traffic from the San Jose Earthquakes' Marc Pelosi, and was subbed off for Maki Tall in the 54th minute.
Hyndman made it 5-0 in the 69th minute, slotting home from the right side of the penalty area, and second-half sub Hernandez put Gboly Ariyibi's square pass just inside Sanchez's left post for a 6-0 lead in the 76th.
After a pause in play in second-half stoppage time, when Pelosi had to be stretchered off, Luis provided one bright moment for Cuba with a blast past Steffen from long range.
Pelosi suffered a laceration to his leg which required stitches but was not considered serious, according to US U-23 manager Andi Herzog.
