Pulisic scores twice as US beat Mexico in CONCACAF Nations League
Las Vegas: Christian Pulisic scored late in the first half and early in the second, Ricardo Pepi added a late goal and the United States beat Mexico 3-0 to reach the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada.
Pulisic made his first start for club or country since April 15, put the U.S. ahead in the 37th minute and doubled the lead in the 46th. He has 25 goals in 59 international appearances, including four goals against Mexico. Pepi scored in the 79th, five minutes after entering on Thursday night.
The U.S, and Mexico each finished with nine players after Weston McKennie, Sergi o Dest, C sar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga received red
cards in a testy second half that included play being stopped in the 90th minute by Salvadoran referee Iv n Barton because of homophobic chants. After the chants resumed, Barton ended the match in the eighth minute of 12 scheduled minutes of stoppage time.
McKennie and Dest are suspended for Sunday’s final.
With its first three-goal victory over Mexico in 23 years, the U.S. stretched its unbeaten streak against El Tri to six (three wins, three draws), matching the Americans’ longest, from 2011-15.
B.J. Callaghan coached his first game as the second U.S. interim coach after Anthony Hudson quit to join a Qatari club.
Folarin Balogun made his debut, starting at forward after the 21-year-old decided to play for the U.S. over England and Nigeria.
The U.S. went ahead when Gio Reyna poked the ball off Montes and then while prone, poked it forward off Jorge S nchez. Pulisic burst behind the defenders, took a pair of touches and from the edge of the 6-yard box slotted the ball past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Weston McKennie started the move toward the second goal with a long pass down a flank to Tim Weah, who crossed.
A sprinting Pulisic got behind Israel Reyes and S nchez, stabbing the ball in with his left foot from 6 yards,
Montes was given a straight red card in the 69th for kicking Balogun while the two were challenging.
