LOS ANGELES, United States: The United States ended their four-match losing run with a resounding 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday in San Jose.
Mauricio Pochettino and his team, which is missing several Europe-based regulars, had faced plenty of criticism after recent friendly defeats to Turkey and Switzerland.
In desperate need of a change in mood around the team, a year out from the World Cup they will co-host with Canada and Mexico, Pochettino fielded an attacking line-up.
Against a Trinidad team, coached by former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, it proved to be just the kind of stress-free comfortable win that the Argentine coach was seeking.
The USA were on top from the outset with two early chances for striker Patrick Agyemang and it was the striker who helped create the 16th-minute opener.
Agyemang won the ball off Trinidad defender Alvin Jones, found Jack McGlynn on the right who kept his cool and clipped the ball to the back post where Malik Tillman collected and then slotted home.
It was a tough day for Jones, who then gifted the USA their second goal with a back-pass that went straight to winger Diego Luna who broke away and then unselfishly squared to Tillman for the PSV Eindhoven midfielder's second.
Trinidad were showing why they have fallen down the FIFA rankings, slipping to 100th and fourth in the Caribbean, below Curacao, lacking any kind of solidity.
The lively Luna created the third, a minute before the break, when he cut in from the left and his low shot deflected off Agyemang and beat the helpless Marin Phillip.
It was easy going for Pochettino's side in the second half with Trinidad managing to threaten once when Tyrese Spicer put a low ball across the face of the goal but the sliding Dante Sealy was unable to connect.
With the game fizzling out, Pochettino made a triple substitution and that added some late urgency to his side's attack.
Sub Brenden Aaronson cut in from left and squeezed a low shot past Phillip's near post and then another man off the bench, Haji Wright completed the convincing victory when he broke down the left and drifted inside before placing the ball in the far corner. The USA, looking for an eighth Gold Cup title, face Saudi Arabia and Haiti in their remaining two games in Group D.
SAUDI ARABIA WIN OVER HAITI
Saleh Al Shehri's penalty kick in the 21st minute held up as the winner as Saudi Arabia shut out Haiti 1-0 in CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A, play on Sunday night in San Diego.
Al Shehri drew a foul in the penalty area on Frantzdy Pierrot in the 18th minute, then converted a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner to lift Saudi Arabia (1-0-0, 3 points) in the opener for both teams.
Haiti had an opportunity to pull even in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, but Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi (four saves) denied Dany Jean in the center of the goal on a right-footed shot from outside the box.
Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide finished with three saves.
MEXICO DOWN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Edson Alvarez registered a goal and an assist to help Mexico post a 3-2 victory over the Dominican Republic in CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A, play on Saturday night in Inglewood, Calif. Peter Gonzalez and Edison Azcona scored goals for the Dominican Republic. Mexico struck in the 44th minute when Orbelin Pineda sent a cross to Alvarez, who sent a header into the net.
Mexico made it 2-0 in the second minute of the second half when Jimenez scored on a right-footed shot.
The Dominican Republic got on the board in the 51st minute when Gonzalez sent a left-footer into the net.
Two minutes later, Mexico countered on a corner kick taken by Alexis Vega. Alvarez headed the ball, and it glanced off Montes' head and went into the net.
The Dominican Republic tallied again when Azcona's right-footed shot caromed off a defender to cut its deficit to one.
COSTA RICA SINK SURINAME
Costa Rica upended Suriname 4-3 with a penalty-kick goal in the 13th minute of stoppage time in CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A, play on Sunday night in San Diego.
Capitalising on a foul in the penalty area by Suriname's Dion Malone, Manfred Ugalde converted the winner on a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner. It was Ugalde's second penalty-kick goal of the game after he scored in the 19th minute to give Costa Rica 3 points. — AFP
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