Ricardo Pepi Excites Fans as USMNT Tops El Salvador, Advances in Nations League
Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacek
Featured Columnist IVMarch 28, 2023
The United States Men's National Team is headed to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League.
The Americans needed a tie or win against El Salvador in Monday's match at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, to win Group D, and they secured the result with a 1-0 victory. The result also clinched their spot in the 2024 Copa America as well.
Ricardo Pepi put home the lone goal for the winning side, which was all goalkeeper Matt Turner and the defense needed.
Pepi's moment generated plenty of reaction:
Taylor Twellman @TaylorTwellmanThe run is what makes the goal from Pepi….McKennie plays a beautiful ball but Pepi's run sets up the space, pulls defender into a spot and the finish is one with confidence. <br>Good on you <a href="https://twitter.com/Ricardo_Pepi9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ricardo_Pepi9</a>….you should have been in Qatar but that isn't stopping you!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USMNT</a>
Men in Blazers @MenInBlazersHuge respect for Pepi. Scored big goals for this US team and has done so as both a teen phenom and a 20 year old who has picked himself off floor after disappointment that would have finished off lesser players. Tenacity personified 🇺🇸🚂 <a href="https://t.co/rWNkJBEWrh">https://t.co/rWNkJBEWrh</a>
Monday's match didn't figure to be a problem for the USMNT. After all, it had no shortage of momentum on its side after a 7-1 win over Grenada on Friday that included Pepi and Weston McKennie each notching a brace.
What's more, it has been historically dominant against El Salvador with a 19-1-7 record and 21-match unbeaten streak entering play.
Yet that wasn't the case in a scoreless first half, as El Salvador tested Turner in the early going and turned away each of the Americans' chances even though the home team generated plenty.
It felt like a matter of time before the Red, White and Blue finally broke through, though, especially after Gio Reyna hit the post with an attempt in the opening minutes of the second half.
That goal finally came when Pepi chipped it in just minutes after coming on as a sub. McKennie found Pepi's run with a beautifully placed ball on a long pass, and the 20-year-old did the rest with the golden opportunity.
The United States continued to control play and ended up with 17 shots to El Salvador's four. The game never felt in doubt despite the close final score, and it will look to continue its impressive play in the next stage.