USA Under-23 Team Qualifies For Semifinal Following Dominican Republic Dismantling
Mar 22, 2021, 10:52 AM
(Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The USA U-23 team took one more step closer to Olympic qualifying late Sunday afternoon after a 4-0 rout of the Dominican Republic, qualifying for the semifinals in doing so.
The goals came late for the US who didn’t score their first until the 61st minute when Jackson Yueill found the back of the net. Then, Hassani Dotson scored a brace within a five-minute stretch after scoring in the 73rd and 78 minutes. Finally, Montreal midfielder Đorđe Mihailović put the icing on the cake in the 90th minute.
Go get ‘em @justen_glad & @Sebas23Saucedo 🇺🇸 https://t.co/8k0l7dYaKt
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) March 21, 2021
Unlike the first fixture against Costa Rica that saw three Real Salt Lake players start, only Justen Glad saw minutes against the Dominican Republic. However, former RSL winger Sebastian Saucedo received a call up from the bench and started on the wing where he dazzled admirably. Sebastian Soto came off the bench and received 44 minutes of playing time.
David Ochoa was the Man of the Match against Costa Rica in the first hit-out which was why his resting against the Dominican Republic came as a surprise to many fans.
Nonetheless, the USA not sit tied atop their group with one game remaining. That game comes against arch-rivals Mexico who is currently sitting in the first position with a plus six-goal difference. The USA has a plus five goal differential.
Mexico and the United States will play their final group stage game on Wednesday, March 24 with kickoff at 7:30 p.m.