SAINT LOUIS – Jesus Ferreira scored a hat trick and Djordje Mihailovic added two more plus two assists to help the United States earn a 6-0 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday at CITYPARK in Saint Louis. The win pushes the United States to the top of Group A of the 2023 Gold Cup after two games.
The U.S. got on the scoreboard in the 12th minute when DF Bryan Reynolds played a ball into space that MF Gianluca Busio ran onto. He cut back across the box where Mihailovic was able to thump in the home the opener.
Reynolds then scored a stunner of his own in the 14th minute. After a corner kick bounced out of the box, Reynolds swung his foot, keeping his shot low and the ball kissed off the post and in for a 2-0 lead.
Next up, it was Jesus Ferreira scoring in the 16th minute, taking a pass from FW Alejandro Zendejas and running past a defender to fire a right-footed shot into the back of the net for a third goal in four minutes for the defending Gold Cup champion.
Ferreira doubled his tally in the 25th minute, making a run behind and ending up one-on-one with Saint Kitts and Nevis GK Julani Archibald, who wasn’t able to stop Ferreira’s low right-footed shot that made it 4-0.
And his hat trick was complete in the 50th minute, with Mihailovic finding Ferreira in the box, and the forward putting a quick right-footed shot past Archibald.
The U.S. extended its lead to 6-0 in the 80th minute, swarming forward in transition. Mihailovic finished a move that started down the right wing and saw MF Christian Roldan register the assist
The U.S. now sits first in the group, ahead of Jamaica thanks to a superior goal difference. The Stars and Stripes close out group play against Trinidad and Tobago on July 2, while Saint Kitts and Nevis faces Jamaica on the same day.
