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| Imago Images |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Striker Jesus Ferreira scored three first-half goals against Trinidad and Tobago to become the first United States men's national team player to score consecutive hat tricks in international competition.
The six combined goals came in an 88-minute period at the Gold Cup, with the first three coming on Wednesday against St. Kitts and Nevis in St. Louis, as the U.S. cruised past T&T 6-0 to win its group on goal difference after finishing level on points with Jamaica in Group A.
"I'm happy. I'm excited," Ferreira said after the game. "Obviously, this is a team objective. I wouldn't be able to score goals without my teammates putting me in situations where I can score goals.
"So, from the beginning, we knew that this game was going to be intense. We have to bring the intensity, we have to be the team that can set the tempo and I think we did that."
Ferreira also became just the second player in USMNT history with three career hat tricks, joining the team's joint all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan.
No other player, regardless of country, has multiple career Gold Cup hat tricks, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
"When I see his movement and his confidence in the penalty box, you can tell that the game has slowed down for him," U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said. "All of the work that he's doing, leading our line defensively, dropping down, helping buildup play, for me he's having a really complete tournament."
Ferreira gave the U.S. the lead in the 14th minute from a DeJuan Jones assist and doubled the lead in the 38th minute before a penalty in stoppage time completed the hat trick.
Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Brandon Vazquez all scored second-half goals for the U.S. to finish off the 6-0 victory and the team will now await the results from Group D on Tuesday to see who it will play in the quarterfinals.
- Kyle Bonagura
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