U-23 USMNT defeats Dominican Republic 4-0 in Olympic Qualifying

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO – The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team scored four second-half goals to defeat the Dominican Republic 4-0 for its second straight win at the Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship.

With the result and Mexico’s 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica in the second match of the evening, the USA advances to the pivotal tournament semifinals, whose winners clinch qualification to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Head coach Jason Kreis made six changes to the starting line-up that defeated Costa Rica on Thursday. After settling in for the opening 20 minutes, the U.S. patiently began controlling possession for the rest of the first half. While it proved difficult at times to break down a disciplined Dominican Republic side, the U.S. created a handful of threatening chances before the break.

The first came twenty-five minutes in, when Sebastian Saucedo played a short corner to the top of the box to USA captain Jackson Yueill, who hit a first-time shot with pace that was saved by Dominican Republic goalkeeper Johan Guzman.

Another big dub, another three points at #CMOQ! pic.twitter.com/c381r4eB07

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) March 22, 2021

Minutes later Saucedo opened up Sam Vines, who chipped a ball across the box to a wide-open Johnny Cardoso at the top of the six, but Cardoso’s point-blank low header was saved by Guzman. Saucedo then picked out Vines on a stoppage-time corner kick, but the left back’s first-time volley from the top of the box skipped inches wide of the left post.

The USA began the second half with much more urgency and the reward came just past the hour mark. After Cardoso hit the crossbar from close range, the U.S. kept possession and Saucedo again found Yueill, who redirected the ball from the top of the six to the back post to open the scoring.

Ten minutes later, substitutes Djordje Mihailovic and Hassani Dotson made an impact off the bench, combining for two goals within five minutes to seal the victory. Dotson doubled the lead with a well-placed shot from the top of the box and added his second minutes later with a hard shot to the far post. Mihailovic put an exclamation point on things in the 90th minute, closing out the scoring with a tap-in from close range.

The U-23 USMNT will wrap up Group A play vs. Mexico on Wednesday, March 24 (9:30 p.m.; FS1, TUDN).

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA – Jackson Yueill (Sebastian Saucedo), 62nd minute: Right back Julian Araujo put a cross into the area that Jonny Cardoso controlled and blasted off the crossbar. Andrés Perea won the second ball at the top of the box to find Saucedo, who held off his man. With Yueill making a near-post run, Saucedo turned and sent a short pass that Yueill slightly redirected with the outside of his foot to the back post to break the deadlock. USA 1, DOM 0

USA – Hassani Dotson (Djordje Mihailovic), 73rd minute: Second-half substitutes Djordje Mihailovic and Hassani Doston combined for the first of two goals in the 73rd minute. On this one, Mihailovic made a diagonal run from the left into the area and laid off a short, square pass to Dotson just inside the top of box. Dotson calmly placed a right-footed shot to the left side of the goal to double the lead. USA 2, DOM 0

USA – Hassani Dotson (Djordje Mihailovic), 78th minute: From the left side, Sam Vines found Sebastian Soto inside the area. With his back to goal, Soto laid the ball off to Mihailovic just outside the box and the midfielder played a first-time ball to the right side to Dotson, who took one touch forward before shooting across the goal just past Dominican Republic goalkeeper Johan Guzman to the far side for his second of the game. USA 3, DOM 0

USA – Djordje Mihailovic (Benji Michel), 90th minute: Just past midfield, Araujo advanced a ball towards the middle to Dotson, who one-timed a pass forward to Benji Michel as he stayed onside. The ball slightly behind, Michel did well to control and move towards the endline before sending a low ball across the box to a wide open Mihailovic, who tapped in the team’s fourth from three yards out. USA 4, DOM 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• This was the USA’s first-ever meeting with the Dominican Republic in Concacaf Olympic qualifying. It’s the island nation’s first appearance in the tournament.
• Head coach Jason Kreis made six changes to the starting lineup defeated Costa Rica. JT Marcinkowksi replaced David Ochoa in goal, Julian Araujo and Henry Kessler replaced Aaron Herrera and Mauricio Pineda on defense, Jonny Cardoso and Andres Perea replaced Djordje Mihailovic and Hasani Dotson in the midfield, and Sebastian Saucedo replaced Benji Michel up top.
• Today’s match marked Kessler’s international debut. He was the only player on the roster that had yet to appear in a match for any U.S. National Team.
• Dotson’s brace marked his first international goals since joining the U-23 USMNT for the first time in Sept. 2019.
• Justen Glad, Sam Vines, Jackson Yueill, Jonathan Lewis and Jesus Ferreira have started both matches. Glad and Vines have played all 180 minutes for the U-23 USMNT thus far in Guadalajara.
• With Tanner Tessmann entering in the second half, all 17 of the team’s field players and two of the three goalkeepers on the roster have appeared in the first two matches. The only player yet to see action is goalkeeper Matt Freese.

– U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team vs. Dominican Republic
Date: March 21, 2021
Competition: Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship – Group A
Venue: Estadio Akron; Guadalajara, Mexico
Attendance: Limited attendance
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. local
Weather: 86 degrees; sunny

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA                          0 4 4
DOM                         0 0 0

USA – Jackon Yueill (Sebastian Saucdeo)    61st minute
USA – Hassani Dotson (Djordje Mihailovic)  73
USA – Hassani Doston (Djordje Mihailovic)  78
USA – Djordje Mihailovic (Benji Michel)        90

USA: 1-JT Marcinkowski, 2-Julian Araujo, 3-Henry Kessler, 4-Justen Glad, 13-Sam Vines; 16-Johnny Cardoso (18-Hassani Dotson, 62), 6-Jackson Yueill (capt.) (11-Tanner Tessmann, 80), 15-Andrés Perea, 10-Sebastian Saucedo (8-Djordje Mihailovic, 62), 7-Jonathan Lewis (14-Benji Michel, 69), 9-Jesús Ferreira (19-Sebastian Soto, 46)
Substitutes not used: 20-David Ochoa, 12-Matt Freese, 17-Aaron Herrera, 5-Mauricio Pineda
Head coach: Jason Kreis

DOM: 1-Johan Guzman (capt), 3-Jose de la Cruz, 4-Brian Lopez, 5-Alejandro Jimenez, 7-Edarlyn Reyes (14- Juan Pineda, 80), 8- Gerard Lavergne (6- Fabián Messina, 84), 10-Edison Azcona, 11-Nowend Lorenzo (9- Erick Paniagua, 69), 15-Jose de la Cruz, 16-Josue Baez, 19-Rafael Mata (17-Darny Romero, 55)
Substitutes not used: 12-Alessandro Baroni, 20-Danilo Campana, 2-Joao Urbaez, 13-Kelvin Martinez, 18-Sebastian Mañon,
Head coach: Jonathan Himelfarb

Stats Summary: USA / DOM
Shots: 16 / 4
Shots on Goal: 11 / 2
Saves: 2 / 7
Corner Kicks: 5 / 1
Fouls: 9 / 11
Offside: 1 / 3

Misconduct Summary:
USA- Jesús Ferreira (caution)  22nd minute
DOM – Josue Baez (caution)    56

Match Officials:
Referee: Daneon Parchment (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicholas Anderson (JAM)
Assistant Referee 2: Ojay Duhaney (JAM)
Fourth Official: Said Martinez (HON)