USMNT back in Concacaf Nations League final after 1-0 win over El Salvador

Ricardo Pepi scored two minutes after coming on to lead the USMNT to a 1-0 win over El Salvador at Exploria Stadium on Monday night and secure a return to the Concacaf Nationals League final.

Pepi’s goal was his third in two games.

Four Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy grads dressed for the match with Brenden Aaronson in the starting XI for the U.S., Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty on the bench and Tomas Romero on the bench for Hugo Perez’s El Salvador squad. Downingtown native and former FC Delco star Zack Steffen was also on the bench for the Yanks and Hershey native Christian Pulisic wore the captain’s armband.

Up next for the USMNT is a friendly with Mexico in Glendale, Ariz. on April 19.

Scoring Summary:   1          2         F
USA                             0          1          1
SLV                              0          0         0

USA – Ricardo Pepi (Weston McKennie)                  62^nd minute

Lineups:

USA:1-Matt Turner; 2-Sergiño Dest, 4-Miles Robinson, 13-Tim Ream, 5-Antonee Robinson; 8-Weston McKennie (15-Johnny Cardoso, 90+2), 6-Yunus Musah (14-Luca de la Torre, 71); 17-Alex Zendejas (11-Brenden Aaronson, 60), 7-Gio Reyna (22-Taylor Booth, 72), 10-Christian Pulisic (capt.); 23-Daryl Dike (9-Ricardo Pepi, 60)

Substitutes not used: 12-Ethan Horvath, 18-Zack Steffen, 3-Mark McKenzie, 16-Alan Soñora, 19-Joe Scally, 20-Auston Trusty, 21-Djordje Mihailovic

Head coach: Anthony Hudson

SLV:1-Mario Gonzalez (capt.); 21-Bryan Tamacas, 3-Roberto Dominguez, 4-Eriq Zavaleta, 15-Alex Roldan (5-Nelson Blanco, 46); 8-Brayan Landaverde (14-Christian Martinez, 56), 10-Enrico Dueñas (7-Mayer Gil, 56), 6-Narciso Orellana, 17-Jairo Henrique; 19-Kevin Reyes (13-Leonardo Menjivar, 77), 9-Brayan Gil (11-Cristian Gil, 70)

Substitutes not used: 18-Tomas Romero, 2-Rudy Clavel, 12-William Canales, 16-Juan Argueta, 20-Jose Villalobos, 23-Melvin Cartagena

Head coach: Hugo Perez