2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying – Final Round Match No. 3
Sept. 8, 2021
Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano; San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Live Broadcast: 10:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+, Telemundo and Universo
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
Social Media: @USMNT on Twitter and Instagram; @ussoccer on Facebook , The U.S. Soccer App
Tonight’s USMNT Starting XI at Honduras: 1-Matt Turner, 4-Tyler Adams, 6-John Brooks, 9-Josh Sargent, 10-Christian Pulisic (capt.), 12-Miles Robinson, 14-Ricardo Pepi, 15-Mark McKenzie, 16-James Sands, 21-George Bello 23-Kellyn Acosta
Substitutes: 18-Ethan Horvath, 22-Sean Johnson, 2-DeAndre Yedlin 3-Walker Zimmerman, 5-Antonee Robinson 7-Cristian Roldan, 8-Jackson Yueill, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 13-Tim Ream, 17-Sebastian Lletget, 19-Jordan Pefok, 20-Konrad de la Fuente
GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HONDURAS | WCQ HISTORY VS. HONDURAS
USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): John Brooks (45), Kellyn Acosta (40), Christian Pulisic (40), Josh Sargent (18), Tyler Adams (17), Miles Robinson (12), Matt Turner (10), Mark McKenzie (7), James Sands (7), George Bello (4), Ricardo Pepi (1)
USMNT Starting XI WCQ Cap Numbers (including this match): Christian Pulisic (15), Kellyn Acosta (9), John Brooks (7), Tyler Adams (3), Miles Robinson (3), Josh Sargent (3), Matt Turner (3), Mark McKenzie (1), George Bello (1), Ricardo Pepi (1), James Sands (1)
With an average age of 23 years, 85 days, tonight’s Starting XI is tied for the youngest USMNT lineup in official competition with the Starting XI that faced Martinique in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup on July 15, 2021. It’s also the youngest USMNT lineup in World Cup qualifying during the modern era (1988-present). The previous youngest was 23 years, 190 days on Oct. 12, 2005 against Panama – a match played after the USMNT had already qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
The lineup averages 17 caps and nine in official competition.
Gregg Berhalter makes five changes to the Starting XI that faced Canada on Sunday, inserting George Bello, Mark McKenzie, Ricardo Pepi, James Sands and Josh Sargent.
Ricardo Pepi will make his senior team debut tonight. At 18 years, 242 days, Pepi becomes the second youngest USMNT player to appear in a World Cup Qualifier, after only Christian Pulisic (17 years, 193 days) who also made his debut in a qualifier on March 29, 2016 vs. Guatemala.
Four players make their WCQ debuts tonight: George Bello, Ricardo Pepi, Mark McKenzie and James Sands
Eight players are age 24 and younger: Miles Robinson (24); Tyler Adams, Mark McKenzie and Christian Pulisic (22); James Sands and Josh Sargent (20); George Bello (19); Ricardo Pepi (18).
Mark McKenzie makes his first appearance since the Nations League Final on June 6, while George Bello and James Sands earns their first caps since the Gold Cup Final on Aug. 1.
Christian Pulisic captains the USMNT for the second straight match and sixth time overall. The team is 4-1-1 when Pulisic wears the armband.
After coming off the bench to make their World Cup qualifying debut Thursday in El Salvador, both Jordan Pefok and Antonee Robinson earn their first WCQ starts tonight.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner makes his eighth consecutive start and comes into the match having conceded just two goals in nine overall appearances.
Kellyn Acosta will appear in a 17th consecutive match for the USMNT. The only player to feature in all 16 matches in 2021, Acosta’s streak dates back to Dec. 9, 2020 vs. El Salvador.
Kellyn Acosta and Christian Pulisic are the only two starters who appeared in the USA’s last WCQ visit to Honduras, a 1-1 draw on Sept. 5, 2017. Both were instrumental in Bobby Wood’s late equalizer that day, with Pulisic earning a free kick 25 yards from goal, before Acosta’s ensuing take smacked off the cross bar before Wood poked it home from close range.
Christian Pulisic, along with substitutes Sebastian Lletget and Jordan Pefok have all scored against Honduras. Lletget scored the opener and Pulisic registered a goal and two assists in the USMNT’s 6-0 World Cup Qualifying win against Los Catrachos on March 24, 2017 in San Jose. Pefok scored a 90 minute winner in the Concacaf Nations League semifinal on June 3, 2021.
Starters Tyler Adams and John Brooks and substitutes Jordan Pefok and DeAndre Yedlin come into tonight’s match on caution watch. If any of the four are shown a yellow card against Honduras, they will be suspended for the USA’s next qualifying match against Jamaica on Oct. 7 in Austin, Texas.
Teams may dress up to 23 players and are allowed a total of five substitutions in three different moments throughout the match.
Fernando Hernandez Gomes is the referee for tonight’s match. He previously officiated the USMNT’s 2-0 friendly win against Costa Rica on Feb. 2, 2019 in San Jose, Calif.
The USMNT comes into tonight’s encounter with Honduras on a 11-match unbeaten streak (9-0-2).
The USMNT is 17-4-5 all-time against Honduras and 6-2-2 in World Cup Qualifying. The team is 3-2-2 in away qualifiers in Honduras, with the three away wins standing as the most by the team in qualifiers player in Central America.