CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JULY 02: Jesús Ferreira #9 of the United States celebrates scoring with teammates during the first half of a Group A – 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago at Bank of America Stadium on July 02, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
He's being dubbed the "Pirate of the Caribbean" for a reason.
Jesus Ferreira recorded yet another hat trick as the U.S. men's national team topped Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 in the final group game on Sunday, sending the team to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Ferreira, who notched a hat trick in the USMNT's 6-0 rout of St. Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, became the first ever player in nation history to do so in consecutive games.
And just like he did against St. Kitts and Nevis, Ferreira's scoring started early against Trinidad and Tobago.
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In the 14th minute, makeshift left back DeJuan Jones sent in a cross inside the box that Ferreira kept up with his right foot, then lifted it past goalie Marvin Phillip without letting the ball touch the floor.
Ferreira then bagged a brace by the 38th minute. Djordje Mihailovic, operating in the advanced left center midfield role, broke the Soca Warriors' defensive line with a well-weighted through ball to Alex Zendejas, who crossed it towards the back post.
After a chaotic sequence just outside the goal, Ferreira managed to get on the end of the loose ball first and slotted it into the net with the help of a deflection.
The hat trick was secured into added time in the first half. Mihailovic drew a penalty, and Ferreira stepped up to the spot and drilled it to the left past Phillip, who dove the other way.
The U.S. later added a fourth in the 65th minute, but the goalscorer had barely been on the pitch.
Nineteen-year-old winger Cade Cowell came off the bench in the 61st minute, then capitalized in fascinating fashion when Trinidad and Tobago made an errant back pass.
Cowell raced to the free ball first, made Phillip slide early the wrong way, then sent a defender to the ground en route to a strong strike that made it 4-0.
That marked Cowell's first goal with the USMNT, but he wasn't the only one to score a first for the country on the night.
Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Gianluca Busio, who got the start, also opened his USMNT account in front of his hometown in North Carolina.
In the 79th minute, reserve right back Julian Gressel delivered a dangerous cutback cross from the right flank that Busio got on the end of before slotting it home to the bottom right corner.
Reserve striker Brandon Vazquez then sealed the deal with the sixth goal coming in the fourth minute of stoppage time, with five being added.
Trinidad and Tobago gave goalkeeper Matt Turner and the defense some scares with its nine shots, but they managed to keep a consecutive clean sheet to further boost their confidence.
The Stars and Stripes finished the night with 23 shots, and six of the eight that hit the target also went in. They also maintained possession 67% of the time as the Soca Warriors' best chances came on the break.
Now the U.S. will await the second-place finisher from Group D, which will be either Canada, Cuba or Guadeloupe.
Kick-off for that quarterfinal would be on Sunday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET from TQL Stadium, home of FC Cincinnati.
