Jozy Altidore became the youngest American to score three goals in an international soccer match Wednesday, and the United States beat Trinidad and Tobago, 3-0, in Nashville to maintain its lead in the final round of regional qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
Making only his fourth international start for the senior national team, Altidore connected in the 13th, 71st and 89th minutes, all three times off passes from Landon Donovan.
Altidore, a 19-year-old forward and an increasingly important part of the United States roster, also scored as a substitute in the 77th minute last Saturday to start the American team’s comeback from a two-goal deficit in a 2-2 tie at El Salvador. He has six goals in nine international appearances.
“It’s pretty cool,” Altidore said. “Most important is we came out, and the guys rebounded from the El Salvador game, and we made a statement.”
Altidore eclipsed the mark for youngest hat trick set in 2004 by 20-year-old Eddie Johnson as a substitute in a 6-0 win over Panama in the semifinals of qualifying.
The United States (2-0-1), seeking its sixth straight World Cup berth, leads the final round of North and Central American and Caribbean qualifying with seven points.
Costa Rica (2-1) is next with six after a 1-0 victory over visiting El Salvador. Mexico (1-2) continued to struggle away from home, losing at Honduras, 3-1.
United States Coach Bob Bradley made four changes to his starting lineup and used an offensive formation. He dropped DaMarcus Beasley from midfield to left back in place of Heath Pearce, started Brian Ching and Altidore up front, and left Donovan (left) and Clint Dempsey (right) in advanced midfield roles. With Beasley roaming up, it resembled a 4-3-3 at times.
BOLIVIA ROUTS ARGENTINA Coach Diego Maradona said every Bolivian goal was a stab in his heart after Argentina absorbed a stunning 6-1 World Cup qualifying defeat in La Paz, which is about 12,000 feet above sea level.
Before becoming the coach, Maradona backed Bolivia’s campaign against a FIFA ban on matches at high altitude. The ban was later overturned.
Argentina has 19 points after 12 games, two fewer than Brazil, which defeated Peru, 3-0, with two first-half goals from Luis Fabiano. Paraguay leads the group with 24 points. (REUTERS)
LATE GOALS IN EUROPE Spain and England scored late goals to maintain their winning records in World Cup qualifiers, and Ireland denied the world champion Italy a victory with a last-minute goal by Robbie Keane.
Albert Riera’s stoppage-time goal gave Spain, the European champion, a 2-1 win in Turkey, and John Terry scored with five minutes to go as England beat Ukraine, 2-1. The Netherlands, the only other team with a perfect record in European qualifying, beat Macedonia, 4-0.
The top team from each of Europe’s nine qualifying groups will advance to the World Cup finals and the best eight runners-up will go into a playoff for the continent’s remaining four slots.
Spain has a maximum 18 points from six games in Group 5, 6 more than Bosnia-Herzegovina.
England leads Group 6 with 15 points, 5 more than Croatia, which won, 2-0, in Andorra. Belarus beat Kazakhstan, 5-1, in the other group match.
Italy leads Group 8 with 14 points from six games, 2 more points than Ireland.
NORTH KOREA WANTED GAME OFF North Korea demanded that its World Cup qualifier with South Korea in Seoul be called off and played later at a neutral site, according to a South Korean official. North Korea claimed three players had food poisoning.
The revelation came after South Korea won, 1-0. South Korea leads Asian Group B with 11 points, 1 ahead of North Korea and Saudi Arabia and with a game in hand.
Sourced via nytimes.com
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