Dempsey ties record in U.S. victory

ARLINGTON, Texas — Clint Dempsey grew up playing youth soccer in the Dallas area, some 200 miles from his Texas hometown.

Back in his home state and coming off the bench, Dempsey matched the American international scoring record and sparked the United States to a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup title game.

Dempsey fed Jozy Altidore for the go-ahead goal not long after entering, then scored on a free kick to match Landon Donovan with his 57th international goal in a 2-0 semifinal win over Costa Rica late Saturday night.

“This has to be the best in Texas for me, since I tied the record and it was an important game,” the 34-year-old forward from Nacogdoches.

Dempsey entered in the 66th minute and made a perfectly timed through pass six minutes later that allowed Altidore to break in alone and beat goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton with a left-footed shot from 10 yards out.

Dempsey doubled the lead in the 82nd minute with a 27-yard shot that went around a four-man defensive wall and got past Pemberton on two bounces.

“I saw the keeper cheating a little bit, and it went in,” Dempsey said.

Dempsey has 136 international appearances, trailing only Cobi Jones (164) and Donovan (157) among American men. The assist was his 20th for the national team.

Trying for their sixth Gold Cup title and first since 2013, the Americans will face Jamaica in the final Wednesday night in Santa Clara, Calif.

Jamaica beat Mexico 1-0 on Sunday night, with Kemar Lawrence scoring on a free kick in the 88th minute.