Lletget optimizes his opportunity with Arena, U.S.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sebastian Lletget nearly stumbled after scoring the biggest goal of his life, then went sliding on his knees in celebration across a rainsoaked field as his teammates mobbed him near the corner flag.
What a night for the hometown midfielder from San Francisco to notch his first U.S. goal. Unfortunately, it ended shortly thereafter because of injury.
Lletget tapped in a rebound in the fifth minute of a commanding 6-0 win over Honduras late Friday night to help his team get right back in the mix to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
He was replaced in the 18th minute by Alejandro Bedoya after hurting his left ankle in the 15th minute on a slide tackle that earned Honduran defender Ever Alvarado a yellow card.
“He’s earned it,” Bedova said. “People asked me in January camp who was I impressed with and he was the one that stuck out to me the most. He’s got great technique, great engine. I was sad to see him go down, but I was able to step in and help the team out.”
U.S. Soccer Federation officials said Lletget left the stadium in a walking boot and on crutches. He will miss Tuesday’s qualifier at Panama and will return to Los Angeles for evaluation.
Defender John Brooks also has been dropped from the roster for Tuesday’s qualifier at Panama and forward Paul Arriola has been added.
Lletget, 24, earned his chance with the national team from a coach who has known him so well the past two seasons on the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Bruce Arena started him in just his third career appearance for the Americans, then Lletget found himself in the perfect place to collect the ball when Christian Pulisic’s shot rebounded off Honduran goalkeeper Donis Escober.
“It was big,” Pulisic said. “We definitely wanted an early goal today to kind of set the tone.”
The Americans were 0-2 in the final round of qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region after a pair of losses last November, including a 4-0 setback at Costa Rica that led to Jurgen Klinsmann’s firing. Arena returned to the job 10 years after last coaching the U.S. team.
And Lletget might have found his fit at long last after a frustrating stint with West Ham in which he played in just one game in five seasons.