Pepi’s play puts him on fast track
AUSTIN — After another sterling performance, one that helped launch the U.S. men’s national soccer team to the top of CONCACAF’s World Cup qualifying table, Ricardo Pepi made his way to one end of Q2 Stadium on Thursday night. Family and friends awaited.
His rapid journey to this high point, to where many of the 20,500 fans were chanting his name during a 2-0 victory over Jamaica, did not happen without support. The 18-year-old striker expressed his appreciation to those who journeyed to Central Texas from West Texas (his hometown is El Paso) and North Texas (where he plays for MLS’s FC Dallas).
“It was a special night for me,” he said, “and I just wanted to thank (everyone) for coming out.”
Without Pepi’s contributions the past two matches, the United States might have been in big trouble. Last month, in his senior debut following two U.S. draws, he was the key figure in overturning a halftime deficit in Honduras en route to a 4-1 victory.
And in the Texas capital, he rebounded from a quiet first half to score both goals as part of a resounding team performance after intermission.
“It’s about being patient,” Pepi said. “If you ask any striker whenever you don’t touch the ball and whenever you don’t get a lot of opportunities, you just have to stay ready for it when you do get a chance.”
Things are happening fast for him. He signed a pro contract at age 16. He made his first MLS start last year. He’s among the league’s leading scorers this season with 13 goals. He converted the winning penalty kick in the All-Star Game.
And now he is atop Coach Gregg Berhalter’s depth chart, ahead of an English Premier League starter (Norwich City’s Josh Sargent) and an UEFA Champions League figure ( Jordan Pefok, from Swiss club Young Boys).
Fans and media tend to build up young breakout stars, heaping on unrealistic expectations. That is often the case with pure goalscorers. The U.S. men’s program has not developed many of them. Hence, the excitement about Pepi, a 6foot-1 target who carries an innate sense of where to be as an attack transpires.
Is it all happening too fast?
“I feel like it’s coming,” Pepi said, smiling. “I don’t know if it’s too fast or if it’s too slow. Whatever is going to come is going to come. I feel like I have to be ready for it.”
As recently as two months ago, Berhalter was not certain Pepi would play for the United States. The son of Mexican-born parents, he had the option of representing either country, which have become fierce soccer rivals the last 25 years.
But Mexico’s lobbying efforts the past year failed, and Pepi committed to the United States before World Cup qualifying began early last month.
Through four qualifiers apiece, the United States and Mexico are tied for first in the eight-nation final round with eight points each. They’ll clash Nov. 12 in Cincinnati.
Picking the U.S. over Mexico was a “big decision,” Pepi said Thursday.
“And when I made my decision, I was going to give my all to the team. That’s what I’m doing,” he said.