USA advances to final round

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jozy Altidore scored twice in a three-minute span of the second half, Sacha Kljestan and Paul Arriola had goals and the United States beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-0 on Tuesday night to reach the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

The Americans (4-1-1) finished atop Group C of the semifinal round in the North and Central American and Caribbean region and will open the hexagonal Nov. 11 against Mexico — presumably in Columbus, Ohio, where the U.S. has won four consecutive qualifiers against El Tri by 2-0 scores.

Christian Pulisic made his first start for the Americans after seven appearances as a substitute. At 17 years, 353 days became the youngest American to start a qualifier. Landon Donovan had the previous mark of 18 years, 184 days against Honduras in 2001.

Pulisic showed pace and an ability to take on defenders down the left flank, assisting on Altidore’s second goal.

The U.S. extended its home unbeaten streak in qualifying to 32 games since 2001 (30-0-2).

Trinidad (3-2-1), which already had clinched a final-round berth, finished two points back, one ahead of Guatemala (3-2-1), which was eliminated despite a 9-3 rout of St. Vincent that included five goals by Carlos Ruiz.

Kljestan put the U.S. ahead in the 44th minute, and Altidore doubled the lead off Fabian Johnson’s cross in the 59th. Altidore got his 37th international goal three minutes later, and with the chance for a hat trick chipped over the crossbar after Pulisic helped him break in as injury time started.