Robinson, Pepi, US flip World Cup qualifier, beat Honduras 4-1
SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS » The United States was skidding to another World Cup qualifying failure when Antonee Robinson entered, quickly tied the score and celebrated with a backward somersault.
The entire game soon flipped.
Ricardo Pepi put the U.S. ahead in the 75th minute, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget added late goals and the U.S. rolled past Honduras 4-1 Wednesday night.
“I think it’s really important that we did that just to show everyone that at times it’s going to be a hard qualifying process, but we’re ready for the challenges that’ll come ahead,” Robinson said. “We can respond to anything.”
Pepi had a goal and two assists in his debut, and the Americans exhaled after a tumultuous week of injuries, positive COVID-19 tests and a huge disciplinary issue. They won for just
the second time in 41 qualifiers in which they trailed at halftime (six draws).
Coach Gregg Berhalter held a team meeting before the match and told players that opening draws at El Salvador and at home against Canada “wouldn’t have doomed the qualifying.” U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen, defender Sergiño Dest and midfielder Gio Reyna had gotten hurt, Steffen tested positive for COVID and midfielder Weston McKennie was sent home by Berhalter for violating team COVID
protocols.
Berhalter thought the talk helped players begin to relax.
“Despite all this crap that happened in these last couple days, the guys’ spirits were extremely high,” he said.
Still, Brayan Moya put 63rd-ranked Honduras ahead in the 27th minute, breaking free of George Bello and heading a cross from Diego Rodríguez past goalkeeper Matt Turner after John Brooks lost the ball.
That put the 10thranked Americans in a daunting position: They had given up the first goal in 33 previous road World Cup qualifiers, winning two, losing 26 and tying five.
Berhalter told players at halftime they had to change more than formation.
“We need to compete, and that was something I was disappointed with,” he recalled saying. “When they scored, instead of seeing that reaction that we’re used to, I think their heads went down a little bit.”