USMNT blanks Oman to close September window

09/12/2023 09:36 PM

The U.S. men’s national team made it back-to-back victories on Tuesday night to close out its September schedule on a positive note in Gregg Berhalter’s return.

Folarin Balogun, Brenden Aaronson, and Ricardo Pepi all found the back of the net while an own goal from Oman’s Khalid Al-Braiki capped off a 4-0 home victory at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kristoffer Lund earned his first USMNT start at left back while Ben Cremaschi and Kevin Paredes made their senior debuts.

Balogun needed only 14 minutes to break the deadlock, slamming home a rebound in the center of the box. Weston McKennie picked up possession on the left wing before sending a cross towards the back post for Tim Weah.

Weah’s layoff pass allowed Sergino Dest to rifle a powerful shot at Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini. Al-Mukhaini punched away Dest’s right-footed effort, but Balogun was on the doorstep to net his second international goal.

Tim Weah thought he had given the USMNT a 2-0 lead in the 16th minute but the winger directed Christian Pulisic’s cross into the back of the net via his right arm.

Aaronson extended the USMNT’s lead to 2-0 in the 60th minute after sneaking a right-footed free kick past the Oman wall and into the back of the net. The halftime substitute’s shot snuck through the Oman wall and left Al-Mukhaini flatfooted in between the posts.

Pepi made it 3-0 to the USMNT in the 79th minute after receiving a cut back pass from DeJuan Jones before drilling a low shot off the left post and in. It was Pepi’s second goal of the September window.

Paredes made an instant impact off the bench in the 79th minute, sending a cross into the box from the right wing. Khalid Al-Braiki was unable to clear Paredes’ cross, deflecting it backwards and into an empty net for a 4-0 USMNT lead.

Ethan Horvath finished with a one-save clean sheet in his first international appearance since June 2022.

The U.S. men’s national team will return to action in October with home friendlies against Germany and Ghana.