Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempseystarted and recorded a hat trick on Friday in San Jose, Calif., to lead the United States to a resounding 6-0 win over Honduras in the third round of the Hexagonal in CONCACAF 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying.
The United States picked up their first three points of the Hex after losing their first two matches to Mexico and Costa Rica. The U.S. jumped from sixth place to fourth due to tiebreakers. Honduras dropped to 1-2-0.
Bay Area native Sebastian Lletget made his World Cup Qualifying debut and scored in the fifth minute to give the hosts the early lead. Captain Michael Bradley then scored his 16th international goal in the 27th minute.
Dempsey scored his first goal in the 32nd minute off a wonderful through ball from 18-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic. Dempsey controlled the ball off his shoulder, muscled off a defender and fired a shot to the top right corner.
Pulisic made it 4-0 just 15 seconds after halftime before Dempsey added two more tallies in the 49th and 54th minutes. Pulisic found Dempsey again by threading the needle between the two center backs before Dempsey bent in a ridiculous free kick into the far corner.
Dempsey now has 55 U.S. goals, just two behind Landon Donovan for the all-time record.
"It felt great," said Clint Dempsey following the win. "We were in a must-win situation and I just thought the whole team came out well and played really well tonight...we got the three points that we needed."
Sounders forward Jordan Morris was scratched from the available roster as he continues to recover form an ankle injury he suffered last Sunday, but remains with the team. The U.S. will travel to Panama for a match against Sounders defender Roman Torres and Los Canaleros on March 28 while Honduras will host Costa Rica.
