Jackson Yueill redirected Sebastian Salcedo’s cross for the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute, second-half substitute Hassani Dotson added a pair of goals and the United States beat the Dominican Republic 4-0 on Sunday night at Guadalajara, Mexico, in qualifying for the Olympic men’s soccer tournament.
Djordje Mihailovic had a goal and two assists for the U.S., trying to reach the Olympics for the first time since 2012.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Mexico played Costa Rica. A Mexico draw or win, would advance the U.S. to a qualification match on March 28 against a team from Group B, likely Honduras or Canada.
Playing two days after his 24th birthday, Yueill scored just after Johnny Cardoso hit the crossbar. Substitutes were waiting on the sidelines at the time to come in for both Yueill and Cardoso.
Dotson, who replaced Cordoso, scored on a right-foot shot from just inside the penalty area in the 73rd minute off a short pass from Mihailovic, who came in for Salcedo. Dotson combined with Mihailovic again in the 78th, scoring on a right-foot shot from 8 yards, and Mihailovic scored on a sliding shot from 3 yards in the first minute of stoppage time off a cross from Benji Michel, another second-half sub.
The U.S. completes the group stage against host Mexico on Wednesday night.
Olympic men’s soccer qualifying is limited to players born Jan. 1, 1997, or later, and each team reaching the Olympics can add three wild-card players.
The U.S. failed to reach the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, a setback that preceded the senior national team’s failure to reach the 2018 World Cup.
The U.S made six changes from the starting lineup in the opening 1-0 win over Costa Rica, when Jesús Ferreira scored in the 35th minute,
JT Marcinkowski started in goal in place of David Ochoa, Julian Araujo at right back for Aaron Herrera and Henry Kessler at central defender for Mauricio Pineda, joining central defender Justen Glad and left back Sam Vines.
Jackson Yueill was in defensive midfield, and Cardoso, Saucedo and Andrés Perea joined Jonathan Lewis in advanced midfield, replacing Dotson, Mihailovic and Benji Michel. Ferreira again headed the attack, then was replaced by Sebastian Soto at the start of the second half.
The Dominican Republic started six teenagers, part of the youngest roster in the tournament,
In contrast to the U.S., the Dominican team did not have player names on their uniforms. FIFA’s regulations say it is not compulsory for the name of the player to appear on his shirt during qualifying.
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