The United States beat El Salvador 3-0 on Tuesday night in Puebla, Mexico, and stayed perfect at the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. The result left the U.S. with six points from two games and a tournament-best plus-6 goal differential.
The scoreline was built one set piece at a time. Din Klapija opened the match from the penalty spot in the 35th minute, Ruben Ramos added another penalty in the 61st, and Christopher Cupps finished the job in the 89th minute from close range. Four of the United States' six tournament goals have now come from the penalty spot, even though the team has controlled the ball from start to finish.
That control has been striking. The United States had 70% of possession in each of its first two games and out-passed its opponents 1197-440 in completed attempts across the opening matches, including a 3-0 win over Haiti before Tuesday's result. But possession did not always translate into clear chances from the run of play, and El Salvador spent long stretches in a deep low block after the U.S. took the lead, forcing the Americans to find another route to goal.
That search was complicated early when Nimfasha Berchimas left in the 19th minute with a calf injury and Dylan Vanney came on in his place. Berchimas was stretchered off, leaving the United States to finish the match without one of its attacking options while it kept pressing for a breakthrough that did not come until the penalty kicks started to tilt the game.
The larger picture is simple enough. Goal differential can decide who advances in knockout play, and the United States has given itself a strong cushion before the quarterfinal. The next test is no longer about whether it can advance, but about whether it can carry this record, and that defensive recovery, into the match it believes will matter most.
