One week after the U.S. National Team toppled Mexico 2-0 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the U-23 sides from the rival CONCACAF countries went toe-to-toe at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on Wednesday night. And while a 2-0 result would have been fitting of the feud between the two teams, the U.S. U-23s did that result one better by blanking Mexico 3-0, with Real Salt Lake midfielder Luis Gil contributing an assist on the first goal while captaining the team that is in the midst of preparing for 2016 Olympic qualifying later in the fall.
It was a busy, though scoreless, first half for the U.S. as goalkeeper Cody Cropper made three key saves in the first 45 minutes to keep Mexico within arm’s reach. Then, three minutes into the second half, Gil flared out to the left, pushed the ball toward the corner, then cut a left-footed cross into danger in front of the net. Mario Rodriguez split his two defenders and slid to get on the end of the cross and knocked it into the net for a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute.
It was already the fourth assist of the year for Gil with the U.S. U-23s.
The U.S. would add to the lead on a Christian Dean header in the 58th minute, then put the game away when Jordan Morris scored in the 68th minute. On the third goal, Gil sent a corner kick in from the left side that was played back across the box by Shane O’Neill to Morris for the lunging goal.
After the third goal, RSL defender Boyd Okwuonu subbed into the match and helped see it to completion. Both Gil and Okwuonu are expected to rejoin RSL in Utah on Thursday before heading out to New England to face the Revolution on Saturday.
