USMNT player ratings: Robinson superb, Dest reckless as U.S. nervily book Copa America spot

The U.S. men's nationalist squad closed retired their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal bid against Trinidad and Tobago with a 2-1 distant nonaccomplishment connected Monday, which was capable to triumph 4-2 connected aggregate and suffice for the 2024 Copa America.

Held astatine Hasely Crawford Stadium successful Port of Spain, it began promisingly for the USMNT, who took a pb successful the 25th infinitesimal disconnected a extremity from Antonee Robinson. Things seemed straightforward fixed that they already pb 3-0 from the archetypal leg, but the lucifer was past flipped connected its caput aft fullback Sergiño Dest earned back-to-back yellows and an ensuing reddish owed to arguing with the referee.

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Galvanized by the antheral advantage, Trinidad and Tobago leveled successful the 43rd infinitesimal aft a extremity from Reon Moore. After the break, the hosts made it 2-1 erstwhile Alvin Jones recovered the backmost of the nett successful the 57th minute. Needing astatine slightest 3 much goals to triumph connected aggregate, Trinidad and Tobago pushed guardant successful the last stages, but yet fell short.

While the USMNT volition present hole for the Nations League semifinals successful March, Trinidad and Tobago volition person 1 past accidental for Copa America qualification done a single-elimination play-in lucifer that volition instrumentality spot successful the aforesaid month.

Manager standing (scale of 1-10)

Gregg Berhalter, 4 -- Although Dest's reddish was an unexpected curveball for Berhalter, the manager couldn't find a mode to rapidly bolster his defence and debar the loss. With his broadside wilting nether expanding pressure, Berhalter couldn't displacement the momentum that remained successful Trinidad and Tobago's favour until the last 5-10 minutes.

USMNT Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)

GK Matt Turner, 5 -- The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper could person done amended connected some goals helium conceded, particularly the second.

DF Sergiño Dest, 1 -- Credit to him for an assistance and his runs forward, but Dest wholly mislaid his composure with unnecessary back-to-back yellows. A bizarre and shocking infinitesimal from the 23-year-old, who volition request to beryllium sharper and much disciplined successful large moments.

DF Cameron Carter-Vickers, 6 -- Some bully antiaircraft interventions, though helium was questionable astatine times erstwhile the hosts pressured the USMNT backline.

DF Tim Ream, 7 -- The USMNT skipper worked good with Carter-Vickers and looked beardown with his aerial duels.

DF Antonee Robinson, 8 -- Despite losing possession a mates times successful unsafe areas, Robinson emerged arsenic 1 of the astir progressive players successful the night. His 25th-minute extremity was the icing connected the barroom of a large performance.

MF Yunus Musah, 6 -- Musah was large with his distribution, but near country for betterment with his one-on-one duels.

MF Luca de la Torre, 6 -- Made bully runs forward, but similar Musah, the midfielder wasn't ever successful implicit power of his country of the pitch. Having to woody with being a antheral down evidently didn't assistance successful this regard.

MF Brenden Aaronson, 7 -- One of the much energetic players, Aaronson asked aboriginal questions of Trinidad and Tobago done his unsafe shots. Beyond that, his organisation was besides impressive.

MF Gio Reyna, 7 -- Reyna was a clever playmaker for the USMNT, often pulling indispensable strings successful the last 3rd earlier being substituted retired owed to the Dest red.

FW Ricardo Pepi, 6 -- There was a promising concern being built betwixt Pepi and Balogun, but helium inactive couldn't negociate a azygous changeable successful his 65 minutes.

FW Folarin Balogun, 6 -- Balogun took aboriginal chances and dropped heavy to get the ball, but yet had to play a much cautious crippled by the 2nd half.

Substitutes (players introduced aft 70 minutes get nary rating)

DF Joe Scally, 5 -- A quiescent evening for the subordinate who could gain plentifulness of minutes successful the not-too-distant aboriginal aft Dest's red.

MF Malik Tillman, 6 -- Did good to yet assistance the USMNT adjacent up store and triumph backmost the shot successful the last stages.

MF Lennard Maloney, NR -- Came connected successful the 90th infinitesimal and didn't get to amusement much.