A dominant victory for USA, and they move one step closer to Russia. They were much better than T&T, who had their moments but defended like amateurs. Christian Pulisic looked very good for the hosts – he’ll certainly be heavily involved when USA begin play in the Hex in November. Thanks for reading – goodnight.
Full-time: USA 4-0 Trinidad & Tobago
That’s the whistle, and USA go through to the Hex as group winners.
90 min: Altidore races clear from Pulisic’s pass, and this is a chance for the hat-trick … but he can’t take it! He tried to dink it over Phillip, but got too much on it, and it went over the bar! Big chance to make it five. At the other end, Howard saves smartly from Winchester to keep his clean sheet intact.
88 min: Final flurry from T&T: can they get a goal? They probably deserve one, on the balance of play – it’s at the back where they’ve really struggled.
85 min: Big chance for Joevin Jones, but he pokes it wide! Lovely interplay on the edge of the box, and Jones toe-poked it from 18 yards, but it was off target! He went with his left foot when he probably should have gone right, and it just dribbled wide.
84 min: We’re just playing time.
82 min: Morris with a chance to make it five, but Phillip saves! It was straight at him.
80 min: Fine save from Howard to deny Hyland! Joevin Jones, who’s been miles better than anyone else for T&T, finds Hyland in the box as the USA sat off him, but Howard stood up well to beat it away.
77 min: Hyland with a chance to advance on the right side, but his cross is behind for a goal kick.
76 min: Final change for T&T: Kevan George replaces Andre Boucaud.
75 min: Chance for Altidore! Blocked, just but T&T have gone to pieces here.
72 min: Again, just too easy for USA: they cut T&T open, Pulisic looked odds-on to score, but Arriola made sure on the follow-up. Where was the defence?!
Caleb Stanko replaces Sacha Kljestan to make his international debut.
GOAL! USA 4-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Arriola 71)
Arriola gets on the scoresheet, and this is becoming a rout.
69 min: T&T look as though they’ve given up, which is a shame – they’d enjoyed a nice little spell before the second goal, and were just causing USA a few problems. But their defending has been substandard, and now the hosts look as though they’re in the mood for more goals.
68 min: Bradley plays it to Kljestan, who’s totally free on the edge of the box, and he draws a good save from Phillip. Kenwyne Jones is replaced by Shahdon Winchester.
67 min: Arriola hits one that Phillip palms over. Corner for USA.
66 min: Guatemela are leading St Vincent & the Grenadines 7-2. Carlos Ruiz has five. It’s all irrelevant, mind you: USA are going into the Hex.
65 min: Tijuana’s Paul Arriola replaces Alejandro Bedoya for his third cap.
63 min: Too easy for USA: Kljestan and Pulisic played a simple one-two by the left touchline, and no one tracked Pulisic’s run: he surged into the box, eased it across the six-yard box, and Altidore tapped home unopposed. Not good enough from T&T.
GOAL! USA 3-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Altidore 63)
And another!
Updated
61: Yellow card for Jomal Williams for pulling back Altidore.
60 min: Well, that could have wrapped up USA’s qualification for the Hex. Johnson did well to surge forward on the left side and feed Altidore on the edge of the box, and the striker stepped away from Williams and fired one past Phillip. I think he scuffed it slightly, but it was right in the corner – the goalie couldn’t reach it. Two-nil USA, and T&T look at each other as if to say: what now?
Meantime, Jordan Morris is on for Bobby Wood.
GOAL! USA 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Altidore 59)
Altidore makes it two!
57 min: Good block from Johnson to prevent Kevin Molino shooting on goal. The game’s just beginning to get stretched, and Mekeil Williams fires one from outside the box, but Howard saves comfortably.
55 min: Across the face of goal from Pulisic! He’s been so good all evening, but no one could connect! Sub for T&T: Levi Garcia is replaced by Jomal Williams.
54 min: Jones with a sight of goal, but it’s over the bar! That was a good opportunity from a lovely through ball from Molino, and Howard came out to narrow the angle, but Jones probably should have done better.
52 min: Altidore stings the palms of Phillip! Good play by Pulisic and Bedoya, and Altidore slammed one from 12 yards, but the goalie came up big. Mitchell did receive a caution, incidentally, and rightly so: it was a bad tackle that caught Wood on the ankle.
50 min: Ugly lunge from Mitchell on Wood, but the ref says play on, since USA were in possession. Nothing comes of it, and presumably Mitchell will be cautioned when the whistle blows.
47 min: Kenwyne Jones just rubbing his head after a knock. He’s been quiet tonight, actually.
46 min: We’re back! No changes from either side.
Updated
A decent half from USA after a slow start. Pulisic, Kljestan and Altidore have shown some nice touches in attack, and the hosts might have taken the lead sooner had it not been for some rotten luck when Pulisic’s shot hit both posts and rebounded clear. T&T look OK, and Joevin Jones and Kevin Molino are a class above, but some of the Soca Warriors’ defending has been unimpressive. Work for them to do in the second half.
USA just about deserve the lead, but there’s plenty to play for. See you shortly!
Updated
Half-time: USA 1-0 Trinidad & Tobago
That’s the whistle, and we’ll take a break.
45 min: Well, USA have the lead, but it was dreadful defending. T&T had two chances to clear, but Hyland just gifted the ball to Kljestan, who poked past Phillip from 12 yards. Good reward for USA, and Kljestan in particular, who’s played well, but T&T will be stewing.
GOAL! USA 1-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Kljestan 44)
USA lead!
42 min: Oh, close! Joevin Jones, who’s been T&T’s best player, cut inside from the right, and fired one at goal … Tim Howard didn’t move, but it was just the wrong side of the post. Then Molino from the edge of the area, but it’s wide again. T&T finding some joy on the break.
Updated
40 min: Pulisic wanted a free kick on the edge of the box, but nothing from referee Ricardo Montero. USA pushing for a goal here.
36 min: T&T break on the right side, but Levi Garcia’s effort is feeble, and it’s into the side netting.
35 min: That Pulisic effort was really amazing. After it came back off the second post, it flashed across the goalline – remarkable that it didn’t deflect off a defender and in. Altidore did very well to make the opening, but the T&T defending was flabby.
34 min: USA are on top here. T&T have faded after a lively start.
33 min: T&T corner, their first, but it’s a waste.
32 min: Oh my word – how did that stay out?! Altidore raced clear on the right side, crossed low, and Pulisic, arriving late, smacked one off both posts! It came off the inside of the near post, back off the far post, and back across the goalline with Phillip prone! Amazing. So unlucky!
29 min: Another long throw from Cameron, Gonzalez flicks on, but Phillip claims high.
28 min: USA just working up a head of steam. Pulisic’s cross from the left, but Phillip claims. Just looking back at that penalty call, I think Cameron was unlucky. The initial contact – and it was a wild swing from Mekeil Williams – looked to be inside the box.
26 min: Cleared by T&T.
25 min: Oh, is that a penalty? Williams on Cameron, and it was right on the line – Ricardo Montero gives the free kick on the corner of the box, but that was close: that could have easily gone the other way. Yellow card for Williams, and Bradley will lift it in.
Updated
21 min: Twenty minutes gone, and it’s been pretty even. Kljestan with the best chance, but Phillip’s save from Pulisic was a good one, too.
18 min: Kljestan … over the bar! It was just a long throw from Geoff Cameron, and T&T couldn’t clear, but Kljestan, 12 yards from goal, couldn’t keep the shot down. That was a chance.
17 min: Klinsmann, in his trademark polo shirt, is already exercised about something or other. Guatemala have equalised, incidentally: it’s now 1-1.
16 min: St Vincent & the Grenadines have taken the lead in Guatemala! Oalex Anderson of the Seattle Sounders with the goal.
14 min: Oh, good effort from Joevin Jones – he tried to catch Tim Howard out from a free-kick 40 yards out, Ronaldinho-style. Howard was scrambling, but it’s over the bar. At the other end, Altidore hits one hard, but too high.
12 min: T&T have been pretty good in the opening dozen minutes or so. USA just finding it a little difficult to get on the ball and make things happen.
Updated
11 min: USA just having a little trouble clearing it from their own penalty area, but Williams’s cross from the left is too long for Kenwyne Jones.
9 min: Pulisic goes close! Good pass from Kljestan, and Pulisic cut in and hit it with his right foot – and that’s an excellent stop from Marvin Phillip! He got down very smartly. Corner for USA, but it comes to naught.
7 min: T&T have been full of vigor down the right side, and Joevin Jones draws a smart stop from Tim Howard on the counter-attack. Molino and Jones have been prominent so far.
5 min: Sprightly start by T&T, and Joevin Jones is almost in down the left-hand side, but USA get numbers back and clear.
2 min: USA in black, incidentally, and T&T in white with red trim.
1 min: And we’re off! The final game of the Concacaf semi-final round. T&T through, remember, and USA need a point to clinch their place. (A loss would almost certainly be enough for the hosts, too, considering Guatemala would need to hump St Vincent & the Grenadines by about 12-0.)
Time for the anthems. Every US player is standing.
I should point out that T&T have already qualified for the Hex, having enjoyed an unbeaten campaign so far. Mexico are also in, as are Costa Rica and Panama, and it’ll be a major surprise if Canada oust Honduras from Group A. So the final sextet looks like: Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, T&T and USA.
Remember when USA couldn’t qualify for World Cups? Then Paul Caligiuri scored a lovely long-ranger, and they’ve never looked back:
So Tim Howard has been selected ahead of Brad Guzan, and he breaks a record in doing so: it’s his 32nd World Cup qualifier, passing Kasey Keller for most WCQ games by an American keeper.
Tonight's teams
USA: Howard, Cameron, Johnson, Birnbaum, Gonzalez, Bedoya, Bradley, Kljestan, Pulisic, Wood, Altidore. Subs: Guzan, Horvath, Orozco, Beckerman, Zusi, Stanko, Arriola, Wondolowski, Morris, Rubin, Nagbe, Acosta.
Trinidad & Tobago: Phillip, David, Mitchell, Abu Bakr, Williams, J Jones, Hyland, Molino, Boucaud, Garcia, K Jones. Subs: Ranjitsingh, Foncette, Marshall, Cyrus, George, Cato, Hector, Williams, Hackshaw, Caesar, Winchester.
Referee: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)
Updated
And the big news tonight is that 17-year-old Christian Pulisic gets his first start for USA, after his two goals as a substitute against St Vincent & the Grenadines on Friday. He’ll start on the left side of midfield.
Hello and welcome
USA just need a point to be certain of a place in the six-team Hex – but they’ll be looking to beat T&T here in Jacksonville and go through as group winners. Kick-off at EverBank Field is at 8.15pm – come and join us!
Updated
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read Tom Dart’s report of USA’s 6-0 victory over the Vincy Heat on Friday:
Last seen battling two of the world’s best teams and coming up short, this was a stress-free return to action for the United States, as they moved smoothly to the brink of the last round of the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2018 World Cup.
Coming after June’s humiliating 4-0 loss to Argentina in the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario and the 1-0 defeat by Colombia in the third-place playoff, this Caribbean trip was the sporting equivalent of a relaxing beach holiday.
The US were 3-0 up on St Vincent & the Grenadines by half time and added another three goals after the break when Christian Pulisic and Sacha Kljestan came off the bench and combined to lethal effect.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s side drew level on points with Trinidad & Tobago at the top of Group C, with one fixture to come – against T&T on Tuesday in Jacksonville. T&T were scheduled to face Guatemala later on Friday, with the Americans’ passage to the decisive “Hex” qualifying phase assured if Guatemala lose.
The top two finishers in the three groups of four teams reach the “Hex”, which starts in November and features six nations vying for one of three guaranteed tickets to Russia, plus the chance of a play-off against an Asian side.
