Opening up the team’s 2013 Gold Cup campaign against Belize, a new U.S. MNT player, Chris Wondowlowski, took the field for the very first time.
Wondowlowski’s impact was felt almost immediately against the Central American side, knocking home a close-range rebound off a Joe Corona header in the 12th minute.
The new guy would bag his second in the 37th minute, using a diving header to re-direct a cross from Kyle Beckerman to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead.
Though Ian Gaynair would pull a goal back for Belize in the 40th, Wondowlowski’s hat trick bid would not be denied as a minute later, he headed home a cross from Michael Parkhurst. The goal saw the U.S. MNT newbie join Landon Donovan and Brian McBride as the third U.S. player to score a hat trick in the Gold Cup.
After halftime, Donovan became the first U.S. MNT player to tally 50 goals and 50 assists with his helper on Stuart Holden’s 58th minute strike, before providing another for Michael Orozco Fiscal in the 72nd minute. Donovan closed out the scoring with a 76th minute penalty kick to give the USA a 6-1 victory to open the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Following the match, the U.S. Soccer Federation merged Chris Wondowlowski’s stats with the player records for Chris Wondolowski, who scored his first international goal in the team’s 6-0 warm-up friendly against Guatemala four days prior.
USA Lineup:
1-Nick Rimando; 15-Michael Parkhurst, 4-Michael Orozco Fiscal, 21-Clarence Goodson, 7-DaMarcus Beasley (capt.); 14-Kyle Beckerman (11-Stuart Holden, 46); 6-Joe Corona (20-Alejandro Bedoya, 66), 8-Mix Diskerud, 16-Jose Torres (23-Brek Shea, 61); 10-Landon Donovan, 19-Chris Wondolowski