Recap: Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza feature in U.S. MNT's 6-0 Hexagonal win over Honduras

The U.S. Men’s National Team cruised to its first win in the Hexagonal on Friday, hammering Honduras 6-0 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California.

Sporting Kansas City defender Graham Zusi played 31 minutes as a second-half substitute, earning his 45th career cap, while his club teammate Roger Espinoza played 90 minutes for Honduras in his 51st international appearance. Sporting KC captain Matt Besler was an unused substitute for the U.S. MNT, which promptly atoned for losses to Mexico and Costa Rica to open the Hex last November.

Clint Dempsey marked his return to the national team with a stunning hat-trick, while Sebastian Lletget, Michael Bradley and Christian Pulisic also got in on the scoring act to pace a thoroughly dominant performance.

The result propels the U.S. MNT (1-2-0) to fourth place in the six-team Hexagonal, while Honduras (1-2-0) falls to sixth place by virtue of worse goal differential. CONCACAF's Hexagonal will conclude in October, sending the top three teams automatically to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The fourth-place finisher will face an Asian country in a two-legged World Cup playoff in November.

The U.S. raced out to a dream start, grabbing the first goal in the fifth minute off the foot of Lletget. Pulisic cut into the central channel and combined with Jozy Altidore on the edge of the box before seeing his shot kick-saved by Honduras goalkeeper Donis Escober. Lletget, however, was stationed at the far right post to poke home the rebound and record his first international goal.

Lletget’s night ended after 18 minutes when an aggressive tackle from Honduran defender Ever Alvarado injured his left ankle. Alejandro Bedoya was summoned from off the bench and played a part in the Americans’ second goal in the 27th minute. From the right touchline, Bedoya picked out Bradley with space to exploit 40 yards from goal. The U.S. captain took full advantage, driving to the top of the box and firing a superb left-footed strike into the low, right corner of the net.

Bruce Arena’s men had firmly seized momentum and went ahead 3-0 five minutes later. Dempsey ran onto Pulisic’s delightful lob pass inside the box, muscled off a challenge from Henry Figueroa, and sent a thunderous half-volley into the roof of the net past Escober.

Honduras spurned a massive chance to pull one back just before halftime when Emilio Izaguirre’s cutback cross was sliced inches wide by Erick Andino, who had replaced the injured Romell Quioto only a minute earlier.

Pulisic added to Honduras’ misery just 14 seconds into the second half, receiving a clipped ball into space from Altidore and slotting low inside the near post. The floodgates were well and truly opened three minutes later when Dempsey bagged his second of the evening to cap off an incisive attack involving Pulisic and Altidore.

Dempsey secured his hat-trick in style, curling a phenomenal free kick over the wall and just inside the far left post in the 54th minute to complete the rout. It was the 34-year-old’s fifth career hat-trick for the U.S. MNT, and his second in World Cup qualifying.

Zusi was introduced in the 59th minute as a right back substitute for Geoff Cameron, making a pivotal clearance in the 81st minute to help goalkeeper Tim Howard preserve his shutout.

With their first Hexagonal win in the books, the U.S. now turns its attention to Tuesday’s road test against Panama. That match will take place at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, live at 9 p.m. CT on beIN SPORTS, Telemundo and NBC Universo.

Espinoza and Honduras, meanwhile, will host Costa Rica at Estadio Francisco Morazan in San Pedro Sula, kicking off at 4:05 p.m. CT Tuesday.

HEXAGONAL STANDINGS

Hexagonal Schedule