The Daily Bee (November 17, 2020): Gio Scores as USA Dismantles Panama

Good morning, Fear The Wall!

We’d like to interrupt your usually scheduled Borussia Dortmund news for this emergency USMNT report...

Gio Reyna Starts and Scores for USA

As you saw yesterday, Borussia Dortmund’s next American sensation Gio Reyna scored his first goal for the United States men’s national team in a 6-2 drubbing of Panama from Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Austria.

Valencia midfielder and US-newcomer Yunas Musah was fouled right at the top of the box in the 17th minute, setting up Reyna for his shot on target. Reyna took his shot around the Panamanian wall and past the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper for the goalkeeper to level the score at 1-1.

Gio played fine for the rest of his time on the pitch before being subbed out in the 80th minute for PSV Eindhoven youngster Richie Ledezma for his USMNT debut.

The rout was on the for the US as fellow newcomer Nicholas Gioacchini (SM Caen) scored the go-ahead goal off a saved shot. There was nothing special about his goal, it was just a right place right time kind of moment for Gioacchini. He would add a second goal just four minutes later after Schalke loanee/Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie saved a ball from going out of bounds with a lobbed cross to Anderlecht defender Matt Miazga, who headed the ball to a diving Gioacchini.

Panama pulled one back off a defensive lapse, but the US quickly responded with three more goals to complete the rout. Telstar forward and former Hannover youth player Sebastian Soto scored two headers off of crosses from Ledezma and LA Galaxy midfielder/Becky G’s boyfriend Sebastian Lletget headed in his own goal.

Other Bundesliga vets such as McKennie, former Dusseldorf goalkeeper Zach Steffen and RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams continue to stake their claim to starting spots on the squad, while Bayern Munich’s Chris Richards made his national team debut. He didn’t have much to do

As an American and a fan of the national team, the last 10 months have been pretty difficult and even teasing in the sense that there is all this movement and outstanding news happening to American players (Reyna’s BVB performance, Sergino Dest transferring to Barcelona, McKennie at Juventus, etc.) and the fact that there wouldn’t be a national team match for who knew how long. And with COVID on the rise throughout the world, there was some doubt as to whether the US would even have matches during this international window. Thankfully, they were able to pull it off and look pretty well for a group of players who haven’t played together for their national team. There are still plenty of things to focus on fixing for the stars and stripes, but I’m just happy I got to see them play this year.

Yes, this was against a Panama side that the US should dominate every chance they get, and this probably isn’t the go-to lineup for Gregg Berhalter, but my god was it amazing to watch a US men’s team have their way with their opponent. Would I have liked to have seen them house both Panama and Wales? Yes, but I’ll take a solid defensive performance against Wales and a strong offensive outing against Panama.

The Daily Buzz

To our American followers, what are your thoughts on the latest USMNT game?