USA thrash Grenada in CONCACAF Nations League

Striker Ferreira scores four goals as Berhalter's side launches title defence with 5-0 victory

LOS ANGELES:

Jesus Ferreira shook off early frustration to score four goals as the United States launched their CONCACAF Nations League title defence with a 5-0 rout of Grenada on Friday.

The 21-year-old FC Dallas striker, trying to stake a claim to a spot in Gregg Berhalter's World Cup side, took awhile to heat up in the steamy conditions at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, where the Americans dominated possession against 170th-ranked Grenada but were unable to capitalize on a stream of first-half chances.

After firing wide in the 28th minute and seeing his left-footed shot saved by Grenada keeper Jason Belfon in the 33rd, Ferreira finally broke through in the 43rd minute.

He collected a deflected cross from Dallas teammate Paul Arriola and delivered a left-footed shot from the center of the box inside the far post.

It was the first of three goals in a 13-minute span.

Ferreira doubled the score in the 54th and just two minutes later curled in a beautiful right-footed shot from a corner to make it 3-0.

Arriola made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute with an angled shot from a precision pass from Luca de la Torre.

Ferreira then punctuated his night with a 78th-minute strike.

"I wasn't too much focused on the goals," said Ferreira, who has struggled to replicate the scoring touch he's shown for Dallas on the international stage.

"I wanted to focus on my game, have a good game and the goals would come."

The game was the Americans' last on home soil before the World Cup in Qatar, where they will face England, Iran and Wales in Group B.

They beat Morocco 3-0 in a friendly last week before a goalless draw against Uruguay on Sunday, and now head to El Salvador for another Nations League clash on Tuesday.