Gio Reyna from Dortmund leads as a young US team against Panama | Soccer

Nicholas Gioacchini and Sebastian Soto both scored their first two international goals, Gio Reyna scored his first and a young American team beat Panama 6-2 in a friendly match in Wiener Neustadt, Austria on Monday evening.

Gioacchini and Reyna made their first appearance in Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Wales, under six debuts when the Americans returned from a coronavirus hiatus the team had sidelined since February. Soto and Richy Ledezma were among two other debuts against Panama. Sebastian Lletget and Soto, who came on as a substitute in the second half, scored late for the Americans. Ledezma set the ultimate goal.

Jose Fajardo scored his first two goals for Panama, the first in the eighth minute with a fleeting header from a cross from Alejandro Yearwood that separated center-backs Tim Ream and Matt Miazga. Fajardo narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the 79th minute before the US went in late. The US dominated the first half with 72% possession but struggled to manage much of the second half before scoring three late goals.

Reyna scored a 20-yard free kick in the 17th minute that passed Orlando Mosquera after Weston McKennie stumbled upon Michael Murillo. Gioacchini gave the USA the lead with a right-footed shot from eight yards on 22 minutes after Reyna went over to Uly llanez, whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

Gioacchini scored his second goal on the 26th from a close-range header after Tyler Adams crossed and Miazga headed the ball back over the goal. After a handball from Oscar Linton, he had a chance of a hat trick in the 65th minute, but Mosquera stopped his penalty.

Soto came into play in the 77th minute and hit on a cross from Sebastian Lletget after an overlapping run from Reggie Cannon, who started right back, as Sergino Dest went left. Cannon crossed Lletget’s header again in the 87th, his third international goal, and Ledezma had a long cross for Soto in the first minute of stoppage time.

A couple of 20 year olds made their debut. Ledezma, a PSV Eindhoven midfielder, replaced Reyna in the 68th and Soto, a Telstar striker, replaced Gioacchini. The US have used 90 players since losing to Trinidad and Tobago in October 2017, banning the Americans from the 2018 World Cup.

Preparing for the pandemic-delayed start of World Cup qualifying next September, the US started a line-up with an average age of 22 years and 154 days, the second youngest in the team’s history.

Coach Gregg Berhalter said on Monday the US could plan another game next month, which is likely to feature Major League Soccer players.