Giovanni Reyna scored his first goals for the United States since 2021 in an impressive 4-0 friendly win over Ghana at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday night.
After Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Germany, the Americans bounced back in great fashion as Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun scored Reyna’s opener in the 10th minute.
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It was only Reyna’s second game for the United States since last year’s World Cup – where he was used sparingly due to off-field issues – and he took advantage of his place in Gregg Berhalter’s starting lineup to score his first goal with the national team since June 9, 2021 against Costa Rica.
Reyna has been fit again since breaking her leg last June and played the first half for the second time in a row. The 20-year-old midfielder’s first game under Berhalter since the two fell out in Qatar was against Germany on Saturday.
“Gio, what I saw in the first training session in this camp was a high level of concentration and skill,” Berhalter said. “So if he plays like he has throughout camp, he’s certainly a guy that can help this group and it’s really nice to see him respond like that.”
Reyna told the U.S. Soccer Federation after the game that he did not want to speak to reporters. Since the World Cup, he has not spoken to the media after the national team’s games.
Reyna scored his second goal before halftime after the United States was awarded an indirect free kick in Ghana’s penalty area. Pulisic rolled the ball past his teammate, setting up a close-range finish that gave the Americans a 4-0 lead at halftime.
Gio Reyna celebrates with his US teammates after scoring a goal against Ghana in a friendly match in Nashville.
After the U.S. began its second term with four friendlies, Berhalter leads the Americans in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Nations League by two games next month, with spots in the 2024 Copa America at stake.
Ghana eliminated the United States at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and the Americans opened the 2014 tournament with a victory over the Black Stars. The 11th-ranked U.S. achieved its largest margin of victory against South Africa in 2000 against an African opponent.
The Americans took the lead after Sergiño Dest dribbled toward goal and sent a pass wide to Balogun, whose cross bounced off defender Nicholas Opoku. The ball fell to Reyna, who fired a one-time right-footed shot from around 12 meters.
Pulisic converted the penalty for his 28th international goal after Gideon Mensah pushed Tim Weah.
Weah scored the third goal when Jerome Opoku failed to control a cross pass under US pressure. Weah picked up the ball and passed it down the middle to Balogun, who turned on touch and scored his third goal in six appearances from the center of the penalty area.
Reyna scored his second goal from an indirect free kick from 10 meters away, which was missed when Opoku was sitting on the ball. Reyna passed the ball to Pulisic, who hit it back, and Reyna shot the ball into the net.
“Aside from the goals, it was above all the way he brings the players into the attack,” said Berhalter, “how he is able to stay calm on the ball and give us the calm and composure that we need “Sometimes we need it, but then it’s crucial when it comes to the final.”
American goalkeeper Matt Turner was under little pressure but was able to parry Mohammed Kudus’ shot over the crossbar in the 41st minute.
Lennard Maloney, a 24-year-old German-born midfielder, made his 60th U.S. debut under Berhalter in the 65th minute.
No. 60 Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico and has lost consecutive games following a five-game unbeaten run under Chris Hughton, who took over as coach in February. The Black Stars open World Cup qualifying next month.
As one of the co-hosts, the USA automatically receives a place in the World Cup.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.