Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah and Haji Wright scored goals as the U.S. men’s national team cruised to a solid 3-0 victory over Morocco in an international friendly on Wednesday night at Cincinnati.
Christian Pulisic recorded an assist and also drew a foul to set up a penalty kick, which Wright sent into the lower left corner for his first international goal.
The result marked the first time the United States defeated Morocco in four attempts. The U.S. lost the three previous matchups.
Matt Turner made eight saves while recording his 12th shutout for the U.S.
Both countries have clinched spots in the World Cup later this year.
Morocco took 22 shots but put just eight on target. The USMNT placed 10 of 11 shots on target.
It was a scoreless match until the 26th minute when Pulisic received a long pass, slid a left-footed pass over to Aaronson, who booted a left-footed shot into the net for his sixth career international goal.
Six minutes later, the United States added to the lead as Weah kicked a hard right-footed shot that caromed off the hands of Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and into the net. It is Weah’s third international goal.
In the 61st minute, Pulisic was fouled in the box by Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and during the dispute, the visitors’ Romain Saiss and Bounou were also carded for dissent.
Pulisic handed the ball off to Wright, who was making his national team debut. Wright stood at the spot in the 64th minute and easily made it 3-0.
Morocco had a chance to get on the scoreboard after it was awarded a penalty kick on a questionable foul call on Joe Scally.
Selim Amallah lined up the kick in the 76th minute and hammered a right-footed blast that smacked the crossbar and caromed high in the air before Turner helped knock it away from the goalmouth.
Jesus Ferreira also had a solid chance to score for United States in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, but Bounou made a standout save.
Bounou made seven saves for Morocco.
The matchup was the first between the two countries since May 23, 2006, when Morocco notched a 1-0 win in Nashville.
–Field Level Media