Sullivan scores brace, draws penalty in U.S. blowout win in Concacaf U20 knockouts

Quinn Sullivan can’t stop scoring.

After scoring a first half hat trick against Cuba in the final group game, the Philadelphia Union homegrown added a brace in a Round of 16 game against Nicaragua in the Concacaf U20 Championship on Saturday night.

Nicaragua nearly weathered the storm of the first half against the U.S. but Sullivan headed in a cross from Diego Luna on the final play of the half to make it 1-0 heading into halftime. Sullivan drew a clear penalty in the box in the 56th minute when he was dragged down by his jersey and added his second goal of the night off a Cade Cowell cross in the 65th minute.

The brace gives Sullivan five goals in his last two games of the U.S. U20s. Jack McGlynn also started the match and put in another solid shift creating chances. He subbed out in the 66th minute. Paxten Aaronson nearly found the back of the net a couple times after subbing into the match in the 57th minute. One shot clanged off the crossbar and another from inside the D was saved by Nicaragua keeper Miguel Rodríguez.

Brandan Craig didn’t feature in the match after going the full 90 against Cuba and Canada in the last two matches.

Jalen Neal also scored for the U.S.; their fourth goal of the night went down as an own goal.

Up next, the U.S. will play Costa Rica in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m.