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With 25 minutes gone Christian Pulisic sent an
inch-perfect cross to the back post where McKennie glanced a
header home from close range.
"He can take players on and he likes to cut in a lot and I like
to make late runs into the box," said man of the match McKennie
of Pulisic.
"So we always tell each other whenever he cuts in, look for me
at the back post or look for me inside the box, because I am
going to run.
"It’s a connection that we are developing and improving on and
hopefully in the next games it will be even better."
Ranked 79th in the world, 49 places behind the United States,
Curacao were not overawed by their opponents and U.S. goalkeeper
Zack Steffen had to be on his toes to deny Gevaro Nepumoceno on
more than one occasion.
At the other end, Eloy Room made several stops for Curacao and
captain Cuco Martina thought his team had done themselves proud.
"We fought like lions," he said. "We did everything to win. The
chances that we got, we didn't score."
The win for the United States sets up a semi-final against
Jamaica, runners-up at the last two Gold Cups, in Nashville on
Wednesday.
Mexico will play Haiti in the other semi in Glendale, Arizona
the day before.
The final will be held in Chicago on July 7.
(Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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