Ricardo Pepi’s goal carries USMNT past El Salvador, 1-0, in Concacaf Nations League

The U.S. men’s soccer team booked its place in this summer’s Concacaf Nations League final four on Monday with a 1-0 win over El Salvador that was effective, though not as pretty as hoped for. Ricardo Pepi scored the lone goal as a second-half substitute.

The first half of the first half was pretty dull, which wasn’t too surprising. El Salvador packs it in defensively, and has the experience to keep at it. Things livened up after that, but the U.S. still put just two of its six shots in the scoreless period on frame.

Interim manager Anthony Hudson started a stronger lineup that the one for last Friday’s 7-1 rout at Grenada, but it was a very rotated lineup. Just four starters from that game started this one: goalkeeper Matt Turner, central midfielder Weston McKennie, and attacking stars Gio Reyna and Hershey’s Christian Pulisic.

At least the crowd at half-full Exploria Stadium had a way to enjoy itself. In the 30th minute, the American Outlaws’ supporters’ group held up signs that said “BALOGUN JOIN U.S.,” encouraging highly-sought striker prospect Folarin Balogun to pick the U.S. national team over England and Nigeria.

» READ MORE: Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic help USMNT rout Grenada, 7-1, in Concacaf Nations League

Balogun, 21, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Nigerian parents and grew up in England. A product of famed English club Arsenal’s youth system, he’s now with France’s Reims, and he has played for American and English youth teams.

The U.S. program has upped its recruiting push lately, coordinating a weekend in central Florida where Balogun attended an Orlando Magic game and a day of New York Yankees spring training. Both teams gave Balogun jerseys, and fans ate it all up on social media.

Attention shifted back to the current players when the second half started, sparked by Reyna’s shot off the post 44 seconds after kickoff. Just before the hour mark, Medford’s Brenden Aaronson subbed in for Alejandro Zendejas, and Ricardo Pepi replaced Daryl Dike.

Pepi promptly produced the breakthrough in the 62nd minute. McKennie sprung him free with a superb pass through El Salvador’s defense, and Pepi broke away for a pretty chip over goalkeeper Mario González.

It was Pepi’s third goal of this two-game Nations League window, after he narrowly missed last year’s World Cup squad.

“I think it was important personally for me and the team, you know — we needed to win at home, and we wanted to make the fans happy,” Pepi told the TNT broadcast after the game. “Happy, to be honest. It was a roller-coaster, a lot of of ups and downs, not making it to the World Cup and I’m now back with the squad. Happy to be back.”

» READ MORE: Zack Steffen opens up about missing the World Cup and returning to the U.S. men’s team this month

Taylor Booth and Luca de la Torre were next to enter, replacing Reyna and Yunus Musah, respectively, in the 72nd. In stoppage time, Brazilian-American Johnny Cardoso made a cameo appearance replacing McKennie.

They didn’t produce another goal, but El Salvador rarely threatened. The U.S. ended the night with 16 shots to La Selecta’s four, even though just four of the U.S.’ attempts were on target.

The Nations League final four will be played June 15-18 in Las Vegas, at the Raiders’ NFL stadium. The U.S. and Mexico have qualified, and the other two teams will be set Wednesday when Canada hosts Honduras and Costa Rica hosts Panama. Ties would see Canada and Panama qualify.

Because the final four matchups are set by total points earned in the group stage, winners in both of Wednesday’s games would see the U.S. play Mexico in the semis. That’s not how it’s supposed to work, but Mexico earned it by gaining just two wins and two draws from its group games.