Matt Besler got back to the U.S. team hotel after training on the eve of the United States World Cup qualifier at St. Vincent and the Grenadines when his cellphone came to life.I had a message from my wife just saying, call me ASAP, and I had that feeling that something was happening, he said.Back in Kansas City, Kansas, Amanda Besler felt her water break and went into labor two weeks early. On a Caribbean island, there was no way Matt Besler could return home quickly.Parker Rhea Besler was born at about 6:45 a.m. local time Friday, and about nine hours later her daddy scored his first international goal, helping the United States to a 6-0 win that moved the Americans into prime position to advance to the final round of World Cup qualifying.I always knew that it was a risk coming down here, the 29-year-old Sporting Kansas City defender said. At the same time, you have to live your life and come down here. There was about a 48-hour window where I knew that I was pretty much here and stuck here just due to the travel conditions. It would have been impossible to get back in time, and thats why I decided to stay. I was just going to try to make the best of it, and Ill get to meet my baby girl soon enough.Christian Pulisic, the Americans 17-year-old attacker, entered in the second half and scored twice off passes from Sacha Kljestan. Pulisic also set up Kljestans first goal for the national team in six years.Bobby Wood scored in the 28th minute, Besler doubled the lead in the 32nd and Jozy Altidore converted a penalty kick in the 43rd as the Americans built a 3-0 halftime lead at the Arnos Vale cricket ground.Besler, who has three goals for Kansas City since joining the team in 2009, was making his 36th international appearance. He scored when MLS teammate Graham Zusi lofted a free kick, and Nazir McBernettes headed clearance attempt went toward the defender. Besler chested the ball and knocked it in with his left foot from about 4 yards.For whatever reason, I could feel the ball gravitate to me at the back post, so I was ready for it, he said.Besler was surrounded by a half dozen teammates in a rocking-the-cradle celebration reminiscent of Bebetos at the 1994 World Cup. He had told U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Friday morning that he was in the right frame of mind to play.Its already a special day, but I wanted to even make it even more special and play in this special game, he remembered saying.The 26th-ranked United States (3-1-1) is second in Group C behind Trinidad and Tobago (3-0-2), which tied visiting Guatemala (2-2-1) later Friday. With a plus-13 goal difference to Guatemalas plus-1, the Americans are virtually assured of reaching the final round hexagonal in North and Central America and the Caribbean when they host Trinidad on Tuesday at Jacksonville, Florida.A T&T win Friday would have clinched berths for both the Soca Warriors and the Americans, but Carlos Ruiz got his second goal of the game in the 87th for visiting Guatemala, which finished a man short.Pulisic and Kljestan entered midway through the second half. Pulisic scored in the 71st minute off a pass from Kljestan, who had not played for the national team since March 2014, and the 30-year-old Kljestan tapped in a cross from Pulisic seven minutes later. Pulisic scored from 18 yards off Kljestans pass in the second minute of stoppage time, his third international goal.Pulisic became the youngest American with a goal in qualifying. A 17 years, 349 days, he also is the youngest with a two-goal game. He wore the No. 10 jersey -- Landon Donovans old number -- for the first time.Obviously its an honor, Pulisic said. I know some great number 10s have been out there, but I was just given the number, so Im excited to wear it.Klinsmann attributed the decision to equipment manager Jesse Bignami.I always say the number 10 has a meaning. Theres no doubt about it, the coach said before adding with a laugh: Ask him now a question how he feels with that heavy number on his back.Game notes Right back DeAndre Yedlin was given a yellow card for a 13th-minute foul and will be suspended for Tuesdays game, when Tim Howard is slated to start in goal. ... 156th-ranked St. Vincent (0-5) has been outscored 25-3. ... Because St. Vincents new Argyle International Airport has not been finished, the U.S. charter flight from Florida could not fly directly to the islands E.T. Joshua Airport, which has a shorter runway. Instead, the Americans flew to Barbados and players transferred to a pair of 19-seat planes. A third plane for the teams gear had a dead battery, to the pair of 19-seaters dropped off the players, then returned to Barbados to get the gear and team staff. ... Both national anthems were played on steel drums. ... Altidores 35th international goal moved him past Eric Wynalda for sole possession of third on the American career scoring list behind Donovan (57) and Dempsey (52). ... In Group A, Honduras (2-2-1) rallied on goals by Mario Martinez and Romell Quioto for a 2-1 win over visiting Canada (1-4-1). In Group B, Costa Rica (4-0-1) clinched advancing with a 1-0 win at Haiti on Randall Azofeifas 71st-minute goal. Johnny Manziel Jersey . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Chase Headley Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. http://www.padresrookiestore.com/Padres-Eric-Hosmer-Kids-Jersey/ . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Randy Jones Jersey . The visitors took a deserved lead in the 16th minute with midfielder Yohan Cabaye curling the ball beyond Adrian from inside the penalty area. Christian Villanueva Jersey . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. When San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Frank Gore bounced the ball to the outside, I knew there was a problem. Yeah, my legs were moving. And I was playing hard as a safety for the Washington Redskins back in 2005. But I just couldnt get there. That burst I had counted on as a defensive back was missing.The reason? I had blown out my knee less than a year before. It just gave way while covering a kick on a Sunday night game against the Baltimore Ravens. Boom. See ya next season.It takes a long time to get back on the field after popping an ACL -- and an even longer time to feel like yourself as a player. I learned that the hard way against Gore, who took that run 72 yards to the house, the first of many in his long career.You see, my plan was to knock him out of bounds. Just survive the play after taking a poor angle from the jump. But when I couldnt quite get there, I dove for Gores legs and came up with nothing. Zip. Well, except for a face-first landing into the grass at FedEx Field.Man, Mondays film session was brutal. I barely recognized the guy lumbering after Gore in an attempt to save that touchdown. Everyone in the meeting room knew the gig was up. Heck, I was still in recovery mode. The explosion, the burst, the acceleration? Nah. It just wasnt there yet. But you try to play through it. You have no choice when your job is on the line.That was a lonely moment for me -- a reality check, too. And I was just a guy at that point, a special teams dude playing some safety, trying to grind out a couple more years in the league.For defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, the situation is obviously different as the Arizona Cardinals get ready to play the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. Mathieu is one of the best overall players in the league. And I mean that. The versatility? The ball skills? The natural coverage ability? Off the charts, all of it. I love this guys game.But Mathieu tore up his right knee in December. Trust me, hes a straight-up warrior for being back in the lineup this soon, but you cant just expect him to go back to playing like himself immediatelly.ddddddddddddUntil Arizonas Week 5 matchup against the 49ers, Mathieu wasnt playing his normal role in the slot. Instead he was aligning over the top as a safety. That allowed the Cardinals to ease him back onto the field and to also limit the change-of-direction movements -- and stress -- put on his knee as a slot defender.Lining up as a slot corner is one of the toughest jobs in sports when youre healthy. But when youre less than nine months removed from ACL surgery, as Mathieu was when the season started, its a whole different ballgame.Mathieu has been here before, having torn his left ACL in 2013. Plus, Mathieu got some serious run in the slot against San Fran in Week 5: 71 snaps. Thats a big workload on a short week for a guy still working his way back. His performance? Head coach Bruce Arians called it rusty, and Mathieu himself?had similar opinions. I get it. All players do. This thing takes time.The positive sign here? The Cardinals are putting Mathieu in his natural role again. Its a start, a progression of sorts, as Mathieu continues on this road back.And thats the key thing to understand with Mathieu. Not everyone can perform like Adrian Peterson did coming off an ACL in 2012, when he nearly broke the single-season rushing record.That type of performance is super rare, and the narratives surrounding ACL injuries arent that simple. You dont just flip a switch and immediately start lighting up guys on the field after getting cut on and pushing through the rehab cycle.Nah, it doesnt work like that. Even when youre back practicing or playing, the daily maintenance is a grind. Ice. Stretch. Ice some more. Push through the stiffness, the drop in flexibility. Deal with the residual pain that lingers after practice, after games.Its constant.But I would bet big on Mathieu to push through. Hell be back wrecking game plans and dictating matchups in no time.ESPN.com NFL analyst Matt Bowen played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL. ' ' '