Brooks Lennon’s hat trick leads U.S. over Haiti in U20 qualifying

Brooks Lennon, loaned this month from Liverpool to Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, scored three goals to lead the United States over Haiti 4-1 Tuesday at San Jose, Costa Rica, and put the Americans in position to advance in qualifying for the Under-20 World Cup.

The U.S., which opened with a 1-0 loss to Panama last weekend, is second to Panama (2-0) in Group B of the North and Central American and Caribbean region on goal difference ahead of Haiti (1-1), and St. Kitts and Nevis (0-2) is last. The U.S. closes the first round Friday against St. Kitts.

Kenly Dede beat goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann – the son of former U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann – to give Haiti the lead in the 15th minute.

Lennon converted a penalty kick in the 28th after Jonathan Lewis was fouled, Luca De La Torre put the Americans ahead in the 52nd and Lennon added goals in the 53rd and 58th. The top two teams in each of three groups advance to the second round, and the top two teams in each second-round group qualify for the Under-20 World Cup, to be played in South Korea from May 20 to June 11.