ST. LOUIS - "I appreciate you giving me credit for that!"
Christian Pulisic may have appreciated the question, crediting him for opening up space on an eventual U.S. men's national team goal against Jamaica, but he wasn't really willing to give that credit to himself. It was his run that opened up the space Ricardo Pepi needed to score the USMNT's third goal on Monday night. If not for Pulisic occupying the centerbacks, Pepi likely wouldn't have had that extra half-second or so to pick his spot in the back of the net.
Pepi, of course, deserves most of the credit. It was a fantastic finish, one that only a confident striker can provide. Pulisic - who had already accounted for the first two goals in the USMNT's eventual 4-2 win over Jamaica Monday night - played his part, and he did so to perfection by manipulating the defenders in front of him.
But looking back at the sequence, Pulisic had a confession to make: he didn't make that run for Pepi, he made it for himself.
"I did," Pulisic said with a laugh when asked if he really wanted the pass for himself. "I wanted that hat trick."
Regardless, that moment showed the power and impact Pulisic has in games. It was the type of sequence that perfectly encapsulated what an in-form player can do. When you're playing at an elite level, it makes life easier for everyone else - including manager Mauricio Pochettino, who continues to implement his tactics on this USMNT, with Pulisic at the center of it all.
And as Pulisic continues to ride that form for club and country, Pepi's goal showed how having a superstar such as Pulisic in the team can make everyone else better.