Christian Pulisic's two goals push USA past Trinidad and Tobago

Teenager Christian Pulisic scored the fourth and fifth World Cup qualifying goals of his international career to lead the United States to a 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in a pivotal match on Thursday night in Commerce City, Colo.

Tim Howard needed only two saves at the home park of his club team, the Colorado Rapids, to preserve a second shutout for the USA (2-2-1, seven points) in the final round of qualifying in the CONCACAF region.

The Americans are now unbeaten in their past three qualifiers, and they will be no worse than tied for third in the six-team standings heading into Sunday's away match against Mexico.

The top three teams in the region after the 10-match schedule qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The fourth-place team goes into a two-leg qualifier with a team from Asia.

Kenwyne Jones came closest to scoring for Trinidad and Tobago (1-4-0, three points), sending a header off the crossbar in the first half of a match that keeps his side in last place halfway through the final round of qualifying.

Pulisic, 18, now has seven goals in all international competitions over 15 appearances for the U.S. team. All five of his qualifying goals have come after halftime.

Pulisic put the U.S. ahead in the 52nd minute after DeAndre Yedlin's interception in his own half began an excellent move down the right.

Yedlin eventually got the ball back on the wing and drilled a low cross toward the goal. Pulisic slid and beat a defender to it, smashing it into the net from about 4 yards out.

That goal forced Trinidad and Tobago to take a more aggressive posture, and the visitors looked for a moment to have tied the game, only for Nathan Lewis' apparent equalizer to be ruled offside.

Ten minutes later, Pulisic combined with Jozy Altidore to punish the visitors for their more attacking posture.

Altidore took a pass from the right and sent a quick one-touch pass back down the wing.

Pulisic reached it and then, from about 7 yards, snuck a finish between goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams and his near post.

Bobby Wood struck the left crossbar late for the U.S., while midfield substitute Alejandro Bedoya picked up a yellow card.