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Watch: Clint Dempsey scores hat trick in USA's Gold Cup rout of Cuba

Clint Dempsey scored a hat trick for the United States against Cuba in the Gold Cup quarterfinal with a header to open the game, a second-half penalty kick and another score in the 78th minute.
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Clint Dempsey scored his first international hat trick for the U.S. men's national team against Cuba in the Gold Cup quarterfinals, lifting the Americans to a 6-0 win and a place in the semifinals in Atlanta.

In the fourth minute, Dempsey slipped behind the Cuban defense and latched onto a cross from Timmy Chandler on the right side, heading the ball over Cuban goalkeeper Diosvelis Guerra's outstretched arms to put the USA up 1-0 and send the Americans on their way to a rout.

After the U.S. had gone well ahead through goals from Gyasi Zardes, Omar Gonzalez and Aron Johannsson, Dempsey calmly knocked in a penalty in the 64th minute to make it 5-0, opting for a low chip down the center.

Dempsey finished off his hat trick off an unselfish Michael Bradley assist in the 78th minute to cap the scoring and put the U.S. up 6-0.

These were Dempsey's 45th, 46th and 47th career international goals, and he leads the tournament with six scores. Of those six, three have come on headers. He now sits 10 goals behind Landon Donovan's U.S. goal record of 57.

Watch Dempsey's latest U.S. goals below:

Jeremy Woo