Ricardo Pepi scored a goal and had two assists as the United States raced to a 4-1 win at Honduras in a World Cup qualifying match that saw Christian Pulisic hobble off with an ankle injury.

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The result in San Pedro Sula gives the USMNT its first win after two consecutive draws at El Salvador and then Canada in Nashville to open up the eight-team qualifying round for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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"Maybe we thought it was going to be easier than it was going down to El Salvador, Honduras. There are tough games, man. You see how hostile the crowds are, but the energy is amazing, the atmosphere is amazing,'' midfielder Tyler Adams said.

FC Dallas star Pepi, 18, was the standout player in his international debut as he became the second youngest USMNT player to appear in a World Cup qualifier, after only Pulisic.

Brayan Maya put Honduras ahead in the 27th minute of a one-sided first half as the Catrachos dominated before a horn-blowing full house at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.

Following the halftime break, U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter made several lineup changes, including introducing Antonee Robinson, whose 48th-minute shot off Pepi's initial attempt equalized the match.

In the 62nd minute, Pulisic was substituted off after he injuring his ankle. He needed treatment after a challenge, then fell to the ground after trying to sprint on a dribble. He was replaced by Cristian Roldan.

"We'll get more information when he returns to London [for his club Chelsea] on the severity of it," Berhalter said of Pulisic's injury.

Pepi then scored the U.S. squad's second goal in the 75th minute when he headed in DeAndre Yedlin's cross.

Brenden Aaronson effectively sealed the three points when he powered in a shot in the 86th minute with Sebastian Lletget then scoring in stoppage time, both set up by Pepi.

"We just fought,'' Lletget said. "We knew we just had to match their intensity. That was the biggest change in the second half.''

Aaronson also had scored the U.S.'s lone goal in the previous game, a 1-1 draw to Canada in Nashville.

"I was so fired up today, I don't know what kind of took over me, but I was just ready to go, and you could see it with all the subs. It was a spark,'' Aaronson said.

"I think it's really important that we did that just to show everyone that at times it's going to be a hard qualifying process but we're ready for the challenges that'll come ahead,'' Robinson said. "We can respond to anything.''

The U.S. was without defender Sergino Dest and forward Giovanni Reyna because of injuries, and midfielder Weston McKennie was suspended a second straight game for violating the team's COVID-19 protocols.

Mexico leads the eight-team table with seven points, followed by Panama, Canada and the U.S. with five each. Honduras and El Salvador have two each, Costa Rica has one point and Jamaica none. The top three sides will qualify for the World Cup in 2022, while the fourth-placed team will enter a playoff for a spot in Qatar.

The next three-match qualifying cycle begins for the U.S. on Oct. 7 in Austin, Texas, vs. Jamaica. The U.S. plays at Panama on Oct. 10 and hosts Costa Rica in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 13.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.