COLUMBUS, Ohio — On a cold night when the leading man was quiet, when the foe was determined and victory hung in the balance, the U.S. men’s national soccer team turned to its “Jedi.”
A massive “Star Wars” fan since early childhood, Antonee Robinson introduces himself by his galactic nickname — “to schoolteachers, new friends,” he said. “It’s just a part of me.”
“I loved getting the costumes, the games, dressing up, watching the movies,” he said. “I feel weird being called Antonee. I prefer being called ‘Jedi.’ ”
The force was strong Thursday as Robinson, 24, scored early in the second half of a 1-0 victory over El Salvador, a critical result in the Americans’ push for a World Cup berth late this year in Qatar.