Herculez Gomez recaps the U.S. Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) hard-fought 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.
The decisive moment came early in the match when Ricardo Pepi scored in the fifth minute, taking advantage of a well-placed pass from Christian Pulisic. The match saw an impressive performance from goalkeeper Matt Turner, who managed to save a penalty kick, further securing the victory for the Americans. The match took place on Thursday night in Kingston, marking the USMNT’s first competitive outing under new coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The second leg of the series will be held on Monday in St. Louis, with the aggregate winner set to advance to the semifinal on March 20 at Inglewood, California. Historically, the United States has won the first three editions of this tournament, fueling hopes for further success.
Jamaica faced challenges during the match, ending the game with ten players after Mason Holgate received his second yellow card for a foul late in the game.
Pulisic’s action sparked the initial goal; he converted a pass from Johnny Cardoso, running up the middle before setting up Pepi for the goal. Although Pepi mis-hit his shot, it fortuitously went in off of goalkeeper Andre Blake’s far post, marking his 12th international goal in just 32 appearances. Christian Pulisic also achieved a personal milestone by becoming the 33rd player in U.S. history to earn 75 caps.
The game included a tense moment when a penalty was awarded to Jamaica after a foul by goalkeeper Matt Turner. However, Turner demonstrated his skills by saving Demarai Gray’s attempt, making it his third save from eight penalties faced during his time with the USMNT.
Coach Pochettino made noteworthy changes to the starting lineup, shaking things up after last month’s loss to Mexico. Ricardo Pepi’s performance highlights a promising future for the USMNT, especially as he joins elite company as one of only four Americans to score 12 international goals before turning 22.
While injuries and suspensions posed challenges, with players like Aidan Morris and Tim Weah absent, the team will look to build on this victory in the upcoming second leg.
This win offers a hopeful outlook for the USMNT as they take steps to establish themselves under new management, with fans eager to see how they will build upon this success in their quest for the Concacaf Nations League title.