USMNT Recap: United States 1 - Jamaica 0
U.S. strikes early and keeps the clean sheet!
Mauricio Pochettino and the United States Men’s National Team returned to action Thursday evening as they took the field at National Stadium in Kingston to face Jamaica in the Quarterfinal of the Concacaf Nations League.
Poch rolled out a 4-2-3-1 formation on the road. Former Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner got the start between the sticks behind the back four of Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, and Joe Scally. Tanner Tessmann and Johnny Cardoso provided the defense in the midfield.
Christian Pulisic was out on the left with Weston McKennie centrally and Yunus Musah on the right behind the lone striker, Ricardo Pepi.
It didn’t take long for the U.S. offense to get going. After receiving Cardoso’s ball up the middle, Pulisic tapped it forward into a pocket of space in Ricardo Pepi ran onto it. The striker found himself one-on-one with Andre Blake on the right side of the box as Pepi rolled a shot to the far post and in to give the U.S. an early 1-0 lead just five minutes into the game!
The trajectory shifted in Jamaica’s favor in the 12th minute. A poor giveaway from Scally on the right flank led Jamaica to find Shamar Nicholson upfield. Nicholson flashed the footwork, evaded the defense, and pushed toward goal. Turner came off his line attempting to dispossess Nicholson of the ball but took the attacker out instead.
Referee Juan Calderón pointed to the spot as Demarai Gray stepped to the spot looking to level the match early. Gray attempted to slot the ball to the top-left corner of the goal, but Turner avenged his earlier mistake as he palmed the ball out of play to keep Jamaica off the board.
Poch had to make an early change 20 minutes into the match as Cardoso could not continue. Malik Tillman was the one to replace the Real Betis midfielder.
Jamaica nearly had a golden opportunity in the 37th minute when Dexter Lembikisa lobbed a ball into the box from the left flank. Lembikisa’s ball fell perfectly to Nicholson, who leaped into the air and connected with the ball. Luckily for the U.S., Nicholson’s header lacked accuracy as it sailed wide of the net and out for a goal kick.
Poch and the United States entered the locker room up 1-0 at halftime thanks to Pepi’s fifth-minute goal and Matt Turner’s save.
McKennie became the first player to enter the referee’s book as he saw yellow in the 50th minute after tugging on Leon Bailey’s jersey to prevent a Jamaica counterattack. Damion Lowe saw yellow in the 62nd minute after plowing Christian Pulisic over, causing a skirmish between both teams.
Nervous moments came the United States’ way in the 66th minute. After Lowe earned Jamaica a free kick in the midfield, Bailey restarted the game with a pass up the middle to Renaldo Cephas.
Cephas pushed into the right side of the box before slotting a ball centrally to Mason Holgate, who was stationed yards from the goal. Just as it looked like Holgate would tap the ball past Turner to level the game, Musah laid a perfectly timed and placed tackle to prevent Holgate from netting the chance to keep the U.S. lead and clean sheet intact.
Controversy arose during the ensuing corner kick. Bailey attempted the Olimpico, but Turner was alert and palmed the ball away, but not far enough, as it fell to Lowe.
Lowe rocketed the rebound on target but deflected high up Ream’s slightly extended left arm and out for a corner as Jamaica’s players surrounded the referee looking for the penalty, but were denied. Ream and the United States got lucky there, in my opinion.
Tempers between both sides flared again in the 68th minute as a shoving match between Robinson and Bailey led to more skirmishes. Bailey and Robinson both received yellows following the altercation.
Two changes came in the 71st minute as Brandon Vazquez and Gianluca Busio replaced Pepi and McKennie.
Jamaica’s Mason Holgate saw yellow in the 76th minute following a high challenge on Busio. Holgate’s night ended in the 85th minute when he received a second yellow card after plowing Vazquez over.
After a hard-fought 90 minutes, the United States secured the win and a clean sheet on the road. Both sides will now trek to CITYPARK in St. Louis, Missouri, where they’ll meet in the second leg of the quarterfinals on Monday, November 18th, at 8 PM ET on TNT.