KINGSTON, Jamaica (Nov. 14, 2024) – The U.S. Males’s Nationwide Group defeated Jamaica 1-0 Thursday within the uneven and contentious opener of its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal collection in Kingston, taking an essential step towards qualifying for 2 essential competitions subsequent 12 months.

Ricardo Pepi scored an early objective on the Nationwide Stadium and goalkeeper Matt Turner saved a penalty kick because the People delivered new head coach Mauricio Pochettino his first aggressive worldwide win. The USA will take its hard-earned, one-goal combination benefit into the second and deciding leg of the quarterfinal, which might be performed Nov. 18 at CITYPARK in St. Louis, Mo. (8 p.m. ET; TNT, TruTV, Universo, Max, Peacock and Fútbol de Primera Radio).

At stake this month is a berth in each the 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals, scheduled for March, and subsequent summer time’s Concacaf Gold Cup, the area’s biennial championship event. These would be the USMNT’s solely aggressive alternatives forward of the 2026 World Cup. The loser of this quarterfinal will miss out on the Nations League closing 4 and contest a Gold Cup qualifying playoff as an alternative. The USA lifted the trophy in every of the Nations League’s first three editions.

In his third recreation as USMNT supervisor, Pochettino named a beginning XI that featured the identical goalkeeper and again 4 he fielded in his debut, a 2-0 pleasant win over Panama final month. Turner was in web, behind defenders Joe Scally, Mark McKenzie, captain Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson.

Midfielders Weston McKennie and Johnny Cardoso earned their first caps underneath the brand new coach, whereas Yunus Musah was deployed in the identical proper wing function he performed in opposition to Panama, in opposition to whom he scored his first worldwide objective. Pepi, Tanner Tessman and Christian Pulisic, who grew to become the thirty third USMNT participant to achieve 75 caps, rounded out the American starters on the venue recognized affectionally as “The Workplace.”

The Reggae Boyz rapidly established the phrases of engagement — they might press when ready (utilizing an uneven enjoying floor to their benefit), however in any other case would defend with 5 throughout the again after which attempt to bypass the U.S. midfield in transition.

However the 18th-ranked People rapidly discovered a solution. After a disjointed first couple of minutes, the guests pulled forward within the fifth on a superb link-up between Pulisic and Pepi. Pulisic and Cardoso set the desk with a brisk alternate of passes and because the Reggae Boyz drifted towards Pulisic, they took their eyes off Pepi. Pulisic, who earned his seventy fifth worldwide look tonight, accelerated into the house between the midfielders and protection after which performed Pepi by means of with a superbly weighted cross. Pepi knocked the ball into the penalty space after which despatched a right-footed shot off the within of the left put up and in.

It was Pepi’s Twelfth USMNT objective, his second of 2024 (in 10 video games), his third in opposition to Jamaica and his second underneath Pochettino – he additionally scored within the Panama pleasant.

Each Robinson and Pulisic missed subsequent probabilities earlier than Jamaica earned a golden alternative to equalize. Turner was whistled for a Twelfth-minute foul on Shamar Nicholson after the Spartak Moscow striker had dribbled previous McKenzie and Ream. Turner then made emphatic amends, lunging to his proper to parry Demarai Grey’s penalty kick. The Crystal Palace keeper has saved three of the eight penalties he’s confronted with the USA (two of these saves got here in opposition to Jamaica).

The People took the lead into intermission because the tempo of the sport remained comparatively excessive, however precision proved elusive for either side throughout the bumpy confines of “The Workplace.” After halftime, the guests appeared extra snug with the ball and had been in a position to tilt the sphere extra often towards Jamaica’s finish. The Reggae Boyz’ attacking forays within the opening quarter-hour had been temporary, however they lastly reclaimed some momentum after the hour mark. A well timed, goal-mouth deal with from Musah on Jamaica’s Mason Holgate stymied a close-range probability within the sixty fifth, and Turner received his arms to a swerving, goal-bound nook kick shortly thereafter.

Midfielder Malik Tillman had relieved an injured Cardoso halfway by means of the primary half and within the 72nd minute, Pochettino inserted striker Brandon Vazquez and midfielder Gianluca Busio for Pepi and McKennie. The match grew to become more and more nervy and combative because it entered the stretch run. There have been frequent stoppages and 7 second-half yellow playing cards, one in all which was Holgate’s second. The USA’s greatest probability to double its lead got here within the 83rd, however Vazquez couldn’t put sufficient on his first-time shot to beat Jamaica’s Andre Blake.

Taking part in in opposition to 10 following Holgate’s 86th-minute ejection, the People calmly closed out their fourth all-time win on Jamaican soil (4W-1L-6D) and simply their second in a aggressive match. They’d crushed the Reggae Boyz in a World Cup qualifier again in 2013. The USA now leads the all-time collection, 24W-3L-10D. As well as, Pochettino grew to become simply the third full-time USMNT supervisor to win his first aggressive away recreation, following Bob Bradley (at Barbados in 2008) and Steve Sampson (at Trinidad & Tobago in 1996).

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA — Ricardo Pepi (Christian Pulisic), fifth minute: Pulisic discovered a seam within the Jamaican midfield, drew defenders towards him and, after receiving a cross from Johnny Cardoso, took an authoritative contact ahead and despatched Pepi in on objective with an ideal by means of ball. Pepi was even with the appropriate facet of the six-yard field and despatched his shot throughout the face of objective and off the within of the left put up. USA 1, JAM 0 FINAL

-U.S. MEN’s Nationwide workforce match report-

Match: United States Males’s Nationwide Group vs. Jamaica
Date: November 14, 2024
Competitors: Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals – Leg 1
Venue: Nationwide Stadium; Kingston, Jamaica
Attendance: 25,500
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Climate: 80 levels, clear

Lineups:
USA: 1-Matt Turner; 22-Joe Scally, 4-Mark McKenzie, 13-Tim Ream (Capt.), 5-Antonee Robinson; 15-Johnny Cardoso (17-Malik Tillman, 21), 18-Tanner Tessmann (2-Auston Trusty, 87); 6-Yunus Musah (7-Alex Zendejas, 87), 8-Weston McKennie (14-Gianluca Busio, 72), 10-Christian Pulisic; 9-Ricardo Pepi (20-Brandon Vazquez, 72)
Substitutes not used: 16-Patrick Schulte, 21-Diego Kochen, 23-Zack Steffen, 3-Chris Richards, 12-Miles Robinson, 19-Cade Cowell

Head coach: Mauricio Pochettino

JAM: 1-Andre Blake (Capt.); 3-Mason Holgate, 4-Amari’I Bell, 17-Damion Lowe; 2-Dexter Lembikisa (12-Tayvon Grey, 88), 22-Gregory Leigh (14-Isaac Hayden, 46), 10-Demarai Grey (20-Renaldo Cephas, 46), 15-Joel Latibeaudiere, 8-Kasey Palmer (18-Tyreek Magee, 58), 7-Leon Bell, 11-Shamar Nicholson (21-Romario Williams, 77)
Substitutes not used: 13-Shaquan Davis, 23-Jahmali Waite, 5-Richard King, 6-Di’shon Bernard, 9-Kaheim Dixon, 16-Karoy Anderson, 19-Jahshaun Anglin
Head coach: Steve McClaren

Stats Abstract: USA / JAM
Photographs: 6 / 12
Photographs on Aim: 3 / 2
Saves: 2 / 2
Nook Kicks: 1 / 3
Fouls: 12 / 13
Offside: 0 / 3

Misconduct Abstract:
USA – Weston McKennie (Warning) fiftieth minute
JAM – Damion Lowe (Warning) 61
JAM – Leon Bailey (Warning) 69
USA – Antonee Robinson (Warning) 69
JAM – Mason Holgate (Warning) 76
JAM – Mason Holgate (Warning/Ejection) 86
JAM – Isaac Hayden (Warning) 90+2

Officers:
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderon (CRC)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Carlos Mora (CRC)
Assistant Referee 2: William Arrieta (CRC)
4th Official: David Gomez (CRC)
VAR: Jesús Montero (CRC)
AVAR:Diego Ojer (GUA)

Michelob Extremely Man of the Match: Ricardo Pepi