The United States men’s national team needed every bit of 96 minutes to keep their CONCACAF Nations League reign alive and well, then took care of business in extra time as super subs Giovanni Reyna and Haji Wright combined to deliver the Yanks a 3-1 win on Thursday in a Texas-based semifinal.
The Yanks will meet the winner of Panama and Mexico in the final on Sunday after the conclusion of the 6pm ET third-place game, but their bid to make it three CNL trophies in three tries needed a fortunate bounce to stay alive.
Jamaica led 1-0 on a Gregory Leigh first-minute goal all the way into the sixth minute of stoppage time, when a USMNT corner kick was nodded back toward goal by Miles Robinson and turned off Jamaica forward Cory Burke to beat Andre Blake for the first time.
The Yanks didn’t waste their second life, as Reyna played a sensational through ball to Wright. The Coventry City man brought his cup magic from the FA Cup to the CONCACAF Nations League with a fine 96th-minute finish past Blake. Reyna then cued up Wright for a second goal to salt away the win in the 109th minute.
It’s a huge case of spared blushes; The USMNT was without suspended Sergino Dest and only had 30 minutes of Tyler Adams, but Jamaica was missing Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, Dujuan Richards, Omari Hutchinson, Ethan Pinnock, and Amari’i Bell.
Better to be lucky than good… then good
It’s a good sign for Berhalter’s men that they can play so sloppy with the final ball and show resolve when presented with a second chance in the face of potential embarrassment.
The own goal was a great bit of luck after the Yanks had misfired on so many good chances over a 90 minutes in which they completed more than 650 passes and Jamaica completed 74.
But the Yanks had been better in the second half, Giovanni Reyna coming off the bench along with Tyler Adams to show more inspiration and vision in the center of the park.
By the time extra time hit the USMNT was in expected ascendancy.
Wright, Reyna send message in place of Balogun, Tillman
Haji Wright has the body and guts to be a CONCACAF star, and now has four goals in barely more than 300 minutes for the USMNT.
Actually, forget the CONCACAF line — he had scored against Morocco and the Netherlands and has been quite good for Coventry City and Antalyaspor. It’s great to say the kid with the gusto to leave the NASL for Schalke as a teenager look all growns up.
And Giovanni Reyna, wow. The Nottingham Fores man’s two assists were special through balls that cued up his center forward to get his brace.
Reyna’s not had the best time over the past 16 months or so, but his confidence has not been dulled by the occasion. And Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun weren’t bad, but will have to be wondering about their starting spot against Mexico or Panama just as much as their coach.
How to watch USMNT vs Jamaica live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 7pm ET, Thursday (March 21)
How to watch: Paramount+ and Univision
USMNT vs Jamaica live updates – By Nick Mendola
USMNT vs Jamaica final score: 3-1
Goal: Leigh (1′), Burke (o.g. 90+6′), Wright (96′, 109′)
GOAL! Same two, again — USMNT 3-1 Jamaica (109th minute)
It’s not as dynamic a through ball from Reyna to Wright, but it’s good.
The finish is better, as Wright turns himself the wrong way at first and has to pivot and rip a shot inside the far post.
3-1 was a score you would’ve suspected before the game… just not like this!
GOAL! Reyna and Wright connect! USMNT 2-1 Jamaica (96th minute)
A sensational through ball from Giovanni Reyna, the halftime sub, finds Haji Wright.
The Coventry City man makes it two-straight elimination games with a goal — a cheeky three if you count his marker for the Sky Blues in their FA Cup upset of Wolves — as he overcomes a slightly-off touch and slams a left-footed ball past Andre Blake.
GOAL! USMNT 1-1 Jamaica (90+6′ minute)
A last-minute corner for the USMNT.
Miles Robinson heads a corner kick back towards goal with USMNT keeper Matt Turner pressing Andre Blake, and it’s Cory Burke with the unlucky own goal.
We’re headed for extra time.
Blake denies Pepi
Christian pulisic sweeps a cross to the heart of the box.
Ricardo Pepi can’t get the shot he wants as he goes to ground, and Andre Blake makes the save.
Five minutes stoppage.
Yanks fighting for equalizer, also fighting their decision-making
Christian Pulisic gets the ball stuck in his feet with four Jamaican players vacuum-sealed around him in the 18.
Brenden Aaronson calls for a handball after a cross is blocked instead of tracking it into the box.
Time running out as we enter the final 10 minutes of the 90.
More yellow for the visitors in yellow
Damion Lowe joins Kasey Palmer in the books, this one giving Pulisic a dangerous central free kick.
But it’s a Pulisic fake, and Malik Tillman blazes over the wall and the goal. He’s had some bad moments tonight.
Three more USMNT subs
Haji Wright, Ricardo Pepi, and Tyler Adams enter the fray for Folarin Balogun, Yunus Musah, and Timothy Weah.
Still 1-0 Jamaica and it could’ve been 2-0 after Chris Richards was fooled and then toasted by Cephas. Oof.
Pulisic bursts to life
The AC Milan attacker with bull of a turn on the left and drives to the six, cutting a cross through the box. It’s absent receiver.
Giovanni Reyna came on for Scally at the break. Forty-five minutes.
Halftime: USMNT 0-1 Jamaica
The Yanks have had all of the ball but done almost nothing with it — 82% possession.
The Yanks have taken eight of the game’s 12 shots but failed to put any on Andre Blake’s goal. Pulisic’s wasted chance looms as a should’ve been 1-1.
Jamaica have completed less only 40 passes but lead 1-0.
There’s a conundrum here with Tyler Adams available off the bench but potentially staring down 75 minutes if the Yanks get the game to extra time. Giovanni Reyna fans will feel there’s a place for him, too.
Joe Scally has been quite poor even aside from the goal, giving away a foul in a bad spot and hitting several unnecessary passes rght to the Reggae Boyz.
Miles Robinson has rebounded from a sloppy start.
Tillman flubs 45th-minute chance to level the score
Weah’s been lively on the right and his cross is mishit by Malik Tillman and blocked by the Reggae Boyz.
Weah then wins a corner, played shot, and Chris Richards heads wide.
Tillman shaken up by elbow
Michael Hector goes up for a 50/50 ball with Malik Tillman and puts his elbow into Tillman’s head.
No call, and Tillman eventually pops up.
The Yanks are playing with great energy but not finding the openings after moving the ball side-to-side. Chances should keep coming, but will the goal. 33rd minute.
Weah drives low shot wide of near post
Attention paid to Pulisic allows Weah to drive in from the left.
The Juventus man drags a low shot wide of the near post and it’s still 1-0.
Pulisic fails on 3v2 break
Folarin Balogun leads a 3v2 rush and plays wide to Christian Pulisic, who isn’t as wide as you’d like and then takes an extra touch.
That allows Joel Latibeaudiere to block Pulisic’s shot, and the Reading man literally slaps the ball away. VAR doesn’t have an issue with the close-range handball.
Jamaica let off the hook by Pulisic and then VAR, but might’ve been a harsh call had it arrived for the USMNT.
Turner saves central shot
Renaldo Cephas cooks Miles Robinson, who is well outside his right side of the 18.
Cephas dribbles across the middle but can’t find a good angle before bounding a shot into the arms of Matt Turner.
Close! Balogun header deflected for corner
Yunus Musah dribbles out of the back and gives the ball away with a too-strong pass for Malik Tillman, but he does it again a moment later and springs a rush for Scally.
Scally’s cross is very good and Folarin Balogun’s header deflects off his mark’s back and out for a corner. Christian Pulisic’s corner kick has too much juice.
More giveaways in bad spots
The Yanks have been a bit too adrenal going forward, and not at the back, too.
Some bad giveaways in their own third lead to a Joe Scally foul 25 yards out from goal on the left.
Both teams queue up atop the 18. Decordova-Reid sends in a good ball but the USMNT deal with it and the game remains 1-0.
Not a great start for Scally.
Fulham on Fulham crime — USMNT 0-1 Jamaica (1st minute)
Antonee Robinson bobbles the ball away to Fulham teammate Bobby Decordova-Reid, and his looping cross gets to the back post.
Matt Turner behind his own line and Joe Scally’s barely in sight as Gregory Leigh leaps high to nod home, with Turner only getting a piece of it.
Anthems have been played, teams on the pitch
Away we go. Can the USMNT break down a stubborn counterattacking Reggae Boyz?
That’s one of the only questions against a Jamaica side missing some key pieces in Antonio, Bailey, and Demarai Gray amongst others.
USMNT lineup
Well here’s a surprise or three….
We’ll start with the obvious, as Joe Scally takes the spot of suspended Sergino Dest. But it’s with a bit of a wrinkled brow that we note Miles Robinson starting at center back over Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie. And Tyler Adams’ recovery continues with a spot on the bench, as Malik Tillman earns a midfield place with Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie, the trio completed by the PSV Eindhoven man over Johnny Cardoso. Interesting, to be sure.
Turner, A. Robinson, Richards, M. Robinson, Scally, Tillman, McKennie, Musah, Weah, Pulisic, Balogun
Jamaica lineup
Blake, Lowe, Bernard, Lembikisa, Leigh, Latibeaudiere, Hector, De Cordova-Reid, Palmer, Cephas, Lowe
Michail Antonio joins Leon Bailey as back in Europe, and that asks a lot of Damion Lowe and Fulham’s Bobby Decordova-Reid.
USMNT team news, focus
Sergino Dest is in the squad but suspended for this game for the USMNT, as Joe Scally is likely to start at right back instead. Many would like to see the quartet of Pulisic, Weah, Balogun and Reyna start in attack but Pulisic is the only player of that four in form. Could Haji Wright and Ricardo Pepi get a start centrally? All eyes will be on USMNT captain Tyler Adams as he returned from injury over the last few weeks and having him back in midfield, at least for 30 minutes or so, would be a massive bonus. Keep an eye on Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie as this feels like the time they could cement their spot as center back starters.
Jamaica team news, focus
Leon Bailey was left out of this squad for disciplinary reasons after he broke a curfew when he was last on international duty. That hurts Jamaica’s attacking options massively as Bailey has had an incredible season for Champions League chasing Aston Villa in the Premier League. Still, they will have Michail Antonio leading the line and he’s back fit and scoring goals for West Ham, while Demarai Gray and Bobby Decordova-Reid will likely support Antonio as Jamaica will be a huge threat on the counter.
Source Agencies
