Remarkable moments from the No. 1 and the No. 9 help USMNT emerge with Nations League quarterfinal win over Jamaica
A goal on one side and a big save on the other… sometimes the game really is that simple. Yes, there were 90 minutes of largely disjointed, rough-and-tumble and sometimes feisty soccer played in Kingston, Jamaica on Thursday night, but it all really came down to two kicks of the ball.
One found a corner, the other found a hand. Fortunately for the U.S. men's national team, they were on the right side of both.
Ricardo Pepi provided the moment in the 5th minute on one end, scoring the only goal the U.S. would need in their 1-0 CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal first leg win over Jamaica. Matt Turner provided the crucial moment in the 14th minute on the other, pushing away Demarai Gray's penalty kick to make sure that the 1-0 lead would hold true.
There were moments in between for both sides, and both will feel that they will have deserved a result coming out of the National Stadium. The U.S. got it, however, and now they have the lead heading back home.
Mauricio Pochettino's squad is in a good place. Protect this lead with a draw or win Monday night in St. Louis and they're through to the semifinals – and on a path to their fourth straight Nation's League title. The U.S. is effectively at halftime of this series, but this second half will be played in a friendlier atmosphere than the first, which proved to be a feisty match before a festive crowd.
Since dropping a 2-1 friendly in Washington, D.C. in 2019, the USMNT have are now on an eight-game unbeaten streak vs. Jamaica. The challenged the USMNT deep into the semifinals of the 2023-24 Nations League before a brace from Wright powered the U.S. to the tournament final. The U.S. went on to score another Dos a Cero victory over Mexico for its third-straight title.
If the U.S. can find one or two big moments, they'll be in the clear thanks to the advantage they put together in Kingston on Thursday. GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from the National Stadium.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Matt Turner
Games like this are defined by a selection of moments, not just one. Some are bigger than others and, on Thursday, none were bigger than Turner's penalty kick save.
He needed a moment like that, didn't he? Given the narrative surrounding the goalkeeping position and his club situation, Tutner really benefits from a signature moment like Thursday's. With Jamaica just a few short yards from turning the game on its head, it was Turner who stepped up to parry away Demarai Gray's spot kick and preserve the U.S. lead.
Turner, of course, conceded the penalty by tackling Shamar Nicholson. The seconds leading up to that, though, were a comedy of errors, with nearly every single member of the USMNT defense having a hand in allowing Nicholson to get that far into the box. Ultimately, Turner bailed everyone out, preserving a lead that the U.S. ultimately never relinquished.
That save, and his second-half parry of an Olimpico, were the reasons why. Turner will still have doubters due to his club situation, and those doubts are justified, but, at least on Thursday, he showed why he is still very much the No. 1 for this USMNT.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Demarai Gray
When you get that sort of opportunity on a penalty, you cannot let it go. Gray did.
His penalty was ultimately far too reachable, giving Turner the chance to make that diving save to his right. It wasn't a horrible penalty, but it also wasn't a particularly good one, allowing the USMNT shot-stopper to not just save it, but push it out of play and prevent a rebound.
It was the type of chance Jamaica needed to take and, ultimately, make – and it cost them dearly. Even outside of that, the Al-Ettifaq star struggled. He completed just four of his eight passes and had just 16 touches before getting the hook at halftime. Ultimately, that wasn't good enough.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Ricardo Pepi
It was a striker's finish, to put it lightly. You can't provide that type of play without at least a little bit of confidence and it's quite clear that, right now, Pepi has plenty.
Whenever he plays, it seems like Pepi makes an impact, whether that's with the U.S. or PSV. Right now, Pepi finds himself repeatedly asking a similar question for both club and country: what else does he have to do to prove he's the guy?
Moments like this will help. So often as a striker, it comes down to one moment and one chance, and Pepi's came five minutes in. There was no time to warm-up or prepare; the game, ultimately, was defined by that one look at goal. Played in by Christian Pulsiic, Pepi made no mistake, and the U.S. were off – and now they're heading home with a massive advantage.
It was Pepi’s 12th USMNT goal, his second of 2024 (in 10 games), his third against Jamaica and his second under Pochettino – he also scored in the Panama friendly.
Job done for Pepi, who continues to make his case. He'll almost certainly start the second leg, too, and, if he can score there, the opportunity for him to be the guy will only be gain momentum.
ImagnLOSER: Johnny Cardoso
So, so unlucky. Cardoso is dying out for a big USMNT performance, and he looked on his way to one. That was until the injury.
Forced out after 21 minutes, Cardoso had what could have been a statement game derailed. In his 21 minutes, he'd completed all 15 of his passes, including three into the final third, while also winning both of his duels. It really looked like he was going to run the midfield until he pulled up with what appeared to be a lower body injury.
It's unfortunate. Cardoso struggled mightily against Canada in September and, to date, hasn't really had a signature USMNT performance. That's largely because he hasn't had a consistent run of games. Untimely injuries haven't helped, either, with the Real Betis star missing last month's camp due to an injury, too.
Tough luck for Cardoso, who will certainly be eager to prove more in the midfield when given another shot.
