For the third time in just over six months, the U.S. men's national team is facing off against Jamaica, but the stakes are at their highest in Thursday night's World Cup qualifier in Austin, Texas.
The two sides open up the three-match October window at Austin FC's Q2 Stadium with critical points on the line as both attempt to make it to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The U.S. enters with five points following an uneven, yet unbeaten, September window (1-0-2), while winless and last-place Jamaica (0-2-1) has some ground to make up in the Concacaf Octagonal table after taking just a single point from its first three games.
The U.S. won both of their previous meetings this year, the first a March friendly in Austria and the more recent one a July Gold Cup quarterfinal outside Dallas. Matthew Hoppe's late goal was the difference in the 1–0 victory that kept the U.S. on course to win the regional title.
Both sides are missing key players, with Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and John Brooks all out hurt for the U.S., while Jamaica is without West Ham forward Michail Antonio and Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey.
The U.S. welcomes the return of Weston McKennie, though, with the Juventus midfielder back in camp and in the starting lineup after being banished last month after one game for breaking team protocol in Nashville. He's joined in the midfield by Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah, who makes his competitive debut and becomes cap-tied in the process.
Twenty seconds in, the U.S. drew what could've easily been a red card but was only a yellow. Paul Arriola was played in behind and was dragged down by Kemar Lawrence. Without the luxury of VAR, which Concacaf does not have in this competition, there was no ability to review the call, and Lawrence was let off light by referee Reon Radix. Nothing came from Brenden Aaronson's ensuing free kick.
Jamaica didn't have much of the ball in the opening 10 minutes, but that didn't stop Tyreek Magee from nearly opening the scoring in fantastic fashion. He spun off Adams after hitting the U.S. captain with an inadvertent arm and then fired from distance, not missing Matt Turner's goal by much.
Turner was called into action 90 seconds later, with Shamar Nicholson getting to the end line and around Antonee Robinson before firing a dangerous cross into the box. Turner came out to claim it with a clean, diving catch, though, to end the threat.
The U.S. had the bulk of the possession from that point for the next quarter of an hour, but it could do little with it, with Jamaica playing compact and forcing the U.S. to try to break it down. McKennie and Aaronson did just that at the half-hour mark, working a wonderful combination down the left that resulted in a U.S. corner. Again, nothing came from the set piece, though, with goalkeeper Andre Blake comfortably making the catch.
Radix was forced into another big call in the 33rd minute, when Aaronson was played in behind by Arriola. Damion Lowe clattered into him from behind on the slide tackle, with only a yellow card given once again. McKennie took the ensuing free kick, from the edge of the box, but he fired over the bar.
On the other end, Turner was forced into his most difficult save of the night. Miles Robinson peeled off Jamal Lowe, who looked to curl a left-footed shot into the far corner, only for Turner to parry it away with a confident diving save to his right.
The U.S. opened the second half with the breakthrough goal. Three minutes in, Sergiño Dest combined with Musah before receiving the ball down the right-hand side. He had the time and space to pick out his cross, and he found Ricardo Pepi, who headed home the opener to make it 1-0.
Stay tuned here for live updates and highlights of goals and key plays from throughout the match (refresh for most recent updates).
Here are the lineups for the night:
