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Jeff Carlisle, US soccer correspondent
Ricardo Pepi found his moment, and now the United States men’s national team is one step closer to the semi-finals of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL).
The USMNT forward, who has long been limited to a substitute role for club (PSV Eindhoven) and country, insisted all week that he is ready to be a provider in the starting XI. With three other strikers injured, Pepi got his chance and was sent on for Mauricio Pochettino’s side in the first leg quarter-final against Jamaica in Kingston, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win. The USMNT now leads into the second leg on Saturday in St. Louis with a one-goal advantage.
That’s not to say it’s a game that will live long in the memory, even though it was the USA’s road game in Concacaf. They are often played in stifling conditions and feature some rugged play. This match was no different. Pepi for one, is ready, and he is now the fourth player to score 12 goals for the USA before the age of 22 (Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Christian Pulisic are the others).
“We are here to fight. We know it will be difficult,” Pepi told TNT postmatch. “But at the end of the day, we got the results, and now it’s time to take care at home.”
After Pepi’s opener in the fifth minute, the visitors had two chances to score through Antonee Robinson and Pulisic — whose deft pass set up Pepi’s goal — and the US destroyed both. At that point, the game turned ugly as Jamaica slowly increased the pressure. USA goalkeeper Matt Turner conceded a penalty in the first half, but made up for it by saving Demarai Gray’s spot kick.
There was some desperate defending, too, especially in the second half, that allowed the US to survive. Both Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie came up with some critical blocks. And Yunus Musah delivered one of the defensive plays of the game when a 66th-minute tackle on Mason Holgate in front of the USA goal preserved the visitors’ lead.
But survive in the US, and that’s the most important thing in this match. The run-up to the 2026 World Cup is light in the competitive game, and going to the quarter-finals will allow the US to take part in the final stage of the CNL – a competition that the US has won every time it has been held – – next March. As US manager Pochettino has reduced the amount of time he has with his players this cycle, this fact means that the CNL has more value than ever. This is an opportunity that cannot be wasted.
All the more reasons to enjoy this win, even if it is not easy on the eyes. Of course, Pochettino’s era is still in its early stages, and it can be argued that so far no one has been able to produce such good football. But since the start of 2020, the USMNT’s road record has been rather mediocre: 3-6-5 before this match. A win on the road sets the team up for increased confidence and growth.
Ever since Pochettino was hired, the Argentine has preached his competitiveness. Besides the victory, that’s what the team got this evening. It was evident that Pochettino knew the type of game his team was playing as the midfield quintet of Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Musah, Tanner Tessmann and Johnny Cardoso had plenty of steel. This was also in the face of some physical play from Jamaica that Costa Rican referee Juan Gabriel Calderón tended to let loose.
During one melee in the 69th minute, the US did an effective job of standing up for Pulisic – who was on the receiving end of several heavy challenges – while not straying into red card territory. That kind of balance between opponents while maintaining team discipline is crucial to getting results, and it was something that was missing last summer at the Copa América. If the U.S. can maintain that kind of mental strength, then competing against some of the better teams in the world — like Copa América opponents Uruguay — is an even better proposition.
Having some individual brilliance helps too, and in this, Pepi and Turner come through. For Pepi, it was not a night of many scoring chances. In fact, that sequence of goals was the only time of the night that Pepi had a touch in the opposition penalty area. But he made the most of the opportunity, curling a shot in from the far post, for his second goal of the Pochettino era. That kind of efficiency will keep him in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
“I just saw Kristen between the lines and I saw a lot of space at the back, so I ran and just finished,” said Pepi, before adding: “If I’m positioned in the right place, then I’ll go forward. find a place to score a goal. “
Turner is also proving himself to be invaluable to the new US manager, although he is finding minutes hard to come by at club level with Crystal Palace. He was probably Man of the Match last month in the 2-0 win against Panama, and while he wasn’t tested often in the match – according to ESPN Stats & Info, Jamaica was credited with just one shot on target – – he came through when called upon. Granted, taking on Shamar Nicholson was the last domino to fall in the game leading to a penalty, but he made up for it, saving his third spot kick in a USA jersey and his second against Jamaica. He yelled after the save.
“I try to stay grounded, but I’m definitely pumped up in the moment,” said Turner. “I needed a game like that for a long time, so it felt good.”
Staying grounded is exactly what the US needs to do in the second leg. Jamaica has proven as tough to beat on US soil as it was tonight. In the last edition of CNL, Reggae Boyz took USA to extra time in the semifinals. The competitiveness that Pochettino has preached will be needed again. Some liquid toys will also be accepted. As Turner said: “We must continue to build and move forward.”
