Ricardo Pepi netted a goal off a pass from Christian Pulisic in the fifth minute, while Matt Turner made a critical penalty save, leading the United States to a 1-0 victory over Jamaica on Thursday night in Kingston during the first leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal. This match marked the initial competitive outing for the U.S. men’s national team under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The second leg of this total-goals series is set to take place on Monday in St. Louis. The eventual winner will move on to the semifinals scheduled for March 20 in Inglewood, California. Historically, the United States has triumphed in the first three editions of the tournament.
Jamaica faced disciplinary issues as Mason Holgate received a second yellow card for fouling Brandon Vázquez in the 86th minute, following an earlier yellow for kicking Gianluca Busio.
The game’s only goal came when Pulisic took a pass from Johnny Cardoso, driving forward into the center. Pepi accelerated past Amari’i Bell to meet the ball, and despite mis-hitting his shot, he managed to redirect it off the far post, marking his 12th goal in 32 international matches.
With this match, Pulisic also achieved a milestone, becoming the 33rd player to reach 75 appearances for the national team. Pepi joined the ranks of Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore, and Pulisic as the fourth American to record 12 international goals before the age of 22.
The match featured a pivotal moment when a mistake from Joe Scally led to a penalty kick for Jamaica. Costa Rican referee Juan Gabriel Calderon awarded the penalty after Kasey Palmer assisted Shamar Nicholson, who was taken down by Turner. The U.S. goalkeeper successfully saved Demarai Gray’s shot from the spot in the 14th minute, marking his third successful penalty save out of eight attempts while guarding the net for the U.S.
Malik Tillman stepped in for an injured Cardoso in the 20th minute.
Pochettino took the reins of the U.S. squad after the dismissal of Gregg Berhalter, stemming from a disappointing early exit in the Copa America. His tenure began last month with two friendly matches.
In this match, Pochettino opted for six changes in the starting lineup compared to the previous month’s 2-0 defeat against Mexico, bringing in McKenzie, midfielders Weston McKennie, Tanner Tessmann, and Cardoso, along with Pepi and Pulisic.
McKennie was cautioned with a yellow card in the 50th minute for a tackle on Leon Bailey, while Antonee Robinson and Bailey received yellow cards in the 69th following a skirmish between the two teams.
Aidan Morris will be sidelined for both legs after sustaining a right knee injury during training. Brenden Aaronson, afflicted with flu-like symptoms, also missed the trip, opting to travel to Missouri ahead of the second leg.
Tim Weah continued to serve his two-match suspension following a red card for striking Panama’s Roderick Miller during the Copa America. Meanwhile, Jamaica forward Michail Antonio served a suspension due to accumulating yellow cards. The Jamaican national team is currently led by former England manager Steve McClaren, who took over following the team’s winless performance in Copa America.