ARLINGTON, Texas — The United States men's national team (USMNT) survived a colossal upset loss to an injury-riddled Jamaica team, ranked 57th in FIFA to US' No. 13, with a 3-1 win in extra-time.
With less than 30 seconds left in the match, USMNT leveled the match on a corner kick that was headed by Miles Robinson and bounced off the head of a Jamaica player for an own goal. Up to that point, the United States dominated possession trying to make up for their defensive mishap in the first 30 seconds of the match.
Greg Leigh gave the Reggae Boyz an early 1-0 lead in the first minute with a header off a cross by Bobby De Cordova-Reid. The haymaker strike to USMNT put the two-time defending Concacaf Nations League champs on the ropes.
The United States dominated possession for the entire match, spending most of it above 80%, but finishing with 77%. The United States outshot Jamaica 25 to 6, with seven of those 25 shots on goal. Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake finished the game with five saves.
In extra time, the USMNT duo of Gio Reyna and Haji Wright, who both subbed in the match during the second half, connected on a pair of goals.
The United States has won both previous iterations of the tournament, defeating Mexico in the inaugural tournament and Canada in 2023.
The United States will face Mexico in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final on Sunday, March 24 at AT&T Stadium.
Here are the highlights from the match:
Extra time: USA 3, Jamaica 1
111': Romario Williams' (Jamaica) right-footed shot from the center of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
109': Haji Wright scores his second goal of the match to give the United States a 3-1 lead in the second half of extra time.
106': Second half of extra time begins.
105': First half of extra time ends.
102': Substitution. Kaheim Dixon replaces Greg Leigh. Romario Williams replaces Cory Burke because of an injury.
99': Substitution. Johnny Cardoso replaces Tyler Adams.
96': Gio Reyna feeds a through ball to Haji Wright, who finished a left-footed shot for a goal. United States leads, 2-1.
90': Extra time begins.
2nd half: USA 1, Jamaica 1
90' + 6: Miles Robinson levels the match at the death. United States levels, 1-1.
90': Ricardo Pepi right footed shot from the center of the box is saved.
88': Giovanni Reyna right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
77': Brenden Aaronson header from the center of the box is saved.
76': Substitution. Brenden Aaronson replaces Malik Tillman.
74': Substitution. Karoy Anderson replaces Kasey Palmer.
73': Substitution. Cory Burke replaces Renaldo Cephas.
71': Ricardo Pepi header from the center of the box misses to the left.
70': Malik Tillman right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick
65': Substitution. Daniel Johnson replaces Jamal Lowe.
65': Haji Wright left footed shot from the center of the box is close, but misses to the right.
63': Substitution. Tyler Adams replaces Yunus Musah. Ricardo Pepi replaces Folarin Balogun. Haji Wright replaces Timothy Weah.
60': Weston McKennie left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
59': Timothy Weah right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
57': Giovanni Reyna left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the center of the goal.
45': Substitution: Gio Reyna has subbed on for Joe Scally.
45': Second half has started.
Halftime: USA 0, Jamaica 1
Stats:
- Possession: USA 82.8%, Jamaica 17.2%
- Shots (on goal): USA 9(1), Jamaica 4(2)
- Corner kicks: USA 4, Jamaica 1
- Saves: USA 1, Jamaica 1
- Yellow cards: USA 1, Jamaica 0
- Red cards: USA 0, Jamaica 0
1st half: USA 0, Jamaica 1
44': Malik Tillman had a shot from just outside the 6-yard box get blocked by a Jamaican defender. This was the best scoring chance for the United States all half long.
31': Yunus Musah right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
26': Shot by Tim Weah from outside the 18-yard box is just wide of the goal.
21': Shot by Christian Pulisic on a fast break is blocked by the Jamaica defense. Out for a corner.
16': A header by Folarin Balogun was saved over the net and out for a corner kick to the United States.
1': 30 seconds into the match, Jamaica takes a 1-0 lead after a throw-in led to cross by Bobby De Cordova-Reid and a header Greg Leigh. It was Leigh's first international goal.
1': Match has started.
Pregame
5:15 p.m. -- Starting XI for USA and Jamaica released:
USA vs. Jamaica: Tale of the tape
- USA record vs. Jamaica all-time: 19-3-10 (W-L-D)
- USA record all-time in Concacaf Nations League: 12-2-0 (W-L-D)
- USA is 3-0 all-time at AT&T Stadium
- 2021: 3-0 win against Jamaica in the 2021 Gold Cup knockout round
- 2017: 2-0 win against Costa Rica in 2017 Gold Cup semifinal
- 2013: 3-1 win against Honduras in 2013 Gold Cup semifinal
- Top scorers for USA in Concacaf Nations League: Weston McKennie (6), Jordan Morris (5), Christian Pulisic (5), Ricardo Pepi (5), Jesus Ferreira (4), Joshua Sargent (3)
- Top scorers for Jamaica in Concacaf Nations League: Shamar Nicholson (9), Bobby Reid (5), Maalique Foster (3), Junior Flemmings (3), Leon Bailey (3), Demarai Gray (3)
- USA has a six-game unbeaten streak against Jamaica: 5 wins, one draw
- The last time Jamaica defeated the United States was in June 2019 friendly, a 2-1 victory in Washington D.C.
USA vs. Jamaica: How to watch
- English: Paramount+
- Spanish: Univision
USA vs. Jamaica: A look at the rosters
USA
Goalkeepers
- Drake Callender (Inter Miami)
- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)
Defenders
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven)
- Kristoffer Lund (Palermo)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk)
- Tim Ream (Fulham)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Midfielders
- Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis)
Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo)- Weston McKennie (Juventus)
- Yunus Musah (AC Milan)
- Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest)
Forwards
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco)
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
Josh Sargent (Norwich City)- Haji Wright (Coventry City)*
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin)*
- Tim Weah (Juventus)
*Wright and Aaronson replaced Sargent and de la Torre due to injury.
Jamaica
Goalkeepers
- Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
- Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive FC/)
- Shaquan Davis (Mount Pleasant)
Defenders
- Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union)
- Michael Hector (Charlton Athletic)
- Richard King (IBV/ISL)
- Dexter Lembikisa (Heart of Midlothian)
- Greg Leigh (Oxford United)
- Di'Shon Bernard (Sheffield Wednesday)
- Tayvon Gray (New York City FC)
Midfielders
- Bobby Decordova-Reid (Fulham)
- Daniel Johnson (Stoke City)
- Joel Latibeaudiere (Coventry City)
- Kasey Palmer (Coventry City)
- Karoy Anderson (Charlton Athletic)
- Renaldo Cephas (Ankaragucu)
Forwards
- Shamar Nicholson (Clermont/FRA)*
- Cory Burke (New York Red Bulls)
Michail Antonio (West Ham United)injury*- Demarai Gray (Al-Ettifaq)*
- Jamal Lowe (Swansea City)
- Bailey Cadamarteri (Sheffield Wednesday)
- Kaheim Dixon (Arnett Gardens)
*West Ham striker Michail Antonio dropped out of Jamaica's roster, the Jamaica Observer reported, and forwards Demarai Gray and Shamari Nicholson are suspended following second yellow cards in a match against Canada in November. Leon Bailey and Trivante Stewart also are missing from coach Heimir Hallgrímsson's Reggae Boyz.
USA vs. Jamaica: Players to watch
USA
- Christian Pulisic: Pulisic has three career goals in the Concacaf Nations League Finals, all against Mexico, having scored the winning goal in the 2021 Final and a pair of goals in the 2023 semifinals.
- Weston McKennie: No U.S. player has contributed to more CNL goals than McKennie, who has six goals and four assists in his CNL career, including a goal in the 2021 Final.
- Gio Reyna: Reyna has shined as well in the CNL Finals, with a goal in the 2021 Final and two assists in the 2023 Final.
Jamaica
- Andre Blake: Blake is the 2017 Gold Cup Best GK Award winner and has made 13 saves in the 2024 CNL, including eight saves in the quarterfinals.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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