CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The United States national team ended January camp with a win, and coach Bruce Arena now knows a lot more about what he will have to work with heading into the crucial 2018 World Cup qualifying games in March.
The US earned the 1-0 victory over Jamaica on a cold night in front of 17,903 fans, and forward Jordan Morris may have punched his ticket for the qualifying squad when he scored the game's lone goal on Friday.
“Jordan Morris has made a statement, and he’s clearly a likely candidate for our camp in march,” Arena said in the post-match news conference. “The biggest thing we’re trying to do is to form a team out of this group of players and get them to take a little pride in what they’re doing.
“I thought our young forwards were good tonight. Jordan impressed me, and Juan [Agudelo] had a real good effort tonight. … So overall I’m pleased.”
Morris scored the game-winner in the 59th minute, when midfielder Dax McCarty fed Morris just outside the box. Morris and Benny Feilhaber played a quick give-and-go move to create space for Morris to shoot the ball past Jamaican keeper Ryan Thompson.
“I think we created a lot of chances and it was good to finally get one,” Morris said. “It kind of rewards us for the work we put in during camp.
“It’s always good to get on the scoresheet and be a part of that, but it’s all about the win and hopefully the confidence from this win will lead into March.”
Feilhaber, making his first start for the US in more than five years, relished his chance to get a big assist on Morris’s goal.
“I’ve been waiting a long time,” Feilhaber said. “I didn’t think this would be an opportunity I would get again. I think it was a great camp, not only for myself but for everyone involved. I think the national team is going in the right direction right now under Bruce.
“For myself, I think I did the things I’m good at, in terms of Sporting Kansas City and MLS. I was thankful to be a part of the creation of a goal, and I’d love to be back with the group in March. Hopefully I made a big enough impression for that.”
Arena said after the match that he feels good about the progress made by the squad, especially with the US getting an important win on Finley Stadium’s artificial surface.
“I think is a conclusion of a good three-and-a-half week camp, and obviously it ends on a positive note,” he said. “I thought the game tonight was fast, and not an easy game to play. The Jamaican team is a very athletic team, and the surface was a little bit difficult at times.
“All in all a more challenging game for us to play than the game against Serbia. The Jamaican team really got after us, and it made for a good game. It’s a good game for me to look at our team and evaluate them.”
