The US men’s national team survived a scare to clinch a berth in the Concacaf Nations League Final on Sunday, rallying to knock off Jamaica, 3-1, in extra time in Thursday's semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The USMNT, who needed an own-goal equalizer in the closing seconds of regulation to force extra time, will meet Mexico in Sunday’s final.
The winner came off the left foot of Haji Wright, who was played through sublimely by Gio Reyna. The Coventry City striker, who came on as a second-half substitute, made no mistake with his clinical finish in the 96th minute.
Wright added his second goal, a spinning insurance marker in the 109th minute, to secure the USMNT's passage into the final.
It was a strong end, but an inauspicious start for the US, trailing inside of the opening minute after Gregory Leigh snuck in at the back post and headed in Bobby Decordova-Reid’s looping cross after a Jamaica throw-in deflected off Fulham teammate Antonee Robinson.
The Reggae Boyz nearly found the dagger just after the hour mark when Renaldo Cephas snuck behind the USMNT backline, but his attempt from the top of the 18-yard box resulted in a routine save for Matt Turner.
After being wasteful of numerous chances in the second half, the Yanks leveled at the death when Miles Robinson’s glancing header off a Christian Pulisic corner kick deflected off Cory Burke and behind Andre Blake for an own goal. That set up 30 minutes of extra time, where Wright found the winner, and added another to finally put Jamaica away.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: The sporting slogan in the month of March is survive and advance, and that’s just what the USMNT did. The Yanks were sloppy defensively, fortunate not to concede a second goal in regulation and were wasteful in the attacking third. Yet, they survive and move on with the chance to win a third straight Nations League title on Sunday.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Wright doesn’t get a chance to score a brace if not for an own-goal equalizer, the latest leveling goal for the USMNT since Ricardo Clark’s 97th-minute winner against Venezuela in 2012, per Opta.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Wright didn’t make the initial roster, but certainly made the most of his inclusion with his extra-time heroics.
Next Up
- JAM: Sunday, March 24 vs. Panama (6 pm ET | Paramount+, UniMás) | Concacaf Nations League Third Place Match
- USA: Sunday, March 24 vs. Mexico (9:15 pm ET | Paramount+, UniMás) | Concacaf Nations League Final
