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USMNT rallies from the brink to stun Jamaica in Nations League semis

Down to their last kick in stoppage time, the Americans benefit from an own goal on a corner kick to equalize before scoring twice in extra time to advance.

By Steven Goff | 2024-03-22

Antonee Robinson and the U.S. had a tough time with Jamaica and Damion Lowe on Thursday night in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals. (Julio Cortez/AP)

ARLINGTON, Tex. -- As the 2026 World Cup draws closer, expectations surrounding the U.S. men's national soccer team will swell with each match. The days of accentuating growth in a young squad will soon fade, usurped by uncompromising demand to beat most opponents and at least test the mighty rest.

The first step on the two-year journey -- a Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Jamaica on Thursday -- promised to showcase a U.S. roster close to full strength and a program hungry to show strides.

Instead, it brought a disjointed performance, an unfathomable start and an inconceivable finish to regular time, then a 3-1 victory on a pair of extra-time goals by substitute Haji Wright.

The U.S. team will seek its third consecutive tournament trophy Sunday night against Mexico, which routed Panama, 3-0.

The Americans were on the brink of a brutal defeat, one that surely would have turned up the heat on Coach Gregg Berhalter. But after falling behind 31 seconds into the match -- the earliest goal they have conceded this century -- they received a miraculous lifeline on the final sequence of regulation when Jamaica's Cory Burke headed the ball into his own net.

It came in the sixth minute of stoppage time. With U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner in the penalty area awaiting Christian Pulisic's corner kick, Miles Robinson flicked the ball toward Burke. With no time to react, the Jamaican forward drove the ball past goalkeeper Andre Blake.

"All I can do is credit the boys and credit their spirit and their perseverance because on a night when we didn't play our best they kept going and going and going," Berhalter said. "We got the goal right at the end, which is miraculous. You don't often get that but then to keep going and say okay, we're not going to penalties is a true testament to the group we have."

In the 30-minute extra time, substitute Gio Reyna assisted on both goals with delicately threaded passes to Wright, who was not even supposed to be on this squad. Berhalter did not include him on the initial roster despite Wright's sensational season with England's Coventry City but added him Sunday when Josh Sargent withdrew with an ankle injury.

On Wright's first goal, Reyna's clever footwork led to a through ball to Wright, who warded off a defender and beat Blake to the far corner in the 96th minute. In the 109th, he collected Reyna's pass in the box, spun past a defender and scored from close range.

More significant matters than the Nations League await Berhalter's squad, but the troubling start and failure to respond Thursday until the dying seconds sounded the alarms.

The Nations League, in its third year, is a tuneup for this summer's Copa America, a high-end rehearsal for the World Cup featuring Argentina and other Latin American elite. In between, there are friendlies against Colombia in Landover, Md., and Brazil in Orlando.

Next year, there is another regional tussle, the Concacaf Gold Cup, plus another round of the Nations League and additional friendlies.

By the time the World Cup rolls around, the U.S. Soccer Federation wants the program hitting its stride and poised to make a deep run. A World Cup on home soil brings enormous opportunity to win over casual fans and grow the sport to unprecedented heights.

The Nations League, then, serves as a barometer for the world's 13th-ranked team and where Berhalter has it headed. Jamaica, ranked sixth in the region and 57th in the world, was missing several players to suspension, injury and other reasons.

The U.S. lineup included players from four of Europe's top five club circuits: English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1.

The lackadaisical start, though, was catastrophic. Left back Antonee Robinson misplayed a Jamaican throw-in, yielding the ball to his Fulham FC teammate, Jamaica's Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

From the end line, De Cordova-Reid pumped a high cross to the back side. Surging undetected from his left-back position, Greg Leigh beat Joe Scally to the ball and stung a header off Turner's hands for his first international goal.

If AT&T Stadium were not so empty, it would have fallen silent in disbelief. The only sounds came from the scattering of fans supporting the Reggae Boyz.

"That can't happen," Berhalter said. "You need to be switched on."

The Americans found opportunity throughout the half, none better than in the 21st minute, when striker Folarin Balogun led a two-on-one. He was too slow, though, laying off the ball to Pulisic on his left, a pause that allowed defender Joel Latibeaudiere to disrupt Pulisic's shot.

Berhalter made four changes in the first 17 minutes of the second half, adding Reyna, Wright and Ricardo Pepi, plus midfielder Tyler Adams, who returned from a 15-month injury absence. (Because there was a cap on his playing time, Adams departed during extra time.)

Pressure on the Jamaicans grew but without any serious threats against Blake.

Then came the final desperate chance and a magical goal.

Haji Wright scores the first of his two goals in extra time to fuel the United States to a 3-1 win over Jamaica at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images)


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