U.S. Men’s National Team Advances to 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final with 3-1 Semifinal Win over Jamaica
Second Half Stoppage Time Equalizer, Wright’s Extra Time Brace Power USMNT to CNL Final for the Third Straight Time
Arlington, Texas (March 21, 2024) – The U.S. Men’s National Team advanced to the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final in dramatic fashion, riding a second-half stoppage own goal and a Haji Wright brace in extra time to earn a third-straight appearance in the tournament’s title game.
The USMNT will now meet the winner of the Mexico-Panama semifinal in the Nations League Final on Sunday, March 24 at 9:15 p.m. ET, with the Third Place Match taking place just prior. Both matches will be shown live on Paramount+ and Univision.
The U.S. found themselves at a disadvantage early when just after kickoff forward Bobby De Cordova-Reid was played into the U.S. 18-yard box coming off a throw in. De Cordova-Reid played a cross to the far corner of the six-yard box, where Greg Leigh finished with his head to give Jamaica the lead inside 60 seconds.
As Jamaica set up to defend and counterattack, the U.S. controlled an overwhelming majority of possession as the first half continued. Nine shots were attempted in the opening 45 minutes, but the team’s best chance to break through came just prior to first-half stoppage time. In the 45th minute, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah combined to play Weah into the Jamaica 18-yard box to goalkeeper Andre Blake’s left. Weah sent a low ball to the penalty spot that an on-running Malik Tillman met with his left foot. Tillman opened his hips and put a promising shot toward the left side of the net, but it was cleared by a falling Di'Shon Bernard.
In the second half, goalkeeper Matt Turner came up huge for the U.S. as they looked to equalize. In the 63rd minute, Renaldo Cephas beat Chris Richards to a cleared Jamaican ball inside the U.S. half. Cephas picked up the dribble and found himself one-on-one with Turner. Cephas hit with his right across Turner, but the U.S. ‘keeper got down quick to deny Cephas’ opportunity to double the Jamaica lead.
The U.S. at last found its breakthrough in dramatic fashion, with what appeared to be its very last opportunity of regulation time. After Haji Wright’s cleared cross earned the U.S. a corner, Pulisic delivered an in-swinging ball that found the head of Miles Robinson. Robinson skimmed a header towards the center of the six-yard box and his attempt was deflected by Jamaican forward Cory Burke and past Blake for the last gasp equalizer.
Wright netted the go-ahead goal in the 97th minute during the first period of extra time. Gio Reyna picked up a loose ball just inside the Jamaica half, saw Wright darting through the center of the Jamaican defense, and weighted an inch-perfect, no-look pass to the Coventry City man into the 18-yard box. Wright ran onto the ball, took a touch to his left, and fired the U.S. into the lead. It was Wright’s first goal for the U.S. since scoring in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 against Netherlands.
Wright made it a brace in the 109th minute, again on an assist from Reyna. Reyna once again scooped up a loose ball, this time 30 yards from the Jamaica net, and took out a pair of defenders with a through-ball to Wright running in on the left. Wright’s first touch was long, but he collected, turned, and beat Blake to his left to give the U.S. a 3-1 advantage it would not relent. The goal doubled Wright’s international scoring haul, giving him four in his career to-date.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
JAM – Greg Leigh (Bobby De Cordova-Reid), 1st minute: Off of a throw in, De Cordova-Reid was played into the U.S. 18-yard box and picked up the ball near the end line to goalkeeper Matt Turner’s right. De Cordova-Reid played a cross to the far corner of the six-yard box, where Leigh finished with his head to give Jamaica the lead inside 60 seconds. USA 0, JAM 1
USA – Cory Burke (Own Goal) 90th minute + 5: From a corner kick on the USA’s left attacking side, Christian Pulisic delivered a ball into the box to find defender Miles Robinson. Robinson skimmed a header towards the center of the six-yard box and his attempt was deflected Cory Burke and past Blake for the last gasp equalizer. USA 1, JAM 1
USA – Haji Wright (Gio Reyna) 97th minute: With the ball just inside the Jamaica half, Reyna picked up a loose ball and deftly picked out Wright, who was making a central run into the box. Reyna’s well-weighted pass found Wright in stride, allowing the striker to take a touch and put a left-footed shot past Blake. USA 2, JAM 1
USA – Haji Wright (Gio Reyna) 109th minute: Wright once again found himself on the end of a Reyna through-ball, and once again picked up the pass running into the left side of the box. Wright’s first touch was heavy, but he managed to collect with his back to goal, turn, and put a shot into the right side of the net. USA 3, JAM 1.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- The U.S. equalizer in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time was the team’s latest equalizing goal in 12 years, coming just prior to Ricardo Clark’s tally at 90+7 that lifted the team to a 1-0 win over Venezuela on Jan. 21, 2012.
- The USMNT has conceded in the first minute of a competitive match four times in team history and has not lost any of those matches (3-0-1).
- Haji Wright and Tyler Adams each entered the match in the 63rd minute, both making their first U.S. appearances since the team’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Netherlands on Dec. 3, 2022.
- Wright’s pair of extra time goals took his international haul to four in his career, having last scored in the aforementioned Round of 16 match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- Wright is also the first player in USMNT history to score multiple goals as a substitute in a knockout match.
- Tonight’s match marked Gio Reyna’s second career two-assist game, with his last coming in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Final, a 2-0 win over Canada on June 18, 2023.
- With his two-assist performance, Reyna brings his career international tally to five in 25 appearances.
- Weston McKennie earned his 50th cap tonight. The Little Elm, Texas product becomes the 61st USMNT player to reach the half-century mark in appearances. McKennie also made his team-leading 13th Concacaf Nations League appearance.
- Christian Pulisic captained the team for the 20th time, tying former teammate Clint Dempsey for ninth on the USMNT captains list. The USA is 15-2-3 when Pulisic wears the armband.
- Tonight was the seventh knockout match between the USMNT and Jamaica. The only opponent the U.S. has faced more in knockout round matches is Mexico (14 times).
- Tonight’s Starting XI featured an average age of 24 years, 186 days. The starting lineup also averaged 29 caps and 19 in official competition.
- With all 22 players dressed age 21 or older, tonight’s match marks the first time that zero players under 21 will appear for the USMNT since the Gold Cup Final against Jamaica on July 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif.
- Defender Sergiño Dest served a one-match suspension tonight after receiving a red card in the team’s last CNL match at Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 20, 2023.
- Gregg Berhalter is 42-14-12 in 68 matches as USMNT head coach. The USA is 27-7-7 in competitive matches under Berhalter, with his .744 winning percentage the highest among USMNT head coaches with a minimum of eight matches in official competition.
-U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Jamaica
Date: March 21, 2024
Competition: 2024 Concacaf Nations League Semifinal
Venue: AT&T Stadium; Arlington, Texas
Attendance: 40,926
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local)
Weather: 63 degrees; cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 OT1 OT2 F
USA 0 1 1 1 3
JAM 1 0 0 0 1
JAM – Gregory Leigh (Bobby Reid) 1st minute
USA – Own Goal (Cory Burke) 90+6
USA – Haji Wright (Gio Reyna) 97
USA – Haji Wright (Gio Reyna) 110
Lineups:
USA: 1-Matt Turner; 5-Antonee Robinson, 3-Chris Richards, 12-Miles Robinson, 19-Joe Scally (7-Gio Reyna, 46); 8-Weston McKennie, 6-Yunus Musah (4-Tyler Adams, 63) (15-Johnny Cardoso, 100), 17-Malik Tillman (11-Brenden Aaronson, 76); 10-Christian Pulisic (capt.), 20-Folarin Balogun (9-Ricardo Pepi, 63), 21-Tim Weah (14-Haji Wright, 63)
Substitutes not used: 18-Ethan Horvath, 22-Drake Callender, 13-Tim Ream, 16-Mark McKenzie, 23-Kristoffer Lund
Suspended: 2-Sergiño Dest
Head coach: Gregg Berhalter
JAM: 1-Andre Blake (capt.); 2-Dexter Lembiska, 17-Damion Lowe, 3-Michael Hector, 6-Di'shon Bernard, 22-Gregory Leigh (7-Kaheim Dixon, 102); 10-Bobby Reid, 14-Kasey Palmer (16-Karoy Anderson, 74), 15-Joel Latibeaudiere, 19-Jamal Lowe (8-Daniel Johnson, 65); 20-Renaldo Cephas (9-Cory Burke, 74) (18- Romario Williams, 102)
Substitutes not used: 13-Shaquan Davis, 23-Jahmal Waite, 4-Tayvon Gray, 5-Richard King, 11-Shamar Nicholson, 12-Demarai Gray, 21-Bailey Cadamarteri
Head coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson
Stats Summary: USA / JAM
Shots: 25 / 6
Shots on Goal: 7 / 3
Saves: 2 / 5
Corner Kicks: 12 / 3
Fouls: 13 / 22
Offside: 1 / 6
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Joe Scally (Caution) 12th minute
JAM - Dexter Lembiska (Caution) 51
JAM – Kasey Palmer (Caution) 54
JAM – Damione Lowe (Caution) 69
Officials:
Referee: Selvin Brown (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Gerson Orellana (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Enmanuel Aquirre (NCA)
4th Official: Keylor Herrera (CRC)
VAR: Ricardo Montero (CRC)
AVAR1: Benjamin Whitty (CAY)