The United States men’s national team snatched an improbable victory from the jaws of defeat, with an equalizer in the last breath of regulation time and two more goals in extra time to beat Jamaica 3-1 in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday.
The U.S. had been stunned when conceding after just 30 seconds as Jamaica’s Greg Leigh headed past Matt Turner for for the earliest goal the USMNT has conceded this century.
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The score remained 1-0 for the next 95 minutes as a struggling U.S. team stared at the prospect of a third-straight loss for the first time since 2015 and just a fourth-ever defeat to Jamaica in 33 matchups.
But in the sixth minute of the allotted five minutes of stoppage time, Jamaica substitute Cory Burke unwittingly headed past his own goalkeeper for the latest regulation-time goal the U.S. had scored since 2012.
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It did not take long for the USMNT to strike again. Haji Wright, one of a number of attacking substitutes introduced by coach Gregg Berhalter, fed onto a through ball from another, Gio Reyna, and displayed the kind of composure sorely lacking from the U.S. for much of the contest to find the bottom corner of the net six minutes into extra time.
The two combined again in the second half of extra time as Wright, who just five days earlier scored to send English second-tier side Coventry City to the FA Cup semifinals, struck again to finally allow Berhalter to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The U.S., winners of the first two Concacaf Nations League titles, will now look to make the most of its dramatic reprieve when going for a three-peat in Sunday’s final back at AT&T Stadium.
Berhalter’s team will meet the winner of Thursday’s second semifinal between Mexico and Panama. Jamaica, which was missing arguably its two standout players in Aston Villa midfielder Leon Bailey and West Ham striker Michail Antonio, will be left with the scant consolation of a third-place playoff.
