USMNT beats Jamaica 1-0 in Leg 1 of Nations League quarterfinals

The U.S. men's national team has the advantage.

The U.S. on Thursday beat Jamaica away 1-0 in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, securing the lead heading into the second fixture.

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It took just five minutes for the U.S. to get on board in Mauricio Pochettino's first competitive match as manager.

Christian Pulisic dropped to the right flank, then fed Ricardo Pepi through on goal. Pepi took a while to prep his shot, but beat Andre Blake to the far left post thanks to the post.

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It didn't take long for Jamaica to potentially equalize, however. Striker Shamar Nicholson, 27, did well to beat Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie in the box to draw a penalty on Matt Turner, who lunged too early and clipped him.

Former Everton forward Demarai Gray stepped up to the spot, but Turner made amends for his mistake with the save.

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The action staled from that point on, as neither team got involved as often for extra goals. Jamaica finished the game with two big chances, missing both.

For the U.S., it had three big chances with also two missed. The Stars and Stripes held the ball 59% of the time.

Malik Tillman entered in the 20th minute to replace the injured Johnny Cardoso, while Gianluca Busio and Brandon Vazquez both came on in the 72nd minute. Vazquez had an opportunity with an open shot, but it lacked any power and went right at Blake.

Game 2 at Energizer Park in St. Louis is slated for Monday at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT. The next FIFA-recognized international break is in March 2025.