ST. LOUIS — The U.S. men’s national team put on a show in a 4-2 win over Jamaica on Monday night, advancing to the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal for a fourth consecutive time.
The U.S. entered the night with a goal advantage from the first leg but played some of its best soccer of the last year to take a three-goal lead into halftime before pulling out the win.
It was smooth, controlled possession through the first 45 minutes and Jamaica looked overwhelmed. Christian Pulisic opened things in the 14th minute when he finished cleanly off a long ball played in by Weston McKennie and then caused the second goal in the 33rd minute after a nice combination up the right side in which McKennie’s pass back across the middle was dummied by Tanner Tessmann and Pulisic’s shot found the far post off a deflection.
Ricardo Pepi made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute with a finish to the far post from just atop the box and Tim Weah added a fourth in the second half. Jamaica scored twice, but the U.S. was largely in control of the match.
It was a resounding win in Mauricio Pochettino’s first competitive home game as national team manager.
The U.S. will play in the Nations League semifinals in March as it looks to defend a three-consecutive title run.
Tim Weah celebrates scoring for the U.S. against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
USMNT stars stand out
As the U.S. prepares for the World Cup in 2026, its hopes will rely mostly on the biggest-name players in the team. Pulisic has been the team’s star, but McKennie has filled a critical role across several positions for the U.S. in the last cycle and a half, and Weah has been a quietly productive player.
Monday night against Jamaica, it was that trio of players who paced the U.S. to the win.
Pulisic scored the opener and his shot was deflected in for the second goal. He also set up the fourth goal by holding off a Jamaica defender and flicking the ball out to Yunus Musah, whose cross found Weah for the finish.
Weah, making his first appearance for the U.S. since his costly red card in the Copa America against Panama, scored the fourth goal for the U.S. but was also consistently dangerous in combination play with Pulisic up the left wing.
McKennie played a higher central role in this window under Pochettino and said this week he enjoys the chance to be more dangerous. Against the Reggae Boyz on Monday, he proved that his passing can, at times, be his best quality. McKennie picked out Pulisic for the finish on the first goal and his centering cross set up the second, as well.
McKennie and Pulisic exited together in the 69th minute to a huge ovation from the home crowd.
Among the most interesting parts of the first-half performance was how the U.S. built up in possession when it had the ball.
Left back Antonee Robinson moved centrally into an inverted role next to Tessmann, and Musah dropped from a right midfield role into a lower position. Right back Joe Scally then moved higher. On the left side, Pulisic came wide into the area vacated by Robinson with Weah staying at his left winger spot above Pulisic.
The rotation seemed to confuse Jamaica and created space for Pulisic and Weah, especially, to cause problems up the left side. That eventually opened up more space on the right, and McKennie took advantage to help create the second goal.
It was a new look from the U.S. under Pochettino, but one that seemed both to neutralize Jamaica’s wing play by pulling its players out of position and create more room for Pulisic to try to combine and create in dangerous spaces.
The U.S. did alter that buildup in the second half, with Pulisic staying in a more central role.
Tanner Tessman continued his strong on-field performance in the second game against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Tessmann looks solid
Getting his second start in midfield under Pochettino, Tessmann put in a solid shift in a central role as he looks to stake his claim on a job with the U.S. team.
The U.S. has been searching for more midfield options to create competition centrally, especially with Pochettino opting to play Musah in a wide role and with Tyler Adams still working his way back into fitness. Tessmann was a late call-up into October camp but had a solid outing in a loss to Mexico, earning him more chances this month.
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Tessmann was good starting on the road in Jamaica last week — Pochettino said one could see his huge potential — and the former FC Dallas homegrown put in another strong performance in the home leg playing next to McKennie. He completed 73 of 74 passes, made five recoveries, won two duels and one interception and his dummy helped to set up the U.S. second goal, freezing Jamaican defenders and allowing Pulisic to get his shot on net.
What’s next?
Pochettino won’t get a chance to work with his top group of players until March, but the U.S. will hold a January camp and will play friendlies as part of that camp, including against Venezuela on Jan. 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
(Top photo: Omar Vega / Getty Images)
