Christian Pulisic, Pepi Praised by USMNT Fans After Nations League Win vs. Jamaica

Julia StumbaughNovember 15, 2024

John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

The U.S. Men’s National Team is one step closer to a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal win.

Ricardo Pepi’s early goal stood as the decider as Team USA won 1-0 on Thursday night in head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first game with the team.

The quarterfinal will continue with a second game on Monday. Whichever team wins the set will advance to both the Nations League Finals in March and the Gold Cup in June.

B/R Football @brfootballPulisic 🤝 Pepi

And it only took the USMNT five minutes 😤

Watch Jamaica vs. USA on TNT, TruTV and Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/HMw7eERXtD

Paul Carr @PaulCarrFinal: 🇯🇲 0-1 🇺🇸

🇺🇸 USMNT’s first shutout road win since 2016 in Cuba

🇺🇸 USMNT’s first shutout win in Jamaica since 1994

Pepi’s early goal continued what has so far been a strong season for the 21-year-old USMNT star.

B/R Football @brfootball𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 goals for club and country this season for Ricardo Pepi 🚂 pic.twitter.com/2lEWG0VUP6

OptaJack⚽️ @OptaJack4 – Ricardo Pepi is the fourth player to score 12 goals for the #USMNT before turning 22 years old, joining Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Christian Pulisic. Dozen. pic.twitter.com/zbTo8tnbRw

Bobby Reagan @BarstoolReagsElite company. Pepi gotta be the starting 9 https://t.co/SwTKzIYqna

AC Milan star Christian Pulisic meanwhile sparked praise by setting up Pepi’s go-ahead goal in the fifth minute.

Tom Bogert @tombogertExcellent work by Christian Pulisic between the lines + turn to progress + slip Ricardo Pepi through at the perfect time.

Beautiful.

pic.twitter.com/xbCmlONKEx

USMNT burner @burnerusmntChristian Pulisic is a world class soccer player pic.twitter.com/7Mz1xdMVdy

Larry Henry Jr @lhenry019Great find from Pulisic and stellar strike from Pepi. #USMNT https://t.co/wKBDvyVDcx

The game marked a historic night for both Pulisic, who became the 33rd player in USMNT history to make 75 appearances for the U.S., and Pepi, who became the fourth USMNT player to score 12 times on international stages before turning 22, per the AP.

Pulisic also took several hits from Jamaica as USMNT worked to preserve the lead in the second half.

Martino Puccio @MartinoPuccioPulisic with another assist. In the form of his life

Maximiliano Bretos @MaxBretosSportsChristian Pulisic takes the hits for all of us.
We appreciate his sacrifice.

Jamaica’s Demarai Gray received a penalty kick in the 14th minute, but Team USA goaltender Matt Turner blocked the shot to keep the Americans ahead.

B/R Football @brfootballMatt Turner gives up the penalty, Matt Turner saves the penalty 🧱

Watch Jamaica vs. USA on TNT, TruTV and Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/QcslWmgWBs

FOX Soccer @FOXSoccerMatt Turner says NO to the Jamaica PK 🧤🚫 pic.twitter.com/JsIwZ3YrxU

Paul Carr @PaulCarrMatt Turner has saved three of eight penalties for the USMNT. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cEaOcTSGl8

The hosts got another opportunity to tie the game in the 65th minute, but Mason Holgate missed an opportunity on the goal line.

Telemundo Deportes @TelemundoSports😳 ¡CEEEERCA EL GOL DE JAMAICA!

Los locales se quedaron a nada del empate, Musah salva de forma espectacular 👀

🇯🇲 #Jamaica 0-1 @USMNT 🇺🇸

📺📱 EN VIVO por @NBCUniverso y Telemundo APP ➡️ https://t.co/luCUYvoX4H#CNL #Concacaf #FutbolUSA #USMNT pic.twitter.com/6NBmc3BYlr

The second half was marked by whistles, with Holgate getting dismissed after receiving his second yellow card of the game in the 86th minute.

USMNTrev @EyesandvibesWow losing holgate for the second leg too is going to really hurt Jamaica

The win led fans to celebrate the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to sign Pochettino as the successor to former manager Gregg Berhalter.

Pochettino coached Team USA through a pair of friendlies last month, but the win marked his first in a competitive match.

Justin Ruderman @JustinRuderman_First competitive away game for Mauricio Pochettino ends in the first win away against a Top 6 Concacaf opponent in over a decade. A new era.

OptaJack⚽️ @OptaJack3 – Mauricio Pochettino is the third full-time #USMNT manager to win his first competitive away match, joining Bob Bradley (2008) and Steve Sampson (1996). Undaunted. pic.twitter.com/9VrTvqDhL1

Team USA won the first three editions of the Concacaf Nationals League tournament. The United States will see if they can set themselves on track for a fourth straight victory by claiming the team’s second official win of the Pochettino era on Monday.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET in St. Louis. The winner of the aggregate-goal series will advance to a semifinal match on March 20 in Inglewood, California.