USA Vs. Jamaica: Herculez Gomez Wins It For USMNT

The final 20 minutes were nervy ones for U.S. supporters, as Jurgen Klinsmann’s substitutes failed to keep possession. Jamaica couldn’t create clear chances, however, and the United States defense did their part to hold onto a 1-0 victory.

Danny Williams struck the post in the 30th minute with a wicked long-range effort that beat Miller, but just missed sneaking inside the net by inches. At that point, it looked like luck just might not be on the side of the Americans. Miller was brilliant in the first half, while the USMNT hit the post three times.

Everything was going great for the U.S. Could Klinsmann ruin that now?

You can follow live coverage of the game in our USA vs. Jamaica StoryStream and you can get all of your U.S. soccer coverage at Stars and Stripes FC.

Most of the late tackles are courtesy of the Reggae Boyz, who have been a step behind all match. Between that and the Americans being on the ball so much, late tackles are to be expected, but it’s been a little much lately and the U.S. rightfully is upset. They are turning to the referee waiting for yellow cards that aren’t coming and this one could have a real ugly moment soon.

As time ticks on and Jamaica gets mor desperate for the ball and a goal, this is only going to get worse. Here’s to hoping the referee keeps control of the match.

You can follow live coverage of the game in our USA vs. Jamaica StoryStream and you can get all of your U.S. soccer coverage at Stars and Stripes FC.

Zusi got the Yanks off to a brilliant start with their first real opportunity of the match, a great long shot that hit the crossbar. It would be one of three United States shots in the first half to hit the woodwork.

Danny Williams almost netted an absolute stunner in the 30th minute. During a very long spell of prolonged possession for the U.S., Jamaica gave him too much space on the ball and allowed him to step into a shot from 30 yards out. He beat Miller, but his shot struck the inside of the post and bounced clear.

Williams found space in the center of the pitch and stepped into it. With Jamaica failing to close him down, he was able to really get behind a shot and boy did he ever. He hit an absolute rocket and it looked like a sure goal, only it hit the inside of the post and somehow managed to stay out.

If the U.S. keeps playing like this they will get a goal. That is unless Miller continues to be a wizard.

it was a blown opportunity for the U.S. who really should have had a goal by now because Gomez’s ball was absolutely incredible. If Jamaica manages some sort of counterattack for a goal, that miss will loom large.

Already early on, the U.S. is showing some width. Zusi has also flashed his skills, which are usually best from a wider position that allows him to cut in, as he did there. From the start, it is clear that the Americans are attacking Jamaica differently than they did last week.

United States: Howard; Cherundolo, Cameron, Bocanegra, Johnson; Jones, Williams; Zusi, Dempsey, Torres; Gomez.

Jamaica: Miller; Palmer, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Taylor; Watson, Austin, Morrison, Shelton; Johnson, Cummings

That’s quite a bit of uncertainty for a match with so much at stake. But that’s the fun of World Cup qualifying, right?

We’ll have live coverage of the game in our USA vs. Jamaica StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer, follow @SBNationSoccer on Twitter. Check out our video preview of the match below.

Dempsey did start and 36 seconds into the match he showed why, scoring the quickest goal in U.S. qualifying history. But the rest of the match was not nearly as good for the American start.

While Dempsey continued to work hard and try to get involved, he was not at his best and in the second half looked gassed. By the end, he was just trying to drag his legs along until the final whistle, which is to be expected of a player who hadn’t played in so long.

The loss puts the U.S. in a second place tie with Guatemala in Group A of the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying. And with the Chapines likely to take three points against Antigua and Barbuda, a U.S. loss would put them three points back with two matches to go. That is the very edge of not just the disaster of missing out on the 2014 World Cup, but they will have gone out before even making the final round of qualifying.

Now the U.S. finds themselves in a match that may not mathematically a “must-win” match, but it’s pretty damn close. They have an extraordinary amount of pressure on them going into Tuesday’s qualifier, once again against Jamaica, but this time in Columbus, OH.