USA vs Jamaica live score, updates, highlights as sluggish USMNT trail in CONCACAF Nations League semifinal

By | March 21, 2024
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The USMNT will take the field for the side’s last competitive test before this summer’s Copa America as they take on Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals on Thursday.

The winner will face either Mexico or Panama in the finals on Sunday, while the losers of both matches will also meet in the third-place game.

Gregg Berhalter has, arguably for the first time in years, the healthiest first-choice side at his disposal. Midfielder and captain Tyler Adams is fit and with the team for the first time since the World Cup, while Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are both in exceptional form at the club level.

Jamaica have also qualified for the Copa America by way of their place in this match, but unlike the United States, the Reggae Boyz sport a side lacking many key players because of injury or suspension.

The Sporting News is following the USA vs Jamaica match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

MORE: Tracking every Christian Pulisic goal and assist with AC Milan this season

USA vs Jamaica live score

  Score (70′) Goal scorers
USA 0 –
Jamaica 1 Leigh (1′)

Kickoff: 6 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Referee: Selvin Brown (HON)

Starting lineups:

USA (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 19. Scally (Reyna, 46′), 3. C. Richards, 12. M. Robinson, 5. A. Robinson — 8. McKennie, 6. Musah (Adams, 63′) — 21. Weah (Pepi, 63′), 17. Tillman, 10. Pulisic — 20. Balogun (Wright, 63′).

Jamaica (5-4-1, right to left): 1. Blake (GK) — 2. Lembikisa, 6. Bernard, 17. D. Lowe, 3. Hector, 22. Leigh — 10. De Cordova-Reid, 14. Palmer, 15. Latibeaudiere, 19. J. Lowe — 20. Cephas.

USA vs Jamaica live updates, highlights, commentary

USA vs Jamaica: Second Half

69th min: Now Bobby Reid finds himself booked for a foul on Gio Reyna, which gives the U.S. a set-piece chance from about 26 yards out. Reyna and Malik Tillman stand over it, and it’s Tillman who takes with his right, blasted miles over the crossbar. Wasteful yet again from the United States.

66th min: Chance, Jamaica! Oh my, Kasey Palmer with a miss of the century candidate! Lucky for him, the flag goes up for offside, but Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s lateral feed found Palmer all alone at point-blank range, but he skies it over the crossbar. That’s a truly abysmal miss, but it wouldn’t have counted anyways.

65th min: Chance, USA! Haji Wright fires wide! The substitute is played in by Gio Reyna, but from a tight angle on the left, his shot is dragged along the face of goal and ends up on the other side of the far post.

Jamaica make a change, with midfield destroyer Daniel Johnson entering the field of play.

63rd min: Chance, Jamaica! Renaldo Cephas gets in behind Chris Richards and is free on goal! Thankfully for the U.S. he doesn’t catch the shot properly, and it’s fired off target! Wow, the U.S. has gotten away with one there.

60th min: Tim Weah has a go from a tight angle that’s blocked behind for a corner, and then moments later Weston McKennie fires high from a deep central area.

Gregg Berhalter makes a triple change, bringing on super-sub Ricardo Pepi as well as Tyler Adams and Haji Wright. Yunus Musah, Tim Weah, and Folarin Balogun. Taking off Weah is certainly a choice……he’s been the only truly creative U.S. player to this point.

57th min: Chance, USA! Christian Pulisic gets on the ball on the left edge of the six-yard box and goes vertically, cutting an off-balance cross along the goal mouth, but nobody is there to finish it! Great move, but nobody home for the touch!

Every time the U.S. has a move forward, they’re either fouled or slowed. It’s been really tough for them to get forward at pace.

54th min: Now Kasey Palmer is shown the yellow card for fouling Timothy Weah, and you wonder if the game will start to change in the favor of the U.S. if Jamaican defenders have to be careful of a second booking.

51st min: The Honduran referee shows Dexter Lembikisa a yellow card for fouling Malik Tillman in transition, a booking which has been coming some time for accumulation if nothing else.

50th min: Chance, USA! Gio Reyna produces an extremely cheeky flick which catches Jamaica off guard and unlocks Malik Tillman, but he is tackled in the area and can’t get a shot off! How many times are the U.S. going to get in space but fail to test the goalkeeper?

46th min: The second half has kicked off, and Gio Reyna is on for the United States, replacing Joe Scally, who was putrid in the opening 45 minutes. That likely means Tim Weah goes to full-back and Gio slots into midfield, with Malik Tillman moving out wide.

After a few seconds, it appears as if….Weston McKennie has gone to right-back instead? Well that’s new…

HALFTIME: USA 0-1 Jamaica

A truly putrid 45 minutes from the United States, who trail less because of any brilliance from Jamaica and more because of their own failures. The hosts have racked up individual mistakes all over the field, as the movement and ideas are there and they’re finding the openings, but the execution has been truly horrid.

What a mess for Gregg Berhalter to sort out at the break. If he’s ever going to make changes at the break, this is the time to do it, because nobody has been great. If you’re going to pick out one player who performed to standards, it would be Tim Weah, but even he had questionable moments.

Poor passes, mishit crosses, awful finishing, poor decision-making…it’s been really really bad from the U.S. This would be a chance for Gio Reyna, you would think — and sure enough, he’s the lone U.S. player warming up on the pitch during halftime.

USA vs Jamaica: First Half

45+1 min: Chance, USA! Christian Pulisic gets on the ball after good work by Antonee Robinson, but as he dribbles around defenders into a dangerous position, he’s dispossessed at the last second and the halftime whistle blows! How has he not pulled the trigger or made a pass?

45th min: Chance, USA! A miss for Malik Tillman reminiscent of the flub for Christian Pulisic earlier in the half! A Tim Weah cutback finds Tillman making a late run to the top of the six-yard box, but he can’t get a clean shot off and it’s deflected out of play! That’s another huge opportunity, but the finish is extremely weak! Better creativity, but still awful end product.

44th min: Weston McKennie with a very bad giveaway to Jamal Lowe who has a transition opportunity, but a heavy touch under pressure from Miles Robinson forces the ball over the end line. Can’t be doing that.

38th min: Jamal Lowe and Malik Tillman have a chat with the referee as the former fouls the latter, which frustrates Tillman. You’d expect to see a yellow card for accumulation soon as Jamaica are into double-digits in the foul count.

36th min: Jamaica suddenly begins to press quite high, pressuring the U.S. well into their own third, and it’s awkward for a bit but the hosts get out of jail. They don’t advance quick enough to take advantage, though, and Jamaica recover to pack their own area again.

The U.S. has done well to move the ball around and create openings when in possession, but so far they have fallen well short of the required execution needed to take advantage of their creation.

31st min: The U.S. has been better over the last five minutes, pressuring Jamaica hard in the attacking third. The Reggae Boyz have begun to struggle to relieve pressure, with Tim Weah and Yunus Musah doing well to advance play forward and deliver creative passes.

Malik Tillman is down after a clash of heads but gets up to his feet and is ok to continue.

26th min: Chance, USA! Tim Weah takes aim from about 26 yards out and fires a low fizzed shot just inches wide of the left post. He comes close, but in truth, the goalkeeper had the near post covered, and he had teammates in support to pick out. That’s not great decision-making from Weah to waste a good transition play.

21st min: Chance, USA! Oh no, Christian Pulisic has acres of space to shoot, but takes too long to receive the square ball from Folarin Balogun and is closed down at the last moment! The U.S. counter after the ball is picked off in midfield giving the hosts a three-on-two break, but Joel Latibeaudiere is able to get the block in! That’s poor from the in-form Pulisic with a wonderful opportunity, but also the ball from Balogun was underhit as well.

20th min: Chance, Jamaica! Renaldo Cephas forces a save from Matt Turner, cutting inside on his right and shot-faking three times before finally letting loose with a bouncing effort on target. It’s relatively simple for Turner, but a bit awkward thanks to the hop. An impressive job from Cephas to create the opportunity himself but had no room for the shot.

17th min: Chance, USA! Folarin Balogun heads a chance over the crossbar! It’s an awkward one for the U.S. striker, having to reconfigure his body to get his head on Joe Scally’s cross behind him. It comes on a good counter, but that cross has to be better.

It’s given as a corner, with the ball deflecting off the head of a defender, but the delivery is wasted as it goes way over everyone. A minute later Malik Tillman wastes a cross as he can’t get any air on it. The U.S. playmakers are playing so incredibly sloppy right now.

12th min: Joe Scally picks up an early booking after pulling down Renaldo Cephis by his neck to stop a Jamaica breakaway. It’s been a very poor start for Scally, who has not done well to take his chance with Sergino Dest suspended.

9th min: Jamaica have, as expected, packed it in now that they have an early lead. The U.S. has had almost all the early possession since the opening goal, but haven’t created much outside of Balogun’s chance a few minutes ago.

Yunus Musah in particular has been very sloppy in possession in the opening minutes. Tim Weah wastes a move forward with an ugly cross well over everyone’s head.

4th min: Chance, USA! Folarin Balogin has the first look on goal for the hosts, cutting onto his left foot and finding some space, but it’s closed down at the last moment and blocked out for a corner by Lembikisa. If he can get a few more of those opportunities you’d back the U.S. striker to find the net.

1st min: GOAL! JAMAICA! A GOAL FROM JAMAICA IN THE FIRST MINUTE AND THE US ARE STUNNED! Gregory Leigh has his first international goal essentially from the kickoff, as a throw-in from the right flank gets behind the U.S. defense and Leigh gets up above Joe Scally at the back post for the header.

How will the U.S. respond after being punched in the mouth from the opening whistle?

Kickoff: They’re under way from Jerry World in Arlington! A spot in the Nations League final is on the line, and a possible date with Mexico at that. Speaking of, looks like El Tri fans might be crashing the semifinal party, which could present a bit of a hostile atmosphere for the USMNT.

USA vs Jamaica: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more

15 mins to kickoff: The start of this match is right around the corner! The last time Jamaica beat the U.S. in a competitive match was the infamous 2015 Gold Cup semifinal in which the U.S. went down 2-0 before halftime and couldn’t muster a comeback. That’s one of three all-time wins for Jamaica over the United States. How will this one finish?

30 mins to kickoff: The U.S. will wear its new kits for the first time, the red white and blue tops which are a slight call-back to the popular bomb pop design from a few years ago.

It’s a really nicely designed kit, although on a personal level I wish the diagonal slash between colors was a little higher up so you got a bit more red. That’s a nitpick though, it’s a solid look for this summer’s Copa America.

45 mins to kickoff: The U.S. lineup is in, and there are a few surprises. Malik Tillman and Miles Robinson all start over Gio Reyna and Tim Ream. Sergino Dest is suspended, replaced by Joe Scally. It’s a 50th cap for Weston McKennie at just 25 years old.

For Jamaica, head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has set up in a five-back system, installing an extra defender in Di’Shon Bernard of Sheffield Wednesday. He has also picked a surprise choice up front, turning to Renaldo Cephas as the lone striker, who plays for Ankaragucu in Turkey and has just one international cap.

1 hour to kickoff: We continue to await lineups from Arlington, but one USMNT player who will surely be starting is Weston McKennie, who has been exceptional at the club level this season, with his hard work has impressing Gregg Berhalter. His performances on the field are the culmination of true faith in his own abilities, Berhalter says, as McKennie returned this past offseason from a failed loan spell at Leeds to a situation that would have seen most players bail for a new home.

”We can’t say enough about Weston and his growth over the last years,” Berhalter said. “Weston was in a situation where he went back to Juventus after the summer and he didn’t have a locker, and he didn’t have a parking spot. Most players would say ‘ok I’m done I’m leaving this club, it’s not for me,’ and Weston said ‘I’m going to dig in and prove that I belong.’”

McKennie stuck it out, and he’s proven vital to Juventus. He has become undroppable for head coach Massimiliano Allegri, with 29 starts on the year and nine assists across all competitions. McKennie has yet to score a goal, but that’s far from what his duties entail.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: There is turmoil within the Jamaica camp. In-form Aston Villa playmaker Leon Bailey was suspended for this international break by head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson for a curfew violation, and while the boss said he will be available for selection in the Copa America this summer, Bailey responded by saying he will step away from international duty.

Bailey said the Jamaica federation is organized in a “very unprofessional” manner, has equipment issues, and claims “I don’t remember the last time I received a dollar from the national team.” One disciplined player’s opinion on the subject isn’t exactly gospel, but there are definitely questions to be asked of the federation.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: While a record number of Americans have scored in Europe this season, there’s nobody having quite the season that Christian Pulisic is. The 25-year-old has logged 20 goal contributions for AC Milan, leading the club across all competitions, and he has bagged a goal in four straight games for the first time in his professional career. Before this streak, he’d never even had three in a row — entering the international break in scorching hot form.

We’ve backed him to find the net tonight as well, you can access our predictions for this match by clicking here.

1 hour 45 mins to kick: With fitness often comes form, and many U.S. are experiencing that this season. A record 12 American internationals have scored at least one goal in Europe’s top five leagues this campaign. Christian Pulisic leads the way as AC Milan’s leading goal scorer, while Folarin Balogun leads the line for AS Monaco in France.

The surprising part is that a number of defenders have contributed to the total as well, including Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Joe Scally, and John Brooks. Johnny Cardoso (video below) and Luca de la Torre have also found the net from midfield, in what is becoming quite the season for the U.S. in Europe.

2 hours to kickoff: Gregg Berhalter has not had this level of squad availability in a very long time. Tyler Adams is back, and while he’s expected to play limited minutes as they ease him back into action after a long injury layoff, Berhalter spoke about the importance of simply reintegrating the captain back into the side.

“We know he’s not going to be a starter in these two games, but can we get him back with this group,” Berhalter told CBS Sports while revealing the March squad. “Chemistry, leadership … he brings both of those things, so can we get him back and playing some minutes.”

Later, in his media availability, Berhalter repeated the same. “They think at [Bournemouth] that he has enough to play 45 minutes for us, so once we heard that, we jumped at that idea because he means so much to the team on and off the field. It’ll be nice to get him back.”

USA vs Jamaica lineups, team news

It has been a long time since Gregg Berhalter has enjoyed a USMNT with this clean bill of health. Most notably, captain Tyler Adams is back with the squad for the first time in over a year, finally healthy from his long bout with hamstring issues.

Adams is not quite ready to start, having only just returned for Bournemouth, but Berhalter said he is rated for 30-45 minutes, while the player claimed he can go 60 minutes if required. They’re understandably taking it slowly after an arduous recovery with multiple setbacks.

MORE: The full USMNT roster for March 2024 international matches in CONCACAF Nations League

The only players out injured are the two who withdrew from the squad: midfielder Luca de la Torre and forward Josh Sargent. Otherwise, only fringe striker Daryl Dike was unavailable for selection. The entire first-choice XI should be ready to start, outside of Sergino Dest who is in the squad but suspended for the first match thanks to his red card in the last Nations League game.

USA starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Turner (GK) — Scally, C. Richards, M. Robinson, A. Robinson — McKennie, Musah — Weah, Tillman, Pulisic — Balogun.

USA subs (11): Horvath (GK), Callender (GK), Ream, McKenzie, Lund, Cardoso, Adams, Reyna, Aaronson, Pepi, Wright.

Jamaica are missing a number of key players in a very weakened squad. Most notably, in-form Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey is not with the team after he was disciplined by head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson for a curfew breach last camp.

Also absent for Jamaica are Michail Antonio (withdrew, undisclosed), Ethan Pinnock (injured, ankle), and Amari’i Bell (injured, hamstring), plus Demarai Gray who is in the squad but unavailable for this match after a red card in the quarterfinals left him suspended.

Another notable absentee is 18-year-old Sheffield Wednesday striker Bailey Cadamarteri, who was called up to the squad but chose instead to accept an invite to the England U-19 squad as he delays his international committment.

Jamaica starting lineup (5-4-1): Blake (GK) — Lembihisa, Bernard, D. Lowe, Hector, Leigh — De Cordova-Reid, Palmer, Latibeaudiere, J. Lowe — Cephas.

Jamaica subs (9): Davis (GK), Waite (GK), King, Gray, Anderson, Dixon, D. Johnson, R. Williams, Burke.

How to watch USA vs Jamaica

  • Date: Thursday, Mar. 21
  • Time: 6 p.m. local CT (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
  • TV channel (English): None
  • Streaming (English): Paramount+
  • TV channel (Spanish): Univision
  • Streaming (Spanish): Fubo, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, Univision Now

CONCACAF English-language broadcast rights in the United States are owned by CBS Sports, who will air this USMNT match exclusively on Paramount+, where you can watch every match of the Nations League semifinals, finals, and third place match during this March international break.


The matches, including this one, will also be televised in Spanish on Univision, which is available to stream in the United States on Fubo, offering a free trial for new users.

MORE: Watch UEFA Champions League in the United States on Paramount+

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