The U.S. men’s national team tied host Jamaica 1-1 in Kingston on Tuesday and sits in second place in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying standings.
Canada (4-0-4) leads the standings with 16 points after a 2-1 win over Mexico on Tuesday night. The U.S. (4-1-3) has 15. Mexico (4-2-2) and Panama (4-2-2) each have 14. The top three teams automatically qualify for the World Cup in Qatar starting Nov. 21, 2022, and the fourth-place team will go to an intercontinental playoff.
Six of the 14 qualifying rounds remain, with the next set of matches on Jan. 27. The U.S. hosts El Salvador.
On Tuesday, Timothy Weah gave the U.S. the lead in the 11th minute before Michail Antonio tied it in the 22nd.
Weah was on the receiving end of a combination play with Ricardo Pepi outside the penalty area and dribbled around several defenders for the sneaky shot from the left side that went inside the right post for his second international goal in 18 matches.
The crowd at Independence Park — Jamaica’s national stadium with a capacity of 35,000 — was limited because of COVID-19 mandates to 5,000 and the usual raucous atmosphere was lacking until the equalizer.
Jamaica had been no threat until Antonio cut to the inside and ripped a rising shot from 30 yards to the upper-right corner over an outstretched Zack Steffen.
The U.S. was without defender Miles Robinson (red card) and midfielder Weston McKennie (yellow card accumulation). Both started the 2-0 win over Mexico on Friday in Cincinnati.
Standout forward Christian Pulisic, who came off the bench to score the first goal against Mexico, again was used sparingly because of his history of injuries.
He entered in the 66th minute vs. the Jamaicans but, like his teammates, was frustrated by the inability to get the breakthrough goal.
The U.S. somehow escaped giving up a second goal in the 53rd minute when Bobby Reid was alone 4 yards in front of the goal but sailed his attempt out of play.
Jamaica had a goal disallowed in the 84th minute on a header by Damion Lowe, who was called for fouling defender Walker Zimmerman.
–Field Level Media
