Inexperienced USMNT pass another big test by beating Jamaica in Gold Cup quarters
By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Before the United States men’s national team kicked off their Gold Cup campaign earlier this month, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter made it clear the primary objective for his mostly second-string roster was nothing less than to win the regional championship.
The Americans moved a step closer to that goal Sunday night, beating Jamaica 1-0 on Matthew Hoppe’s late goal and advancing to Thursday’s semifinal in Austin, Texas, against guest team — and 2022 FIFA World Cup host — Qatar.
USMNT defeats Jamaica, 1-0, advances to semis on Matthew Hoppe's dramatic late goal
In many ways, the victory was expected. After all, the U.S. came into this contest just outside Dallas having reached at least the semis in each of the previous 10 Gold Cups. Since being shocked at that stage by the Reggae Boyz in 2015 — still the only home loss to Jamaica in program history — the USMNT have dominated their CONCACAF rivals, having now eliminated the island nation in the past three tournaments.
Berhalter had predicted a tight match against Jamaica, and that’s precisely what he got.
"We talked about what type of game it was going to be, so the guys were prepared from that standpoint, but when you actually get in the game, it’s a different deal," said Berhalter, who started eight players in their maiden knockout match. "I thought our guys competed unbelievably."
They had to. Theodore Whitmore’s side is perhaps the most talented Jamaican squad since Whitmore played for his country in its lone FIFA World Cup appearance in 1998.
Meantime, the U.S. is fielding one of their least experienced teams ever. While U.S. stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and more than a dozen other European-based regulars prepare for their club seasons overseas, Whitmore’s roster was close to full strength.
Jamaica gave the hosts all they could handle. They pressed the U.S. relentlessly, trying to breach the Americans in transition. U.S. keeper Matt Turner was forced to make five first-half saves — more than half as many stops as he posted in the red, white and blue’s three group stage wins — just to keep the score level.
In the second half, Turner and center backs Miles Robinson and James Sands — who stepped into Berhalter’s lineup in place of the injured Walker Zimmerman — continued to keep Jamaica at bay.
"One of our concerns tonight was how our center backs were going to deal with their physicality," Berhalter said. "I thought Miles and James did an excellent job. For young players, inexperienced players in the knockout round, I thought they had an excellent game."
The Americans finally began to take control of the match when Berhalter inserted midfielder Cristian Roldan and striker Gyasi Zardes off the bench with about a half-hour to go.
"Our starters did a really good job of wearing them down," Roldan said. "It’s really hard to keep that intensity high all game."
To that point, Hoppe had scratched and clawed his way through the match with little to show for it. But the 20-year-old forward didn’t squander the opportunity to repay Berhalter for keeping him on the field. With just seven minutes of regular time left, Hoppe rose to meet Roldan’s cross, nodding the eventual game-winner past visiting backstop Andre Blake from the doorstep.
"He was grinding," Berhalter said of Hoppe, who became the first American to score a Bundesliga hat trick earlier this year. "When a guy puts that type of effort in and hangs in there and keeps going, we wanted to stick with him. It was great to see him score."
Now it’s on to Austin to take on Qatar, a technically gifted opponent that has demonstrated why it came into this event as Asia’s reigning champion. The Qataris will provide an intriguing and much different look from the hardscrabble local foes the U.S. will face when World Cup qualifying begins in September.
But while Qatar will present a different sort of challenge, it won’t be any easier. Once again, the USMNT expectation will be to advance to the Aug. 1 final, ideally against chief rival Mexico, which faces Canada in Thursday’s other semi.
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"Qatar is a good team. They deserve to be in the semis," said Roldan, who watched Qatar eliminate brother Alex Roldan’s Salvadoran squad Saturday to reach the final four. "They defended extremely well at the end against El Salvador. They’re quick in transitions, so it’s going to be vital to stop counterattacks, just like we did against Jamaica."
Not that this young American team will be at all fazed by the pressure. Said Roldan: "I like our chances."
One of the most prominent soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams in more than a dozen countries, including multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports, the New York City native was a staff writer for Yahoo Sports and ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
