The U.S. men's national team dispatched Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals defeating the Reggae Boyz 5–2 on aggregate. To describe the second leg performance in one word: dominant.
Tim Weah nearly returned with a bang after some combination play with Antonee Robinson less than five minutes into the game when he rattled the post. From there, the pace was set.
The team played with a confidence that the fans in St. Louis fed off of all night. Pulisic opened the scoring in the 14th minute after Weston McKennie played a stellar ball over the top that met with on the half-volley. Pulisic added a second via a massive deflection and Ricardo Pepi scored a third before halftime. Weah got on the scoresheet in the 55th minute with a superb strike after a cross from Yunus Musah.
Demarai Gray scored twice on the night for Jamaica reminding the Stars and Stripes there's still a ways to go in terms of being assured defensively, even when scoring four on a night.
USA can head into 2025 with a renewed confidence under Mauricio Pochettino as the Argentine continues to mold the Stars and Stripes in his vision.
Tanner Tessmann Announces Himself in Second Leg
Take a bow, Tanner. Fresh off his first career senior start in Jamaica, Tessmann was much improved in the second leg. It could've been pitch conditions or instruction, but he didn't take the risks he did in the first leg that he did tonight.
He was a commanding force in a pivot with Yunus Musah, but he was also active in attack. His best moment came from a through ball played into the attacking third for McKennie. The midfielder cut it back into the box toward Tessmann who let it run all the way to Pulisic. Luck played its part considering the bounce the shot took, but the actions leading up to the goal are positive signs as to what Tessmann can become at the senior level.
This was the player who stood out at the Paris Olympics. This could be the player to take USA's midfield to another level come the World Cup.
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Pochettino Ball Has Officially Arrived
The tone was set from kick-off. USA played with intensity, confidence and never let momentum swing back in Jamaica's favor. McKennie, Robinson and Tessmann were much improved at CITYPARK.
Pulisic once again took up a free roaming role linking play in Jamaica's half while also being the most dangerous option in attacking actions. He was the best player on the pitch in the first leg, but the team failed to meet his quality in attack. The second leg was a completely different story. Confident first touches, taking players on, Monday's performance must be built on moving forward.
Ending 2024 on a high note after the disappointment of the summer was crucial to building confidence in the camp and in the manager.
USA Must Win the Concacaf Nations League
Copa America was viewed as the best tune-up for the 2026 World Cup, but the team was unprepared and exposed. Pochettino's had a solid start to his tenure with such a short runway to the biggest tournament in the world—outside of the friendly loss to Mexico—but lifting this trophy is a necessity.
At the time of writing, it looks like a rematch with Panama in the semifinals. An opportunity to right the summer wrongs will give the team tons of belief that it is on the right path under Pochettino. Without getting too far ahead of themselves, a final opponent could be Canada—the best Concacaf team from Copa America.
Regroup, celebrate the victory, and be motivated to come into the semifinals ready to take care of business. The talent is there, and this performance showcased exactly what Pochettino's USMNT can become.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Best Performance of the Pochettino Era: Takeaways From USA's Victory Over Jamaica.
