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Ricardo Pepi scored two goals early in the second half, becoming the youngest American to score in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers at 18, and the United States dominated Jamaica in a 2 victory. -0 Thursday evening.
Pepi, who scored his first international goal to break a second-half tie in Honduras, gave the United States the lead in the 49th minute to cap off a quick end-to-end move and added another goal to the 62nd.
Pepi made his Major League Soccer debut for Dallas in June 2019 and decided just before qualifying began to play for the United States against Mexico. His sudden rise to the international stage sparked the interest of European clubs interested in a transfer.
Playing without injured forwards Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna, the 13th-seeded Americans won their second straight qualifying game after opening by two draws and improving to eight points after four of 14 matches in the final round of the North, Central America and Caribbean region. , The other six nations all played later Thursday.
Jamaica’s No.59, who hasn’t competed in the World Cup since 1998, has one point after four matches.
The next stop for the United States will be a Sunday game in Panama followed by a home game next Wednesday against Costa Rica in Columbus, Ohio.
The match took place on the 20th anniversary of the United States ‘2-1 victory over Jamaica in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which clinched a berth at the World Cup, the Americans’ first game after the terrorist attacks of September 11.
In front of a loud, pro-American crowd of 20,500 at Q2 Stadium, which opened in June about eight miles north of downtown Austin, the United States took possession of the flanks in the first half. time with Sergiño Dest on the right and Antonee Robinson on the left. But the crosses never connected, and Americans rarely threatened.
Granada referee Reon Radix has twice refused to issue red cards for Jamaican fouls which the United States said merited a dismissal. Concacaf declined to require review of the videos, saying so even though Europe and South America have offered proofreading assistance for match officials.
The first goal came from as smooth a movement as the United States can produce.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner rolled the ball to his right flank, where Dest struck it just outside his own penalty area. In a streak that lasted about eight seconds, Dest sprinted forward while taking five touches and centered the ball on Yunus Musah, who was on the run.
Musah took four hits and bombarded Dest, who hit a cross. Pepi broke away from Damion Lowe and around eight yards directed a down header that rebounded to the right of goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Pepi scored again when he redirected a Brenden Aaronson cross past Blake with a six-yard right-footed shot after Robinson quickly played on the flank.
After the United States started injecting new legs, Gyasi Zardes failed to connect for an open shot on a Tim Weah cross in the 79th minute.
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