The USA vs Jamaica match at the Sporting Park in Kansas City ended in a 2-0 win for the ‘Stars and Stripes’. With the victory, the USMNT now has 19 points, and secured the Hexagonal’s first place. On the other hand, Jamaica is now officially eliminated from any World Cup contention.
The first half of the match demonstrated that both sides had little to play for in this game. The game was very dull, and aside from a pair of poor shots on goal, there was no serious play quality. The first half showed Jamaica being the more aggressive team, however, the USA’s defense was excellent, and no real danger was created.
The second half began with a bit more enthusiasm from from sides. Although the quality of the match was still very defensive, the United States began to create more scoring opportunities. Two subs by Jurgen Klinsmann were the game changers as Sacha Kljestan and Edgar Castillo lead their team to victory. These two players allowed the United States offense to be more fluid, and that eventually lead to the winning goals by Graham Zusi and Jozy Altidore.
The 2-0 win was a memorable victory because the USMNT secures the first place in CONCACAF, which could ultimately push them to the Top 10 ranking in FIFA. Being in the top 10 will allow them to be nicely seeded in the World Cup qualifiers.
