Victory in Jamaica

The United States Men’s National Team conceded an 89^th minute goal to knot the score at 1-1, but scored a winner in stoppage time to grab an important 2-1 World Cup Qualifying victory over Jamaica on the road on Friday night. Jozy Altidore opened the scoring for the U.S. and Brad Evans scored the late winner.

Evans’ strike came off a short corner in the 92^nd minute, blasting in a shot after getting the ball from Michael Bradley to assure the U.S. all three points just minutes after it appeared Jamaica had stolen a draw.

The win pushes the U.S. (2-1-1, 7 points) into second place in CONCACAF’s final round of World Cup 2014 Qualifying, behind Costa Rica only on goal differential. The top three teams advance to the World Cup, while the fourth place team will need to defeat New Zealand in a two-leg playoff for a spot.

Jurgen Klinsmann used the same line-up that won 4-3 against Germany in a friendly on Saturday and it nearly paid immediate dividends in just the 2^nd minute, but Bradley’s volley from 15 yards after a cross from Graham Zusi was denied by the post.

The U. S. then opened the scoring in the 30th minute through Altidore. Zusi found some space on the right flank and sent a perfect cross into the box where Altidore eluded his marker to head in his second goal in as many games.

But the home side nearly found an equalizer in the 39^th minute when Jermaine Johnson played Rudolph Austin behind the defense. Austin beat U.S. ‘keeper Tim Howard with his shot, but was denied by the far post.

Jamaica looked in control in the second half, but struggled to test Howard. The U.S. nearly found a second goal on a counterattack, but Clint Dempsey’s header off a ball from Bradley was just high of the bar.

The Jamaicans finally found a deserved equalizer in the 89^th minute when Austin sent a cross into the box off a free kick that found a wide open Jermaine Beckford in front of the defense. Beckford headed it past Howard to knot the score at 1-1.

The U.S. 92^nd minute game winner came when Bradley got the ball off a short corner kick on the left flank and passed it to Evans, about 10 yards from goal. Evans turned and shot past Donovan Ricketts to give the U.S. the 2-1 win.

The U.S. continued World Cup Qualifying with a match against Panama on Tuesday at 9:30 P.M. ET in Seattle, Wash.

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