ARLINGTON, Texas: Haji Wright was at an airport in England final weekend about to depart for Dubai through the worldwide break when his cellphone rang. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter requested him to switch injured Josh Sargent on the American roster.
“My whole family’s here. My agent’s already there and my girlfriend’s going — she planned the whole thing,’” Berhalter remembered Wright telling him.
“I know you got your parents, the bags are packed and you’re at the airport, but just think about it for 10 minutes and give me a call back,” the coach stated.
“He called me back and he said, `I’m in.’ And when I heard that, it really shows what type of guy he is, what type of character he is,” Berhalter added.
The United States escaped defeat with an personal aim within the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, Wright scored twice in additional time and the Americans rallied previous Jamaica 3-1 Thursday evening to achieve the CONCACAF Nations League ultimate in opposition to Mexico.
Greg Leigh scored 30 seconds in for the 57th-ranked Reggae Boyz, and the No. 13 Americans had been on the verge of dropping their third straight match. Instead, Wright scored within the sixth and nineteenth minutes of additional time and the U.S. will attempt to win the Nations League for the third straight time on Sunday.
“I’m a professional player. This is my job, so I was immediately excited when he called me,” stated Wright, whose additional time aim final weekend lifted Coventry City to an FA Cup quarterfinal.
His household went on to Dubai, and his mom texted him after the sport.
Both of Wright’s targets had been arrange by Gio Reyna, who entered initially of the second half after being restricted to 42 minutes over 4 substitute appearances for Nottingham Forest since he was loaned from Borussia Dortmund on Jan. 31. Reyna spoke to media with the U.S. crew for the primary time because the World Cup, when Berhalter virtually despatched him house for lack of hustle in coaching, and Reyna’s household notified the U.S. Soccer Federation of a many years outdated home-violence incident involving the coach. Berhalter was changed by assistant coaches for a lot of 2023, then rehired.
“Obviously what happened, happened” Reyna stated, “but I think both of us are so far past it and just so focused on the group that it’s not even an issue at all anymore, and we’re just so far past it.”
Four minutes of second-half stoppage time initially had been signaled by Honduran referee Selvin Brown and later 5, and the clock was at 5:25 when Christian Pulisic’s nook kick to the close to publish was headed throughout by Miles Robinson. The ball deflected off Jamaican ahead Corey Burke and previous goalkeeper Andre Blake, the newest aim for the Americans since Ricardo Clark scored within the seventh minute of stoppage time to beat Venezuela 1-0 in a 2012 exhibition.
“We feel that the game was finished before this corner came,” Jamaica coach Heimir Hallgrímsson stated.
Wright had not performed for the U.S. since scoring within the 3-1 loss to the Netherlands that eradicated the Americans from the 2022 World Cup. He entered within the 63rd minute and scored after the ball was knocked away from Pulisic. Reyna picked up the ball simply previous the middle circle and facet-footed a via ball to Wright, who minimize left to create house and slotted together with his left foot previous Blake.
Then Reyna gained a ball from Keroy Anderson and made one other incisive move via the protection. Wright spun to regulate the ball and scored from 8 yards together with his proper foot or his fourth aim in eight worldwide appearances.
“When I made that eye contact, I know he has the ability to find me,” Wright stated.
Leigh put Jamaica forward after a throw-in deflected off Antonee Robinson to Fulham teammate Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who lofted the ball previous Chris Richards and throughout the aim. Leigh was left unmarked by Joe Scally and headed the ball between goalkeeper Matt Turner and the publish for his first aim in 13 worldwide appearances.
“It was a poor play by a number of players,” Berhalter stated.
Scally began at proper again rather than Sergiño Dest, suspended due to his ejection for arguing with the referee in opposition to Trinidad and Tobago in November.
There was a sparse crowd for the primary half at AT&T Stadium, the place Mexico beat Panama 3-0 within the second recreation of the doubleheader.
With the U.S. in new pink, white and blue uniforms, defender Robinson was the one American starter from Major League Soccer.
Tyler Adams entered within the 63rd in his first look because the 2022 World Cup after recovering from a torn proper hamstring that twice wanted surgical procedure. Restricted to restricted enjoying time as he regains health, Adams complained to Berhalter when he was eliminated 10 minutes into additional time.
“I could have played 90 minutes, if you asked me. Everyone wants to hold me back,” Adams stated. “It was a smart move long-term, and I accept that.”
Jamaica was lacking a lot of its high gamers. Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey and Trivante Stewart weren’t with the crew and Demarai Gray and Shamari Nicholson had been suspended. The U.S. had 77% possession and a 25-6 benefit in pictures.
“The pregame talk is the normal CONCACAF speech, right? It’s not going to be easy, guys. It’s going to be a very difficult game,” Berhalter stated. “And I think somewhere along the line it goes in one of the ears and then out the other one. They don’t really understand it.”
Notes: Mexico received targets from Edson Álvarez within the fortieth minute, Julián Quiñones within the forty third and Orbelín Pineda within the 67th. Quiñones, who was born in Colombia and have become a Mexican citizen in October, scored his first worldwide aim. It was initially dominated offside however was reversed in a video assessment.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
