Vazquez’s 88th-minute aim offers the US 1-1 draw with Jamaica in a CONCACAF Gold Cup opener

CHICAGO — Brandon Vazquez saved the United States from what would have been the Americans’ first loss in a CONCACAF Gold Cup opener.

Vazquez’s 88th-minute aim gave the No. 13 U.S. a 1-1 draw towards 63rd-ranked Jamaica on Saturday evening. He had entered the match six minutes earlier, tying him to the U.S. along with his first aggressive worldwide look. Born in Chula Vista, California, the 24-year-old ahead may have performed for Mexico.

“It means everything,” stated Vazquez, who was missed for final 12 months’s World Cup roster. “To be able to score a goal in my cap tie is amazing.”

Damion Lowe put the Reggae Boyz forward within the thirteenth minute, and Matt Turner stored the U.S. shut by saving a penalty kick on his Twenty ninth birthday. The defending champions got here again when Jesús Ferreira’s cross hit off defender Dexter Lembikisa to Vazquez, who scored with a right-foot shot from 7 yards for his second aim in 4 worldwide appearances.

“It’s kind of two lost points,” stated Jamaica coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who led Iceland on the 2018 World Cup.

“They are in-season. A young, energetic team,” he stated in regards to the U.S. “A lot of our players are coming from a break from their season, so I knew this game would be tricky.”

PHOTOS: Vazquez’s 88th-minute aim offers US 1-1 draw towards Jamaica in CONCACAF Gold Cup opener

Before an introduced crowd of 36,666 at Solider Field, Lowe scored his third aim in 53 worldwide appearances with a header from 8 yards following Demarai Gray’s free kick. Lowe was performed onside when Matt Miazga dropped again on the restart by Gray, an Everton winger who made his Reggae Boyz debut after switching affiliation from England.

Next up for the Americans is a Wednesday match in St. Louis with 139th-ranked St. Kitts and Nevis, which opens Sunday towards No. 104 Trinidad and Tobago.

The U.S., which fielded a largely junior varsity workforce, had 15 wins in 16 earlier Gold Cup openers, the blemish a 1-1 draw towards Panama in 2017. The U.S. has 38 wins, 5 attracts and one loss within the group stage – a 2-1 defeat to the Panamanians in 2011.

Turner was the one U.S. participant who was an everyday finally 12 months’s World Cup and one in all simply 5 holdovers from final week’s Nations League roster. He dived to his left to parry a Twenty ninth-minute penalty kick by Leon Bailey, who put the rebound broad along with his weaker proper foot.

“He’s a player that came to us and wanted to play both tournaments,” U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan stated. “I always say big players make big plays.”

The penalty was awarded when Aidan Morris knocked down Kevon Lambert following a throw-in.

Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake deflected Jordan Morris’ open shot in first-half stoppage time along with his proper arm, then blocked Cristian Roldan’s 71st-minute effort with a leg.