USWNT vs. Jamaica result: USA women clinch 2023 World Cup qualification after dominant performance

Kyle Bonn

USWNT vs. Jamaica result: USA women clinch 2023 World Cup qualification after dominant performance image

While the U.S. women beat Haiti 3-0 in Monday's CONCACAF W Championship opener, there were plenty of questions for the squad to answer.

After a dominant 5-0 win over Jamaica three days later, one that saw the United States control play from start to finish, there are far fewer questions left hanging in the air.

Sophia Smith picked up a brace inside the opening 10 minutes, including an absolutely spectacular opener, while Rose Lavelle, Kristie Mewis, and Trinity Rodman all found the back of the net in the second half to finish it off. Sofia Huerta led the build-up down the right flank spectacularly, and the defensive unit was hardly tested at all throughout the 90 minutes.

The victory leaves the United States with a perfect five out of five against Jamaica all-time, without having conceded a single goal in any of those games. It also means the United States was on the brink of clinching a 2023 Women's World Cup place, and Haiti's win over Mexico later in the evening made it official. The United States has qualified for the World Cup and clinched a spot in the knockout stage.

Now, the push for a 2024 Summer Olympics place begins, needing to win the tournament to qualify outright.

Sporting News will be following the match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

USWNT vs. Jamaica final score

  1H 2H Final
USA 2 3 5
Jamaica 0 0 0

Goals:
5th min — USA — Sophia Smith
7th min — USA — Sophia Smith
59th min — USA — Rose Lavelle
83rd min — USA — Kristie Mewis (pen)
86th min — USA — Trinity Rodman

Commentary:

FULL-TIME: USA 5-0 Jamaica

A dominant performance from everyone who touched the field for the United States, leading to a comprehensive and convincing victory. It's the perfect response after the questions raised from the shaky performance against Haiti, and puts the U.S. on the brink of a World Cup place, needing just a Haiti win or draw to mathematically confirm a spot in the knockout stage.

For Jamaica, it's a disappointing effort from a team that secured a quality result against Mexico in the opening game, having changed tactics to little effect. A bunkered Reggae Girlz stifled Mexico in the opener, but looked to match the United States in an open game tonight, which proved a fatal mistake.

90+1 min: Five added minutes, and Jamaica has a go on net, but it's weak and Naeher has it in her grasp with ease. Jamaica remains without a goal against the United States in nearly five all-time matches.

86th min: It's the right flank again for the U.S. that Jamaica just cannot handle. Huerta, who's had a fabulous match at right-back, starts it off with the entry feed, and Mallory Pugh produces an excellent ball from the edge of the area with her first touch. Trinity Rodman is on the end of it at the doorstep, beating her defender to the delivery to find the fifth goal of the night for the United States.

Front to back, this is a comprehensive performance from the USWNT that will put to bed any fears from the opener against Haiti.

82nd min: PENALTY, USA! Midge Purce was fouled by Jamaica substitute Bailey-Gayle, and while it wasn't a ton of contact, it was enough to spill the U.S. attacker and leave the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. Kristie Mewis will step up to take, and...

GOAL, USA! Mewis rips the shot into the side netting, sending Spencer the wrong way emphatically. She hit that perfectly with her left foot.

76th min: Oh dear, a bobbling ball ended up on a tee for Taylor Kornieck from a central position, but blasted it a foot or two over the crossbar. That's a bad miss from the 23-year-old who scored on her first international cap against Colombia in the late June warmup matches.

71st min: Somehow, Ashley Sanchez comes up empty with a free header at the far post on the end of a cross from the left, rifling over the bar. This has been an onslaught from start to finish, and it's shocking that the U.S. has "just" three goals to show for it. That brings a hydration break a few moments later.

69th min: CHANCE, USA! Mal Pugh is suffering from the same poor luck that Hatch had, denied by a great Spencer save. Kornieck made a great run on the ball to draw defenders before feeding Pugh with a solid entry pass, and Pugh rocked and fired, forcing a low diving stop by the Jamaica goalkeeper.

65th min: Already, Andonovski is out of substitutes as Rose Lavelle comes out, replaced by Taylor Kornieck. It's now Kristie Mewis on corner-kick duties with Lavelle out, but a foul is whistled on Rodman.

59th min: GOAL, USA! It's been coming for a while as the U.S. continues to pummel the Jamaica back line. Mal Pugh feeds through Ashley Sanchez down the left, and while her cross was out of Hatch's reach, it fell to Lavelle at the far post unmarked for the final touch. Spencer nearly recovered across the face of goal and even got a hand on the shot, but it wasn't enough to keep Lavelle's effort out.

After the goal, Andonovski brings Trinity Rodman off the bench for Ashley Hatch, who is unlucky to not come away with a goal. Kristie Mewis also enters for Lindsay Horan, who Andonovski said was still getting back to full speed. Jamaica withdraws Bunny Shaw, replaced by Kaylssa Van Zanten, while Drew Spence comes in for Atlanta Primus.

49th min: CHANCE, USA! Purce sends a ball into the box which is poorly cleared, and Hatch comes inches away again. Her excellent half-volley loops over Spencer and pings the left crossbar. She deserves a goal for this performance but has yet to find the net.

Moments later, a free-kick is won by Hatch painfully, and on the delivery Lindsey Horan comes very close with a powerful header, just sending it inches wide left.

46th min: We're under way for the second half with a pair of changes for the United States. Midge Purce enters for Sophia Smith, while Emily Sonnett comes on for Emily Fox. No hat-trick for Smith today, who was injured in the Haiti match and is likely having her minutes monitored. No word on the other substitution, as Fox played well in the first half.

There's a pair of changes for Jamaica as well, with Paige Bailey-Gayle replacing Jody Brown and Vyan Sampson coming on for Havana Solaun.

HALF-TIME: USA 2-0 Jamaica

A two-goal lead for the United States feels like seven. Sophia Smith picked up her brace inside the opening eight minutes, including her spectacular opener. Ashley Hatch was a menace the rest of the half, but couldn't get a goal to show for it. The U.S. had two goals wiped off by the offside flag, including one by VAR. It's overall an excellent performance at both ends for the United States, with a consistently dangerous attack backed up by a smothering defensive unit.

45+4 min: Ashley Sanchez hip-checks Shaw in midfield and earns a yellow card.

45th min: Bunny Shaw lets loose a desperation shot from acres away, tracked well by Naomi Girma. Shaw is clearly frustrated with Jamaica's lack of service and possession.

43rd min: Blackwood earns the first yellow card of the match for hacking down Pugh down the right, and will miss the next match as a result. Pugh takes the free-kick looking for Hatch, and while the initial effort is cleared, it comes to Emily Fox who lets it rip and misses by inches over the bar with a vicious effort from distance.

Moments later the U.S. attacks centrally and gets Pugh wide open, but her finish is poor and Spencer makes an easy low save. Pugh should have rippled the twine, she had the whole net to shoot at.

40th min: Sophia Smith has a go for her hat-trick, but just misses the top-left corner from a tight angle. The U.S. has dominated possession over the last few minutes, and Jamaica is providing no pressure whatsoever. It has allowed the United States to work its half-court offense to great effect.

36th min: A set-piece opportunity from about 20 yards outside the box is their first real chance to make something happen. The delivery is excellent, looking for Shaw, but the U.S. defends well in the air and the chance is cleared. First real test for the U.S. back line since the opening two minutes, and they pass it with flying colors.

34th min: Hatch is denied again, but it feels like her time is coming. Yet again, the U.S. builds from the right through Huerta and a flick gets the ball to Hatch on the doorstep, but Spencer comes off her line well to smother the shot at its inception.

27th min: CHANCE, USA! As easy as you like. Sophia Huerta crosses from the right, and Mallory Pugh provides the one-touch finish into the back of the net. The service was on point, and Pugh was left all alone at the far post after getting free.

However, on replay, Pugh looked to have been just a hair offside, and it does not pass the VAR passes the check. A shame, as it was a clinical goal. The stoppage brings a hydration break.

25th min: CHANCE, USA! On a corner delivered to the far post, Alana Cook gets the first touch and Hatch clangs it off the crossbar and up into the air. The rebound nearly bounces in but is barely cleared at the post. The U.S. is firing on all cylinders at the moment, and Hatch is in the middle of just about every opportunity.

23rd min: CHANCE, USA! A big double-save from Spencer keeps the United States out! The first effort came via Mallory Pugh from a tight angle on the left, and while it was parried into no-man's land in the middle, a touch from a defender just beat a charging Hatch with the goal gaping. Then Rose Lavelle hit a follow-up from an even tighter angle, and Spencer recovered to close down that effort as well. The U.S. is ramping back up in the attack.

21st min: Hatch, starting in place of Alex Morgan, is causing trouble for the Jamaica defense centrally. She goes down under a challenge right on the edge of the six-yard box, and the official lets it play on both ways. Hatch recovers with a puzzled look on her face, but it looked to be a solid challenge.

16th min: The game has settled down some as Jamaica looks to possess the ball a bit, but there's no danger to the U.S. back line. Both teams happy to rest for a few minutes after a torrid opening 10 minutes.

11th min: CHANCE, USA! Ashley Hatch has the ball in the back of the net, but the flag is up for offside to nullify the strike. A cross from the right isn't cleared as Wiltshire spills it, and Hatch pounces. Unfortunately for the USA, it won't count, but Jamaica has things to shore up early on. That was as poor as it comes clearing an off-target cross.

8th min: GOAL! USA! There's some confusion about whether the ball crossed the line, but Sophia Smith has her second! She gets around a physical challenge from Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer and flicks it towards the line.

A Jamaica defender cleared it off the line acrobatically, but the goal was given on the field, and while replays definitely look questionable, they also don't show any definitive evidence towards the contrary. There's no goal line technology, and VAR won't be overturning this.

4th min: GOAL! USA! WHAT. A. GOAL!!! Sophia Smith pulls out some saucy technical moves, first with the flick to get around Jamaica left-back Den-Den Blackwood and then to finish on the volley with the outside of her boot. It's an absolute stunner, and provides the game's opener very early in the match.

2nd min: The first shot of the game falls to Jamaica from Jodi Brown who lets loose a weak low effort from the right side, easily collected and smothered by Naeher.

Jamaica then counters moments later after a U.S. giveaway, but their talismanic striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw can't get a shot off.

1st min: National anthems are completed, the captains have met, and we are under way from Monterrey in an empty Estadio BBVA. The U.S. has never conceded a goal in four all-time matches against Jamaica, and this time a shut-out could go a long way towards qualification for a pair of major competitions.

15 mins to kick: Victory tonight for the USWNT against Jamaica plus a Haiti win or draw would see them clinch a spot in the 2023 Women's World Cup, mathematically locked into a top-two spot in the group. Even just a win would be all but enough to do it, even if not mathematically. The U.S. still need to win the entire tournament to earn a direct place in the 2024 Summer Olympics, while a second-place or third-place finish would grab a spot in the CONCACAF Olympic playoff.

45 mins to kick: With Sauerbrunn and Morgan dropped to the bench, the United States starting lineup is the least experienced it's been for a qualifier in 31 years.

64 mins to kick: Lineups for both sides are in. For the United States, Naeher indeed returns to the net, while Naomi Girma comes into the back line to earn her first competitive international cap. Surprisingly, Alex Morgan drops to the bench after her brace against Haiti, with Ashley Hatch in her place. Lindsey Horan is the captain with Becky Sauerbrunn on the bench.

For Jamaica, there are only a few changes from the win over Mexico, with Chinyelu Asher enters the midfield in place of Drew Spence, while Trudi Carter takes a wide position in place of Paige Bailey-Gayle.

90 mins to kick: The U.S. women celebrated a pair of birthdays between matches, with Megan Rapinoe turning 37 while Emily Fox turned 24. Rapinoe will miss the match against Jamaica as she travels back to the United States to attend a ceremony at the White House where she will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

USWNT vs. Jamaica lineups

Casey Murphy started against Haiti in goal, but Alyssa Naeher is considered the No. 1 goalkeeper and returns for a match against a more stout opponent, as Andonovski hinted in his pre-match press conference.

Up front, Alex Morgan drops to the bench despite her brace against Haiti as Andonovski likely wishes to manager the 33-year-old's minutes. In her place, Ashley Hatch comes into the attack, alongside Sofia Smith who manages to prove fit after coming off in the 11th minute of the Haiti match. Megan Rapinoe would have likely received consideration for that spot, but she misses tonight's match as she travels to the White House to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The player most at risk of seeing a change was Ashley Sanchez who was poor at the No. 6 position against Haiti, but she retains her position in midfield. That leaves Kristie Mewis waiting in the wings, while Lindsay Horan and push Rose Lavelle also remain in the lineup.

USA starting lineup (4-3-3): Naeher (GK) — Huerta, Cook, Girma, Fox — Lavelle, Sanchez, Horan — Pugh, Hatch, Smith.

USA subs (11): Murphy, Kingsbury, O'Hara, Sauerbrunn, Sonnett, Sullivan, Mewis, Kornieck, Rodman, Morgan, Purce.

MORE: USWNT player ratings from the win over Haiti on Monday

Only 12 players on the current Jamaica roster were part of the nation's first World Cup appearance in 2019. Most notably amongst that group are midfielder Havana Solaun, who plays for the NC Courage, and captain Khadija Shaw who plays for Man City and scored the winning goal against Mexico on Monday.

The center-back partnership of Chantelle Swaby and Allyson Swaby who are sisters two years apart at 23 years old and 25 years old respectively. They hail from Connecticut and played collegiately for Rutgers and Boston College respectively, now holding 41 caps between the two.

In the attacking support of Shaw, young Paige Bailey-Gayle earned her third cap against Mexico, but the more experienced Trudi Carter starts tonight on the wing. Chinyelu Asher enters the midfield in place of Drew Spence.

Jamaica starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Spencer (GK) — Blackwood, A. Swaby, C. Swaby, Wiltshire — Solaun, Asher — Carter, Primus, Brown — Shaw.

Jamaica subs (12): Schneider, Jamieson, Murray, Pelaia, Bailey, Spence, Vanzanten, Bailey-Gayle, Sampson, McCoy, Grey, Adamolekun.

How to watch USWNT vs. Jamaica

  • Date: Thursday, July 7, 2022
  • Time: 7 p.m. ET
  • Streaming: Paramount+, ViX

The USWNT’s second match in Group A of the CONCACAF W Championship from the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey will be streamed exclusively by CBS's service Paramount+. Streaming service ViX will also carry the match for Spanish-language audiences.

USWNT vs. Jamaica betting odds & lines

The United States remains a heavy favorite against Jamaica despite the spotty struggles against Haiti.

In fact, the spread puts the U.S. as larger favorites than the 3-0 margin that they topped a less talented Haiti squad by. Thus, the oddsmakers expect a rebound for Vlatko Andonovski and his side, and U.S. fans should hope for one too, although beating that gargantuan spread will still be a tough ask.

  DraftKings
USA Win -475
Draw +310
Jamaica Win +1800
Both teams
to score Y / N
+295 / -450
Over / Under
3.75 goals
-125 / +100
USA -3.5 +100
Jamaica +3.5 -125

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.