Winners and losers: USMNT's rough-and-tumble win in Jamaica defined by two kicks, Ricardo Pepi's score, Matt Turner's save

Games like this are defined by a selection of moments, not just one. Some are bigger than others and, on Thursday, none were bigger than Turner's penalty kick save.

He needed a moment like that, didn't he? Given the narrative surrounding the goalkeeping position and his club situation, Tutner really benefits from a signature moment like Thursday's. With Jamaica just a few short yards from turning the game on its head, it was Turner who stepped up to parry away Demarai Gray's spot kick and preserve the U.S. lead.

Turner, of course, conceded the penalty by tackling Shamar Nicholson. The seconds leading up to that, though, were a comedy of errors, with nearly every single member of the USMNT defense having a hand in allowing Nicholson to get that far into the box. Ultimately, Turner bailed everyone out, preserving a lead that the U.S. ultimately never relinquished.

That save, and his second-half parry of an Olimpico, were the reasons why. Turner will still have doubters due to his club situation, and those doubts are justified, but, at least on Thursday, he showed why he is still very much the No. 1 for this USMNT.

When you get that sort of opportunity on a penalty, you cannot let it go. Gray did.

His penalty was ultimately far too reachable, giving Turner the chance to make that diving save to his right. It wasn't a horrible penalty, but it also wasn't a particularly good one, allowing the USMNT shot-stopper to not just save it, but push it out of play and prevent a rebound.

It was the type of chance Jamaica needed to take and, ultimately, make - and it cost them dearly. Even outside of that, the Al-Ettifaq star struggled. He completed just four of his eight passes and had just 16 touches before getting the hook at halftime. Ultimately, that wasn't good enough.

It was a striker's finish, to put it lightly. You can't provide that type of play without at least a little bit of confidence and it's quite clear that, right now, Pepi has plenty.

Whenever he plays, it seems like Pepi makes an impact, whether that's with the U.S. or PSV. Right now, Pepi finds himself repeatedly asking a similar question for both club and country: what else does he have to do to prove he's the guy?

Moments like this will help. So often as a striker, it comes down to one moment and one chance, and Pepi's came five minutes in. There was no time to warm-up or prepare; the game, ultimately, was defined by that one look at goal. Played in by Christian Pulsiic, Pepi made no mistake, and the U.S. were off - and now they're heading home with a massive advantage.

It was Pepi’s 12th USMNT goal, his second of 2024 (in 10 games), his third against Jamaica and his second under Pochettino - he also scored in the Panama friendly.

Job done for Pepi, who continues to make his case. He'll almost certainly start the second leg, too, and, if he can score there, the opportunity for him to be the guy will only be gain momentum.

So, so unlucky. Cardoso is dying out for a big USMNT performance, and he looked on his way to one. That was until the injury.

Forced out after 21 minutes, Cardoso had what could have been a statement game derailed. In his 21 minutes, he'd completed all 15 of his passes, including three into the final third, while also winning both of his duels. It really looked like he was going to run the midfield until he pulled up with what appeared to be a lower body injury.

It's unfortunate. Cardoso struggled mightily against Canada in September and, to date, hasn't really had a signature USMNT performance. That's largely because he hasn't had a consistent run of games. Untimely injuries haven't helped, either, with the Real Betis star missing last month's camp due to an injury, too.

Tough luck for Cardoso, who will certainly be eager to prove more in the midfield when given another shot.

Ask any past USMNT coach and they'll tell you that these games are much harder than they appear. For the past two cycles, the U.S. has struggled in road CONCACAF games. Of all the places to go, Jamaica is now among the most difficult, too, given the environment and the team's talent.

In his first competitive game in charge, Pochettino emerged from Kingston with a win. It wasn't a beautiful victory but, in these types of games, they don't have to be.

Pochettino took some risks. His decision to play Yunus Musah out wide and Weston McKennie high was an interesting one. For large stretches it worked, and it likely would have worked better if Cardoso stayed on the pitch to do a bit more cleanup duty.

Either way, the U.S. head back to St. Louis with a lead. The job isn't finished, as they'll still have to protect their home field, but Pochettino has gotten the first part, and arguably the hard part, out of the way.

It seemed as if this game could have used Aaronson. Unfortunately, he wasn't available.

Left back in the States due to illness, Aaronson was unable to play in Thursday's match. The hope is he'll be free to feature against Jamaica in the second leg, but his presence could have helped in this first one, too. The Leeds star is eager to prove that he's more than just an energy guy, and the U.S. could have used both his energy and quality going forward, particularly in the second half.

With Tim Weah coming back in the second leg - he was suspended for Thursday's match due to his red card in the Copa America - there likely won't be a starting spot for Aaronson on Monday. The U.S. will have to see how he recovers, as the team gameplans for what will be another challenging clash in St. Louis.