Ricardo Pepi met the moment, and now the United States men's national team is one step closer to the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semifinals.
The USMNT forward, long limited to a substitute's role for both club (PSV Eindhoven) and country, had insisted all week that he was ready to be a difference-maker in the starting XI. With three other strikers out injured, Pepi got his chance and delivered for Mauricio Pochettino's team in the quarterfinal first-leg matchup against Jamaica in Kingston, scoring the only goal in a gritty 1-0 win.