(Reuters) – A second-half double from Ricardo Pepi gave the United States a 2-0 win over Jamaica in Austin, Texas on Thursday as the hosts remained unbeaten in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
After opening the group with two draws the United States have now won two in a row, with 18-year-old Pepi becoming the youngest American to score in consecutive World Cup qualifiers.
Winless Jamaica (0-1-3) are bottom of the eight-team group.
Pepi put the United States ahead in the 49th minute when he headed home a superb cross from Sergino Dest.
The striker added a second 13 minutes later, charging onto a cross from Brendan Aaronson and stabbing it past a diving Andre Blake for his third goal in just two national team appearances.
The top three teams qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 with the fourth-placed finisher going into an intercontinental playoff for another spot.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Editing by Peter Rutherford)
