Jordan Morris Is Your Unlikely Gold Cup Hero

“Idk why Jordan Morris is out there,” I typed to the Deadspin staff exactly two minutes before his game-winning goal. Morris was barely scoring in MLS with the Seattle Sounders this year, and even his two goals in this tournament came against the far inferior Martinique. He looked lost and mistake-prone in the Gold Cup final’s first 87 minutes, particularly when Jamaica scored their goal.

But none of that matters, because Jordan Morris wiped away any shortcomings with a gorgeous first-touch game-winning strike on a loose ball in the box. The heroic moment came just when the team looked like they wouldn’t have enough to win in regulation, and Morris’s goal was quintessential USMNT—a thrilling finisher that turned a frustrating game into a high-point for the year.

The U.S. now have six Gold Cups, which is one fewer than Mexico. This wasn’t their most inspiring performance, but it’s certainly a memorable one.