Throwback Thursday: Jermaine Jones scores a missile in 2014 World Cup

The date was June 22, 2014. The scene was Arena da Amazônia in Manaus, Brazil, and it was the 2nd matchday for Group G at the 2014 World Cup. The United States Men’s National Team, fresh off beating World Cup rivals Ghana 6 days later, were hoping to get another victory against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to secure their place in the knockout stage.

Portugal got the scoring started early, as Nani scored in the 5th minute to make it 1-0 Portugal. Still, the USMNT pressed for an answer, well into the 2nd half. Then, an answer came. His name was Jermaine Jones.

On a corner kick in the 64th minute, the ball got headed out of the box by a couple Portuguese defenders to the boot of Jermaine Jones while the players started to reset in the box. Nani came out to challenge Jones as he seemed to start a push towards the corner. But, Jones wasn’t going for the corner. He was going for goal. With a quick move, he shifted the ball with his left foot to his right, creating just enough space for him. With his right foot, he unleashes a screamer of a blast that sent the ball curling around a defender and into the right side of the net past shocked Portuguese goalkeeper Beto.

The crowd enters a state of delirium as Jones, fist pumping with both hands like he was bench pressing the world, runs to the corner to celebrate as the rest of the team mobbed him. It made the score 1-1, and it was a goal that ended up in every replay from that World Cup.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw, and the USMNT eventually made it out of the group. Jermaine Jones would play a few more years on the national team, but it was this moment that will be his shining moment in a USMNT uniform.