Jordan Morris came to the USMNT’s rescue. (USA TODAY Sports)

The United States overcame a goalkeeping blunder by Ethan Horvath to salvage a 1-1 draw with El Salvador in the Concacaf Nations League on a rainy Tuesday night and muddy field in San Salvador.

A goal by second-half substitute Jordan Morris a minute into stoppage time offset an Alexander Larin goal, which was highlighted by a rather poor decision by keeper Ethan Horvath.

Morris, a second-half substitute, headed home the equalizer off a Luca de la Torre feed from the left side only seconds into injury time for his team-leading fifth CNL goal.

Only minutes prior, Larin handled a shot by Morris in the penalty area, but there was no call. And since there was no Video Assistant Referee, the USA had to live with the referees’ decision.

The USA avoided its second defeat to El Salvador.

The result left the defending CNL champions with a 1-0-1 record and four points while group leader El Salvador (5 points) moved to 1-0-2. The USA will visit Grenada and host the El Salvadorans in their final two group matches next year.

USA head coach Gregg Berhalter said that he was “really proud of the guys the way they embraced” playing in the poor conditions.

“They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t complain,” he added. “They didn’t complain yesterday in training. They didn’t complain today in the game. They just went about their business. We had an uphill battle. We had to get back into it. The guys really took the competing took the intensity to a different level. To see that from this group to see the resiliency from this young group, the way they fought, we’re really proud of them. Although we didn’t get the win. It’s a good takeaway and a good end to the June camp.”

In many respects, the game felt like a World Cup qualifier, given the conditions and intensity.

“After the game Jordan Morris walks into the locker room everyone starts to cheer,” Berhalter said. “Everyone’s uniform is a dark brown color. The shoes are a mess. The staff is all dirty. This is what builds teams. At halftime the message was: ‘Stay calm. Here’s something we’re going to focus on. We’ll change your shape just a little bit, but we got to keep competing and we got to take the competing to a different level.’ ”

Both teams finished the encounter with 10 men. The USA’s Paul Arriola was red carded for a hard tackle on Larin in the 70th minute.

Raul Rodriguez was red carded in the 79th minute as he took down an onrushing Yunus Musah as he was last man on goal.

The USMNT had to battle a gritty El Salvadoran side and an awful field that was left as a giant mud patch due to incessant rain before and during the match.

It certainly did not make for pretty soccer.

Actually, it was quite ugly.

On one positive note, the USA won’t have to worry about playing in such soggy conditions at the World Cup in Qatar in November as they did on Tuesday night.

Larin lifted the hosts into the lead in the 35th minute as he fired a shot from the left side in which goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was out of position and did not move as the El Salvadoran connected into the near post.

It was first goal the USA allowed in its four June matches.

After allowing a goal like that, you have to wonder if Horvath played himself out of a potential World Cup berth. Head coach Gregg Berhalter will take three goalkeepers to Qatar with Zack Steffen, Matt Turner and Sean Johnson as the other candidates.

Four minutes earlier, Haji Wright had a decent opportunity for visitors, but he put his shot wide left.

With Mario Gonzalez caught out of the net in the 51st minute, halftime substitute Jesus Ferreira had a superb chance to equalize, but a sliding Roberto Dominguez managed to clear the ball out of harm’s way.

Yunus Musah had an opportunity to put the Americans on the board in 59th minute but Gonalez denied his seven-yard shot.

 

 

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Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.