With just a handful of days before the CONCACAF Gold Cup begins, the United States Men’s National Team will fine tune their preparations with a friendly match against Jamaica at Audi Field in Washington, DC.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter has yet to have a competitive match in charge, but the serious stuff is right around the corner after the US surprisingly missed out on a place at the 2018 World Cup.
Up against them are a Jamaica side that is arguably the region’s next strongest with the exception of Mexico, and with Leon Bailey having finally committed his international future to the Reggae Boyz, they look as strong as ever.
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched on BeINSports and live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will not be broadcast or available to stream.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Squads & Team News
| Position | USA squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Steffen, Johnson, Miller |
| Defenders | Gonzalez, Ream, Miazga, Carter-Vickers, Zimmerman, Robinson, Long, Lovitz, Lima |
| Midfielders | Bradley, Trapp, Lletget, Roldan, McKennie, Mihailovic, Holmes, Yueill |
| Forwards | Altidore, Zardes, Morris, Arriola, Sargent, Lewis, Gyau, Amon, Boyd |
Gregg Berhalter has a panel of 29 players at his disposal after calling up Jonathan Lewis to the training camp on Monday. The Colorado Rapids winger has played in all four of the USMNT’s matches in 2019 to date.
Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams have not joined up with the squad yet, while a hamstring injury to Sebastian Lletget is liable to see him miss out.
DeAndre Yedlin is out after hernia surgery.
With the Gold Cup squad to be finalized on Thursday, this match could be used for some experimentation.
Possible USMNT starting XI: Steffen; Lima, Miazga, Carter-Vickers, Lovitz; Holmes, McKennie, Roldan; Arriola, Altidore, Boyd
| Position | Jamaica squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Miller, Blake, White, Knight |
| Defenders | Lawrence, Mariappa, Powell, Hector, Lowe, Richie, Francis, Lambert, McCarthy, Brown, Talbott, Topey, Bennett, Clarke, Scarlett |
| Midfielders | Watson, Gordon, Morris, Vassell, Marshall, Shaw, Williams, Isaacs, Parris, Lewis, Bailey, Dally, Johnson, Marrison |
| Forwards | Mattocks, Williams, Orgill, East, Nicholson, Foster, Flemmings |
Jamaica boss Theodore Whitmore is generally in favor of a 4-4-2 formation, but it could be that something more negative is used against the US, a team stronger than they are typically accustomed to facing.
Leon Bailey is set to make his debut, with much expected of the Bayer Leverkusen man.
Ravel Morrison, now of Ostersunds in Sweden, might also make his international bow.
Possible Jamaica starting XI: Blake; Powell, Lowe, Hector, Lawrence; Foster, Watson, Vassell, Bailey; Mattocks, Orgill.
Betting & Match Odds
USA are favourites to win this match with Bet365, priced 4/9. Jamaica are 7/1 outsiders and a draw is priced at 3/1.
Match Preview
After the embarrassment of missing out on World Cup 2018, it is vital that the USMNT regain some pride with a strong showing at the forthcoming Gold Cup, which will take place in the US, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Once again, there is much expected of the USA, who are ranked second by CONCACAF, behind only Mexico in the region, and are the defending champions after defeating their midweek opponents 2-1 in the 2017 final, Jordan Morris getting a dramatic late winner in Santa Clara.
Much has happened in US soccer since then, with Gregg Berhalter ultimately the man anointed to replace Bruce Arena as head coach. Three wins have followed in four matches, with a 1-1 draw against Chile the exception.
Such form goes in sharp contrast to what had gone before it, with just one win in eight matches, albeit against a string of very capable opponents.
Now the Gold Cup looms, less than two weeks away, and though there is a friendly against Venezuela to come on Sunday, this match represents a final chance for certain players to nail down a place in the team.
Jamaica, meanwhile, will do well to replicate the form they showed two years ago in knocking out Mexico en route to the final.
Recent defeats against El Salvador and Costa Rica were setbacks, while this is the final friendly before their Gold Cup campaign begins in Kingston against Honduras on June 18.
In their ranks they boast Leon Bailey, a player who has starred in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen but who has dithered over his own international future.
He should prove a major asset to the Reggae Boyz and will want to make up for lost time on the national scene, starting in Washington, DC on Wednesday.
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