The two teams at the top of Group B in the CONCACAF Nations League will square off on Monday as Jamaica host Honduras from Independence Park in Kingston.
Thanks to a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua on matchday three, the Reggae Boyz are first in the table with seven points, one more than La H, who held onto a 3-2 win over French Guiana in their previous encounter.
Match preview
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Some fortunate bounces and resolute defending have the Jamaicans poised to make the knockout portion of this tournament for a second successive campaign.
Steve McClaren has yet to lose in his three matches as head coach of this team, with his side conceding just one goal since he took charge.
Many things would have to go against them to miss out on the quarter-finals, as only a defeat, combined with a victory for Nicaragua and a four-goal swing, would knock Jamaica out of this tournament.
The Reggae Boyz have never lost a Nations League group fixture at Independence Park, posting a clean sheet in two of their last three matches played there in this competition.
A single point will be enough to see them advance, however, a victory would give them 10 points, which would equal their most ever in the group phase of League A.
Their previous six meetings versus the Hondurans have ended in a victory for the Reggae Boyz, while they are undefeated in seven consecutive competitive fixtures against them.
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Another strong second-half showing has Honduras in a solid position to advance beyond the group stage, currently two points above Nicaragua for second place.
Only a defeat and a Nicaraguan triumph would see Reinaldo Rueda's men miss out on the quarter-finals for a second successive campaign.
On Thursday, Los Catrachos won a Nations League contest away from home for the first time since June 2022 (1-0 win at Curacao), while they have won two of their previous three competitive fixtures played outside Honduras.
Should they win on Monday, it would mark the first time they top their group in this competition since finishing first in a group that featured Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique in 2019-20.
Since suffering a 3-2 defeat versus Mexico in a March 2021 World Cup qualifier, Honduras have won 10 successive matches across all competitions when netting multiple times.
La H have suffered just one defeat in their last eight encounters against Caribbean opponents across all competitions (2-1 versus Jamaica) but have only claimed one victory against the Reggae Boys on Jamaican soil, winning 2-0 in December 1968.
Team News
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We saw four changes to the Jamaican starting 11 against Nicaragua, with Tayvon Gray, Karoy Anderson, Tyreek Magee, and Romario Williams replacing Amari'i Bell, Norman Campbell, Kasey Palmer, and Michail Antonio.
An own-goal by Josue Quijano and a goal from Williams was all the Jamaicans would need to defeat Nicaragua, as Andre Blake made six stops to preserve a clean sheet.
With Los Catrachos there were four new faces in their starting 11 on matchday three, including Edrick Menjivar, Andy Najar, Rigoberto Rivas and Jose Pinto.
Anthony Lozano, Deiby Flores and Jorge Benguche all found the back of the net for Honduras on Thursday as they hung on for a narrow victory.
Jamaica possible starting lineup:
Blake; Leigh, D. Lowe, Pinnock, J. Bell; Latibeaudiere, Anderson; Palmer, Decordova-Reid, D. Gray; Antonio
Honduras possible starting lineup:
Menjivar; Najar, Maldonado, Vega, Rosales; Arriaga, Flores; Acosta, Rodriguez, Benguche; Lozano
We say: Jamaica 1-0 Honduras
While both sides won on matchday three, the Jamaicans looked much more comfortable in their encounter, and we believe the continuity they have built will be enough to earn them another win on Monday against a side still lacking consistent chemistry on the field.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
