In the first semi-final at the 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League, the USA will host Jamaica at AT&T Stadium in Texas on Thursday.
Despite losing their previous match at this tournament versus Trinidad and Tobago (2-1), the defending champions advanced from that tie, 4-2 on aggregate, while the Reggae Boyz defeated Canada 3-2 in their previous quarter-final fixture, advancing on away goals.
Match preview
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Thursday will be the start of a busy stretch of matches for the Americans, who are seeking to make the Nations League final for a third successive time before hosting the Copa America in their own backyard this summer.
Gregg Berhalter's men come into this encounter in a bit of a slump, losing consecutive games for the first time in either of his terms as manager.
The Yanks were fortunate to advance from their quarter-final tie with TNT, scoring three goals in the final eight minutes of the opening leg, before squandering an early 1-0 lead in the return engagement as they conceded multiple times in a Nations League fixture for only the second time ever.
It was also the first time the US had lost in this competition when scoring the opening goal, and they are in danger of losing three successive matches in all competitions for the first time since 2015.
In two previous semi-finals at this tournament, this team have never lost or conceded a goal, while suffering just one defeat in their last six CONCACAF tournament semi-final appearances, losing in a shootout versus Panama at this stage of the 2023 Gold Cup.
They are unbeaten in their last six meetings with the Jamaicans in all competitions, coming back from a goal down in the group stage of the Gold Cup last year to earn a 1-1 draw.
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Just when it all looked lost, the Reggae Boyz came to life in the final 45 minutes of their second-leg quarter-final tie against Canada, advancing into the Nations League semi-finals for the first time.
That was the third time that Heimir Hallgrimsson had seen his side come back to claim a result after conceding the opening goal in the 2023-24 Nations League.
Jamaica currently boast a 100% record away from home in this competition, scoring three or more goals in each of those three triumphs.
Since their dramatic come-from-behind victory against the Canadians, this team have been much stingier defensively, failing to concede in their two friendlies played this month versus Trinidad and Tobago.
Their second-leg victory versus the Canucks was also the first time they had beaten a side from North America in this competition, and it was also their first victory against a North American opponent since a June 2019 friendly with the USA (1-0).
They have lost their last two semi-final contests in CONCACAF tournaments, though the Reggae Boyz were the last side to defeat the Americans in the semi-finals of a CONCACAF tournament in normal time (2-1 at the 2015 Gold Cup semi-finals).
Team News
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Over the weekend, the US withdrew Luca de la Torre and Josh Sargent because of injuries, adding Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright in their place.
Berhalter has employed a buddy system of sorts for this match with five sets of club teammates selected, including Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic of AC Milan, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie from Juventus, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson of Fulham, Gio Reyna and Matt Turner, who are with Nottingham Forest, and Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi who feature at PSV Eindhoven.
Robinson scored in both of their matches versus Trinidad and Tobago, Folarin Balogun is seeking his first goal since October 2023, while Miles Robinson and Drake Callender were the only players chosen for this match who feature locally in MLS.
Jamaica will be without Demarai Gray for this match through suspension, while Kaheim Dixon, Bailey Cadamarteri, and Shaquan Davis are the only uncapped players chosen for this encounter.
Andre Blake reached 70 caps in the victory over Canada, his Philadelphia Union teammate Damion Lowe is two shy of 60, while Shamar Nicholson is six away from 50.
Nicholson had a brace in their come-from-behind triumph versus the Canucks, with Bobby Decordova-Reid netting the decisive strike which sent them through, while Michail Antonio is seeking his first goal with the national team since January 2022.
USA possible starting lineup:
Turner; Scally, Ream, Richards, A. Robinson; McKennie, Musah, Reyna; Weah, Balogun, Pulisic
Jamaica possible starting lineup:
Blake; Lembikisa, D. Lowe, Bernard, Leigh; Decordova-Reid, Johnson, Lautibeaudiere; Cephas; Nicholson, Antonio
We say: USA 2-0 Jamaica
While both sides had their share of struggles in the quarter-finals, we are backing the Americans' experience and the quality of "Captain America," aka Christian Pulisic, who is having a sensational campaign in Italy and has a knack for stepping up in big moments.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
