The United States men’s (USA) national team will welcome Jamaica to CityPark in St. Louis on Tuesday for the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final clash.
The two sides met last Thursday in Kingston, where an early goal from Ricardo Pepi gave the Americans a 1-0 victory and the advantage heading into the return fixture.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are aiming to retain the Nations League title they won in 2023, while Jamaica are looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time.
The USA have been dominant at home in this competition, winning all three of their knockout round matches at CityPark while conceding just once. They will be confident of securing their place in the final four, having won 8 of their 12 all-time matches in St. Louis.
Jamaica, meanwhile, will be hoping to overturn the first-leg deficit and spring an upset. Steve McClaren’s men have proven to be a tough opponent for the Americans in recent meetings, with three of their last four encounters ending in 1-1 draws.
The Reggae Boyz were the last Caribbean nation to defeat the USA on home soil, winning 1-0 at Audi Field in 2019. However, they will have to do without the injured Bobby Decordova-Reid and the suspended Mason Holgate for the trip to Missouri.
Pochettino is also dealing with some injury concerns of his own, with Johnny Cardoso, Aidan Morris and several key attackers unavailable. But the Americans can still call upon the experienced duo of Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah, who will be looking to guide their side to victory.
Jamaica were in a similar position 12 months ago, losing the first leg of their quarter-final against Canada before bouncing back to win the return match 3-2 and advance. They will be hoping for a repeat of that resilience on Tuesday.
The visitors have scored in three of their last four meetings with the USA, but have failed to score against Pochettino’s men last time. A tight, cagey affair seems the most likely outcome, with the home side’s greater depth and tournament pedigree potentially proving the difference.
A place in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League is at stake, and both teams will be desperate to book their spot in the final four. The USA will be favourites to get the job done, but Jamaica have shown they can more than match their opponents on their day.
- Score Prediction: USA 1-0 Jamaica
