On November 19 at 9 AM China Time, the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals will see the United States host Jamaica in St. Louis. In the first leg, the US team secured a 1-0 away victory, putting them in a favorable position.
The US currently ranks 18th in the world and has won three consecutive titles in the Concacaf Nations League, aiming for their fourth consecutive championship. Jamaica ranks 61st in the world and achieved their best result in the tournament by finishing third in 2024.
The US team changed head coaches in October, with Mauricio Pochettino taking over and leading the team to two wins and one loss in his first three matches, defeating Panama and Jamaica but losing 0-2 to Mexico in a friendly. Before the match, Pochettino stated that the US team is still in the process of development, and every game is a valuable opportunity. He hopes to turn the team’s potential into tangible strength.
American media emphasize that the US team often has good fortune when playing in St. Louis. In their last two games there, they won both times without conceding a goal. Historically, the US team has played 12 matches in St. Louis, with a record of 8 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss.
Jamaica has been in decent form recently, going unbeaten in their last four matches (2 wins, 2 draws) before losing to the US in the first leg. In the World Cup qualifiers for the Concacaf region, Jamaica also won both of their group stage matches.
In terms of head-to-head records, according to FIFA official statistics, the two teams have faced each other 34 times in international A-level matches, with the US winning 21, drawing 10, and losing 3, scoring 57 goals and conceding 22. Since July 2019, the US has gone 8 matches without defeat against Jamaica, winning 5 and drawing 3. In last season’s Concacaf Nations League semifinals, Jamaica led 1-0 until stoppage time, but the US equalized in the 6th minute of added time and went on to win 3-1 in extra time, a moment considered a classic by American media.
In terms of squad availability, the US team is not fully intact, with five key players missing. Stars such as Adam Lallana from Bournemouth, Josh Sargent from Norwich, Tariq Lamptey from Monaco, and Giovanni Reyna from Dortmund are absent due to injuries. Additionally, in the first leg, Real Betis star Joaquín Correa withdrew due to injury and is questionable for this match. The Washington Post predicts that Timothy Weah, who has recovered from an injury, will form the front three with Jesús Ferreira and Christian Pulisic. For Jamaica, Jamie Vardy from Leicester City and Mark Noble from West Ham United are injured, and Craig Dawson from West Bromwich Albion will be suspended for this match.
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