Jamaica Team News and Predicted Line up vs USA
Jamaica seeks to extend their unbeaten run-in away fixtures to 10, as they tackle USA in a crucial Concacaf Nation League semifinal at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Thursday night. Jamaica has not lost in any of their last nine away games, scoring three or more goals in each of their last three triumphs. The Reggae Boyz Brushed aside Canada 3-2, in a dramatic second-leg quarter-final tie in Canada, to advance to the Nations League semi-finals for the first-time in the competition’s history. That victory over the Canadians was 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 June 2019 friendly with the USA (1-0).
Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has developed a "never say die" culture, which is embedded in the DNA of the players who claimed victory after conceding the opening goal, in the 2023-24 Nations League on a few occasions. Jamaica has played two friendly games, since the turn of 2024 and were very mean at the back, failing to concede in their two games played against Trinidad and Tobago. However, they have lost their last two semi-final contests in CONCACAF tournaments, losing 2-1 to USA and 3-0 to Mexico. On the contrary, the Reggae Boyz were the last team to defeat the USA in the semi-finals of a CONCACAF tournament in normal time (2-1 at the 2015 Gold Cup semi-finals).
The pragmatic Hallgrimsson has been getting some backlash over the past few days, after omitting Aston Villa’s star man, Leon Bailey and FK Javor’s striker, Trevante Stewart, from the provisional squad of 60 for disciplinary reasons. The team was further trimmed thinner as Demarai Gray and Shamar Nicholson are set to miss the semi-finals due to suspension. Nicholson is the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals, while Gray sits joint second on the chart with three goals. The absence of Ethan Pinnock and Omari Bell who both sustained injuries while playing for Brentford FC and Luton Town in the EPL further complicates the team’s thinnest. If one thought, it can't have gotten any worst with less than 48 hours before the game, the Reggae Boyz were hit with another injury hammer blow. Michail Antonio was withdrawn from the squad, due to injury and may not be with the team, should they progress to the finals.
Despite the gloom that looms over the Reggae Boyz team, they are in high spirits and welcome the new faces to the squad, including Kaheim Dixon, Bailey Cadamarteri, and Shaquan Davis, giving them a platform to show case their talent on the international stage knowing that Copa America and World Cup Qualifiers comes up next. Irrespective of the adversities the team is faced with, the veteran players like Jamal Lowe who is back in the national set up with 27 caps and looking as sharp as guillotine scoring in Swansea's 2-0 win over Cardiff last weekend and captain Marvel Andre Blake who is currently the most capped player are expected to shoulder the team’s responsibilities and lead from the front in order to progress to the finals. The game will be live on Univision, and Paramount+ kick off time 7:00 PM.
Jamaica possible starting lineup 4-3-2-1
GK - Andre Blake
RB - Dexter Lembikisa
CB - Damion Lowe
CB - Dishon Bernard
LB – Gregory Leigh
RW - Bobby Decordova-Reid
CM - Daniel Johnson
AM - Kasey Palmer
LW – Renaldo Cephas;
FW - Kaheim Dixon
FW – Jamal Lowe