Do the Jamaicans surprise against the USA?
Last weekend couldn’t have gone any better for the US. With a home win over the Mexican national team, the “Stars and Stripes” at least took the lead in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF zone. At the end of the current international break, the USA will now travel to Jamaica.
The “Reggae Boyz”, on the other hand, only picked up one point last week and thus missed out on the World Cup places. Already seven points separate the Jamaican national team from the third and thus last direct starting place for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, at least fourth place, which entitles them to take part in the play-offs, is still within reach.
It is therefore all the more important for the Jamaicans to score at home against the USA. Because the “Reggae Boyz” did not concede a defeat on the last three matchdays of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the charges of national coach Theodore Whitmore are also approaching the showdown with a broad chest.
The last time the two nations met was just under a month ago, when the US side won comfortably at home. This was the fourth time in a row that the USA had beaten the Jamaicans. If the “Stars and Stripes” can win again, odds of 1.67 are being paid out on Jamaica vs USA for a bet on the visitors.
Jamaica – Statistics & current form
After seven matchdays in the ongoing 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Jamaicans have collected just six points so far. At the start of the second round, however, the “Reggae Boyz” still have a realistic chance of making a comeback in the group. At present, only five points separate Jamaica from a place in the play-offs.
Although the team of national coach Theodore Whitmore got off to a weak start, the form curve showed an upward trend on the last three match days of the first half of the season. With the win against Honduras, Jamaica even relinquished the red lantern in the group during the last international break. But in their last group match against El Salvador, they drew an unfortunate point.
Jamaica played a match on a par with the Salvadorans for long periods. In a largely uneventful match, the “Reggae Boyz” even managed to take the lead in the closing stages. It was only in the last minute of regulation time that the hosts from El Salvador equalised and earned a point against the Jamaicans.
Continuing the negative streak against the US?
The next setback now looms against the visitors from the United States. After all, Jamaica have not won an international match against the US since June 2019. In the last four international matches against the “Stars and Stripes”, they have suffered four defeats. Among them was the away defeat in the first round of the current 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
As in the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup 2021, where the “Reggae Boyz” were eliminated by the USA, Jamaica again failed to score. It is quite possible that Jamaica’s offensive will also fail against the USA’s defensive bulwark in the second round. The Jamaican national team failed to score in three of its last four home matches.
The team lost two of the four home matches in that period. They conceded three goals against Panama. Compared to the squad that last played in El Salvador, the Jamaican hosts have no new absentees. Michail Antonio, scorer in the last group match against the Salvadorans, is expected to be in the starting eleven this time around.
Predicted Jamaica line-up:
Blake; Powell, Lowe, Mariappa, Lawrence; Bailey, Williams, Grant, Reid; Antonio, Nicholson
Last matches played by Jamaica:
World Cup Qualifiers CONCACAF Finals
11/16 2021 – Jamaica 1 – 1 USA
11/13 2021 – El Salvador 1 – 1 Jamaica
10/14 2021 – Honduras 0 – 2 Jamaica
10/11 2021 – Jamaica 0 – 0 Canada
10/08 2021 – USA 2 – 0 Jamaica
USA – Statistics & current form
Far from being underdogs in their showdown with the Mexicans. The US ensured a clear balance of power in their last group match and celebrated a well-deserved home victory against their arch-rivals. The Stars and Stripes not only knocked their Mexican group rivals off the top of the table, but also took a big step towards the 2022 World Cup.
The team of national coach Gregg Berhalter currently leads the group with 14 points on the account. In the first half of the season, the USA have only lost the away match in Panama, apart from which they have won four matches and drawn two. However, with only three points separating them from their Panamanian group rivals, the race for the direct World Cup places remains exciting.
It is therefore all the more important to score three points in the away game in Jamaica and thus defend the pole position in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on their own merits. The “Stars and Stripes” are approaching the upcoming away hurdle with confidence. After all, a prediction on the US guests has come true twice in a row in Jamaica vs USA.
Will Christian Pulisic make his first appearance in the starting eleven?
The starting eleven selection of national coach Gregg Berhalter will be the most important factor against Jamaica. Most recently, the US coach only brought in his star player Christian Pulisic after the change of ends. Just how important the Chelsea winger is in the system of play became apparent just a few minutes after his substitution.
Pulisic gave his team the lead and also fired up the offensive play. It is therefore obvious that Berhalter will start his protégé against the Jamaicans. Much to the displeasure of Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel, who continues to watch the international break and his charges with great concern.
Statistically, the USA are the best attacking side in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers after seven matches – on a par with the Canadians – and have already netted eleven goals. Ricardo Pepi, who leads the Stars and Stripes’ internal scoring list with three goals, has played a major role in this. Pepi scored two of the three goals in the first leg against Jamaica – a good omen before the upcoming away game?
Predicted USA line-up:
Steffen; Yedlin, Richards, Zimmerman, Robinson; Musah, Adams, Acosta; Weah, Pepi, Pulisic
Last matches played by USA:
World Cup Qualifiers CONCACAF Finals
11/16 2021 – Jamaica 1 – 1 USA
11/13 2021 – USA 2 – 0 Mexico
10/14 2021 – USA 2 – 1 Costa Rica
10/11 2021 – Panama 1 – 0 USA
10/08 2021 – USA 2 – 0 Jamaica
Jamaica – USA Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
This is the 31st time the two nations have met. The US currently lead the head-to-head comparison against the Jamaicans with a record of 19-8-3. Four of the 19 wins have come in the USA’s last four internationals with the “Reggae Boyz”. That includes three international matches in this calendar year.
If the “Stars and Stripes” now win the next match, odds of 1.67 are paid on Jamaica vs USA for a bet on the visitors. Since the last two international matches failed to break the three-goal barrier, we don’t think it’s a bad idea to bet on under 2.5 goals in the clash between the two nations this time either.
Jamaica – USA Tip
The US missed out on a place in the prestigious competition for the first time since 1986 at the last World Cup in Russia in 2018. However, the “Stars and Stripes” have nothing to complain about so far, at least in the current 2022 World Cup qualifiers. After all, the USA leads the group in the CONCACAF zone after seven match days.
Most recently, the United States even beat Mexico in the top match, handing their arch-rivals their first defeat in 2022 World Cup qualifying. Now, at the top of the group, the Stars and Stripes face an away match in Jamaica, where they can defend their lead in the standings on their own merits if they are successful.
Although the upcoming opponents from Jamaica have recently shown an upward trend, we rate the USA in their current form much stronger than the “Reggae Boyz”. Especially with the recovered Christian Pulisic, the Americans have a realistic chance of winning for the third time in a row.
The recent record against the Jamaicans is also encouraging. After all, Berhalter and his boys have won four international matches in a row against the FIFA world number 59. With a stake of five units, we therefore dare to bet on Jamaica vs USA at good odds on “HT/FT: 2/2”
