The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) recently won the Concacaf Nations League title by defeating Mexico and Canada. They will now aim to win their record-tying eighth confederation championship in the upcoming Gold Cup. Their first opponent in the tournament will be Jamaica. Here are five things to know about Jamaica’s Gold Cup history and their past matches against the USMNT.
Jamaica made history by becoming the first Caribbean team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup in 1998. They have also won the Caribbean Cup on six occasions, with the last victory coming in 2014. In recent Gold Cups, Jamaica finished as runners-up in 2015 and 2017, reached the quarterfinals in 2021, and finished fourth in 2019.
The USMNT and Jamaica have faced each other multiple times in the Gold Cup. The upcoming match will be their eighth meeting, and the Americans have dominated with a 6-1-0 record. Their first meeting in 1993 ended in a 1-0 win for the USMNT. In 2015, Jamaica stunned the USMNT with a 2-1 victory in the semifinals, becoming the first Caribbean team to advance to the Gold Cup final. However, the USMNT exacted revenge in the 2017 final with a 2-1 win. In 2019, the USMNT defeated Jamaica 3-1 in the quarterfinals.
Jamaica’s recent form has been poor, as they are winless in their last ten matches. They lost their most recent match to Qatar and Jordan, both with a 2-1 scoreline. However, they have enjoyed success in the Gold Cup, with their best performances coming in 2015 and 2017 when they reached the final.
Jamaica’s current manager is Heimir Hallgrimsson, who previously directed Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He took over as head coach in September 2022 and has a diverse coaching background, including coaching both men’s and women’s teams in Iceland. Hallgrimsson guided Iceland to its first World Cup in 2016.
Jamaica’s roster for the upcoming Gold Cup includes players from English clubs and Major League Soccer (MLS). Notably, goalkeeper Andre Blake and defender Damion Lowe play for the Philadelphia Union in the MLS. Forward Shamar Nicholson, who plays for Spartak Moscow, is the team’s leading goal-scorer with 10 goals.
The match between the USMNT and Jamaica in the Gold Cup will be an intriguing encounter, with Jamaica looking to break their winless streak and the USMNT aiming to continue their winning form.
