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Things are about to become reality for Mauricio Pochettino and the United States men’s national team as they will play their first competitive matches under their new manager during this international window with a trip to Jamaica on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Nations League. Although Pochettino has had time to get to know the squad, he will still be hampered by injuries with Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun and Josh Sargent all absent from the squad. Tim Weah will also be unavailable for the first leg of this tie, adding to the USMNT contention.
Even with Pochettino in charge, the poor form of late is undeniable and is something that will need to be turned around quickly if they are to win the Concacaf Nations League for the fourth time in a row. In their last four matches since being eliminated from the Copa America, the USMNT have won just one – Pochettino’s first match against Panama.
While the USMNT resembles the teams Gregg Berhalter would field, now is the time to deviate from these tactics as Pochettino is able to establish his tactical blueprint.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: November 14, 2024| Time: 8:00 PM ET
- Location: Independence Park – Kingston, Jamaica
- TV: TNT | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Chances: Jamaica +270; Sign +210; United States +106
Storylines
Jamaica: Steve McLaren will have two chances at a big win as manager of the Reggae Boyz versus the USMNT. Jamaicia is undefeated in the last four games and has a strong defense against the United States. Star goalkeeper Andre Blake will also be between the sticks again for the match. It’s a tall order for them to secure an upset, but if they don’t play this match at home against the United States at full strength, there will be a chance to pull off an upset.
Jamaica predicted XI: Andre Blake, Greg Leigh, Ethan Pinnock, Mason Holgate, Dexter Lembikisa, Kasey Palmer, Joel Latibeaudiere, Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio, Demarai Gray
United States: Given the injuries around the squad, this will be a time for rotation. The regular defense will be available, but for them it will be a time to see which players emerge in an away environment in Concacaf. This is the kind of pressure that builds strong members of the national team, but if they don’t beat Jamaica there could be consequences. There is already a lack of competitive matches due to hosting the World Cup, so Pochettino needs to maximize opportunities like this match.
United States predicted XI: Matt Turner, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally, Aidan Morris, Weston McKennie, Gianluca Busio, Alex Zendejas, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic
Prediction
The defense will be enough to stop Jamaicia from scoring, with Christian Pulisic doing the rest to secure a USMNT win. Choose: Jamaica 0, USMNT 1