photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports

By FRANCO PANIZO

As far as familiarity goes, there are few nations that currently know the U.S. Men’s National Team better than Jamaica does. The two CONCACAF foes met four times in World Cup qualifiers last cycle, and in a Gold Cup quarterfinals before that.

The U.S. and Jamaica will once again renew acquaintances on Wednesday, and once again they will be playing with a lot on the line.

The semifinals of the 2015 Gold Cup take place in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on Wednesday night, beginning with the Americans’ showdown with the Reggae Boyz (6 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1). The undefeated U.S. is a step away from reaching CONCACAF’s championship game for a fifth consecutive tournament, but will likely need to deliver its best performance of the tournament in order to extend that streak.

Prior to routing Cuba, 6-0, in the quarterfinals, the Americans had real trouble in each of their three group stage games. Possession was lacking at times, the creation of chances left a lot to be desired, and defending was cringeworthy in spells.

None of that is a recipe for success against the athletic and talented Jamaicans, who also enter this semifinals bout undefeated and by posting three successive 1-0 shutout victories.

“They probably are the best prepared team in this competition because of how they structured with everything with the Copa America,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “They had about 14 players that went down to Chile as their core, so they are in a full flow. Most of the players play in England, some in the Premier League and a couple more in the English Championship, and a few more obviously we know from MLS.

“(It’s) a quality team, very difficult to play, which we always experience when we play them. Every game is a tight game, is a battle, and we expect really a battle.”

The Jamaicans just survived a different battle, topping Haiti in the quarterfinals by combining an opportunistic finish from the in-form Giles Barnes with some organized and gritty defending.

That Reggae Boyz back line could pose plenty of problems for the Americans, who, aside from the Cuba match, have not had an easy time creating chances. The U.S. scored just four times in group play, and half of those came off of set pieces.

U.S. captain Michael Bradley and the tournament’s leading scorer in Clint Dempsey will have to once again lead the attack, but role players like Gyasi Zardes, Aron Johannsson, and Alejando Bedoya will have to step up and contribute in the final third like they have in spurts throughout the tournament.

“They have a unique blend of organization and discipline but also athleticism and guys who, especially on their own, can use their speed and their quality to cause real trouble,” said Bradley. “As always, it will be important to read the game, to understand each moment as the game progresses. We want to start well, but at the same time the game lasts 90 minutes and there’s no need to have to win the game in the first few minutes.”

While the attack could use a boost, it does not have as many questions for Klinsmann to answer as the back line does. The defense figures to be tested much more than it was vs. the lowly Cubans, and a change in personnel could be in the cards. Centerback Ventura Alvarado and right back Timmy Chandler have both endured rough moments throughout the Gold Cup, and could come out of the lineup if Klinsmann has any concerns about how they might fare in a match of this magnitude.

Alvarado could make way for the more seasoned Omar Gonzalez he partnered with in the lopsided win against Cuba, especially since John Brooks is likely to step back into a starting role after serving a one-game suspension.

Meanwhile, the status of veteran fullback DaMarcus Beasley could be key in determining Chandler’s role. Beasley picked up an injury shortly after being summoned into the U.S. camp last week, but might be healthy enough to go at left back on Wednesday. If so, Fabian Johnson could swap sides and replace Chandler.

“We will try to make the best out of it in terms of what we need as the national team program,” said Klinsmann when asked about Johnson. “When we need him on the right, we play him on the right. If we need him on the left, we’ll use him on the left. I think in the World Cup in Brazil, in my opinion, he was the best right back of all teams, and we’re happy about that.

“His situation with Borussia Moenchengladbach, they play him as a left winger based on what they need in their environment, in their team. We’re glad to have him on board, and we hope for him to gives two really, really good performances now with the semi and the final the next couple of days.”

Whether the U.S. can get strong enough performances to play beautifully is ultimately not as important as finding a way to win. Sure, it would not hurt the Americans to finally put forth a more convincing display against a more talented opponent, but semifinals matches are rarely ever easy.

The U.S. knows that, and is prepared to do whatever it takes to see off Jamaica and move one step closer to once again becoming Gold Cup champions.

“Over the course of your career as a player, the chance to lift a trophy does not come around every day,” said Bradley. “While we certainly have the utmost respect for Jamaica – we know it’s going to be a very difficult game – I think everybody on all four (semifinalist) teams is probably sensing a big opportunity here.

“We’re very excited, we know it will be a very difficult match, we know Jamaica well from a lot of battles over the years in qualifying, but we’ll be ready to give everything we have and do everything possible to make sure we’re in the final.”