The U.S. men’s national team heads into Tuesday’s Concacaf World Cup qualifier against Jamaica sitting in first place in the Octagonal, but the hosts will be eager to snatch a first win against the Americans in four tries this calendar year. (5 p.m. ET, Paramount+, Universo)
The USMNT is fresh off an impressive 2-0 win against Mexico on Friday, which saw Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie each contribute goals for the Americans. Zack Steffen will be back in goal for Gregg Berhalter’s side, looking to claim his second-straight clean shutout this month. McKennie and Miles Robinson are both out due to suspension, but Tyler Adams, Tim Weah, and Walker Zimmerman should led the way in Kingston.
Here is a rundown of SBI’s prematch coverage:
USMNT set for fourth meeting vs. Jamaica this year, which will be the most challenging so far
The SBI Show: Episode 342 (USMNT-Jamaica Preview)
The five key USMNT-Jamaica matchups to watch
Who Should Start for the USMNT vs. Jamaica
Walker Zimmerman has emerged as a surprise staple in USMNT centerback corps
Gregg Berhalter to start Zack Steffen, but undecided about other USMNT positions
The USMNT-Jamaica match is airing in English on Paramount+. If you have yet to sign up, you can secure a free one-month trial of Paramount+ by using THIS LINK and including the offer code SBI.
The SBI staff will be checking in with updates and observations throughout the match in the comments section. You are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions as well.
Enjoy the action.
at some point it will get through the coach’s thick skull that when we take the ball to the flag and cross it most of the night that’s when it doesn’t go well. what happened to “direct?” weah is one of the few people taking the ball into the box as opposed to heading for the flag. wall ball passing and dribbling led to the goal tonight, getting played behind the defense other nights. mckennie’s goal was a similar “direct” slalom effort. get the ball into the box and play to feet. this is not a “target 9” team, especially when pefok is left off. quit whacking crosses in.
@IV, I agreed with you again! Play direct if the situations and technical players on the pitch allow us to do it.
Okay, let’s look at this particular issue tonight hypothetically, the MMA midfield (at home) that allowed us to play direct at times against Mexico was broken up due to the suspension of McKennie. Not that Busio was bad tonight, I think Busio held his own tonight coming in for McKennie. Let’s say when situations and players’ performances were not at a high enough level to play direct football such as tonight, both full backs Yedlin and Antonee Robinson had no better ideas but ended up whipping poor crosses into the box and failing to connect with teammates all night.
1.) That’s where and when we needed a more traditional and physical striker such as Dike or Pefok at desperation times after the 75th minutes. No, Ferreira, false 9, was not the better option under these circumstances.
2). Like in the Mexico game, Yedlin was solid in defense tonight; however, Yedlin’s crosses and abilities to combine and connect passes on offense have left a lot to be desired in both games. Antonee Robinson was unusually sloppy and his crosses were nowhere near his teammates tonight. That’s where Joe Scally comes in. Once Scally is familiar with Berhalter’s “world beating” system, tactics and formations like the next cycle in Jan/Feb 2022, Scally can play competently at both right and left full backs, field proven in the Bundesliga in defense & offense despite his young age this season. Long term, Scally is definitely an upgrade over Yedlin (no longer the fastest man on the pitch) at right back. In addition, when Antonee Robinson has an off night like tonight, Scally will be a good option off the bench.
Last but not least, another observation from tonight, our very best defensive central midfielder 6, Tyler Adams tends to over-commit at times on defense. The Jamaican screamer goal by Antonio reminded me a lot of the City’s goal in the Champions League game between City and Leipzig. The way Antonio cut back and beat an overcommitted Adams was exactly the same how Grealish (Grealish was much deeper in the box) beat Adams. I suggest Adams should look at the films and improve on this particular part of his game.
he doesn’t select well enough, and so between that and his management in general, he only gets about half the results we deserve. they look good one game, another game we have to actually manage, to rotate or use his bench, not so much. can’t string “W”s together.
some will be happy and say this is win home tie away, and this is better than the last two cycles, but to me feels like frittering away with our talent. i don’t care if jamaica is at home, they had no business even getting a point.
subtle thing on the people who said we were just at the halfway point. literally true but more complicated than that. we have more home than away the second half but also mexico and costa rica away.
Optional voice, how do we have more home games the second half of the OcTag, when we have four away games and three home games?
Pepi has been as useful as a traffic cone these past 2 games. Need to look at other options.
It’s 19* in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Good luck with that el tri. 18 at kickoff. I guess I’ll go watch Brazil v Argentina. Come on El Salvador, share those points tonight, or better yet, take all three from Panama.
FT: Jamaica 1 – USMNT 1. A missed opportunity for the Americans, who only get one point on the road in Kingston. It was a lackluster performance for the USMNT after it had earned its best qualifying result just four nights prior. Yunus Musah and Tim Weah stood out, but that’s about it. Thanks all for joining and be sure to check out our postgame content this week.
Damion Lowe heads home off a corner kick, but the referee waives it off due to a foul on Zimmerman. It’s a harsh call in the end because it looked like minimal contact. Still 1-1.
Jamaica growing into the match more after halftime, which could be worrying for USMNT backline.
Christian Pulisic and Kellyn Acosta coming on for Tim Weah and Yunus Musah. Hopefully we can see some spark in the attack. Thought Weah offered more than Aaronson tonight, but Berhalter decides to stick with Aaronson and now Pulisic outside of Ricardo Pepi.
Christian Pulisic and Kellyn Acosta readying to come on for USMNT, who needs a spark offensively.
A lot of poor passes from Jamaica tonight. The field doesn’t look good at all, but you’d think at home they would be used to be it by now.
Bobby Reid had a golden chance to put Jamaica ahead 2-1 after Antonee Robinson’s poor clearance fell to his Fulham teammate. Reid skied his effort though.
HT: Jamaica 1 – USMNT 1. An early goal from Tim Weah was cancelled out by Michail Antonio’s thunderous strike, giving Gregg Berhalter plenty to think about at halftime. The Americans are struggling to get their attacking in good spots in the final third, while Jamaica is content with conceding possession. Christian Pulisic would be good to bring on to spark the offense.
Who do you hope to see in the second half?
I was a little disappointed with the lack of response to the equalizer. Aaronson had a few great runs down the wing. Pepi hasn’t seen much of the ball tonight. Hopefully that will change in the second half.
Also, that field is bad.
Risky move from Chris Richards who leans into a Jamaica cross, that goes off of his shoulder. No VAR so he is off the hook, but still.
Team got a little panicked after that Antonio bomb. Passing a bit sloppy now. Hope we can calm down a bit, keep it tied or go ahead, stay poised for the 2nd 45.
Aaronson continuing to pressure Andre Blake in the back, but hopefully we can see him on the ball more in the final third.
Michail Antonio’s thunderous strike has tied it up for Jamaica. A lot of ball watching from the USMNT there and the in-form West Ham striker makes them pay. 1-1.
Goal Tim Weah. Assisted by Pepi at 11′
Man, what a touch to get it past Andre Blake. Tim Weah is on fire now
We keep saying Weah is a LW !!!
Wow, the Jamaican lady who sang Jamaica Land We Love before the game just knocked it out of the park.
Let’s go. I am pumped to see how Gianluca Busio looks in midfield tonight. His chances to play are limited with the competition he has at that spot on USMNT, but nearly every Venezia match he’s looked excellent. Time to follow up on the impressive Gold Cup performances.
Go Busio! Go USMNT! Go for 3 points on the road.