USA vs Jamaica
Missing your competitive football during the summer months?
Well, fret no more because the CONCACAF Gold Cup is about to get underway.
Football fans in North America, Central America and the Caribbean are certainly gearing up for an enthralling tournament.
Held biennially, the United States and Jamaica will kick off the tournament in the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time) and it has the potential to kickstart nearly a month of CONCACAF Gold Cup highlights.
Talking Points
It’s certainly a big tournament for the US, holders of the tournament and looking to move level with Mexico who hold the record for eight CONCACAF successes, one more than their North American counterparts.
Both nations have contested the last two finals (with one win apiece), while the previous two saw them defeat Jamaica (2015 & 2017) who are looking to secure their own maiden success in a competition which has cemented its status as a significant event in the global soccer calendar.
CONCACAF, incidentally, is an acronym for the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football, one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies.
Soldier Field in Chicago is the venue where Jamaica, who are not immune to causing surprises, start as clear underdogs.
The Americans, meanwhile, come into this off the back of retaining their CONCACAF Nations League title by defeating Canada 2-0 last weekend.
They are also used to playing at a higher level.
The World Cup in Qatar six months ago was a tournament they could look back on with a degree of pride, reaching the last-16 where they were edged out by Holland.
On that occasion, it was the same old story for the Americans, who finished with more shots (17 to 11), more shots on target (eight to six), more passes (564 to 412) and a greater share of possession (58% to 42%), but lacked the ruthlessness and professional edge of the Dutch.
They remain a young team and perhaps they will be considered more of a force when they are co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup.
Yet at this level they are among the favourites and their squad includes six players from the 2021 Gold Cup winning-squad, including final matchwinner Miles Robinson.
It really is hard to envisage anything other than a winning US start to the tournament.
History
These nations have been familiar foes in history – all of their meetings coming in the last 35 years.
They did not meet before 1988 and then, that summer, locked horns twice in less than a month.
The first match, a World Cup qualifier in Kingston, was goalless before the Americans hit the Reggae Boyz for five in St Louis.
On that occasion, Frank Klopas (two), Paul Krumpe, Hugo Perez (penalty) and Brian Bliss netted in a 5-1 win with Alton Sterling replying for Jamaica.
That was the start of five straight American victories in their clashes.
Four successive draws were followed by three more US wins, two more draws and another three matches (two US victories, one draw) before Jamaica finally defeated them in September 2012 at the 19th attempt.
Clint Dempsey scored a first minute opener for the Stars n’ Stripes, by then managed by Jurgen Klinsmann, before Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton sealed an historic win.
The US won the return fixture in the CONCACAF group a few days later, courtesy of a solitary Herculez Gomez goal.
Their most recent meeting came in November 2021 when Tim Weah gave the US an 11th minute lead before Michail Antonio quickly equalised and the match finished 1-1.
While the Jamaicans have only won three matches against the US, two of them have come on American soil, most recently in a friendly in Washington four years ago when Shamar Nicholson netted the only goal of the game.
Overall, there have been nine draws and 19 American successes.
Betting Tip
The SBOTOP CONCACAF Gold Cup betting odds back the Yanks all the way.
Among the options on offer are USA 1X2 @ 1.76, Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 1.97, First Half 1X2 @ 2.32 and First Half Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 1.92.
Contrast that with the Jamaicans for who the offerings include 1X2 @ 3.55, Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 1.85, First Half 1X2 @ 4.50 and First Half Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 1.90.
A re-run of their last meeting, Correct Score 1-1, will pay out @ 6.80.
I expect goals and have considered Total Goal 0-1 @ 2.92, 2-3 @ 1.82, 4-6 @ 3.75 and Over 2.50 goals @ 1.97.
It is the latter I am plumping for as a *** bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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