ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Mauricio Pochettino's first competitive test as U.S. coach will take place Thursday night at Kingston, Jamaica, when the Americans play the Reggae Boyz in the first leg of a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal.
While the U.S. has 19 wins, three losses and 10 draws in a rivalry dating to 1988, the Americans have just three wins, one loss and six draws at The Office, as Independence Park is known. The Jamaicans are coached by former England manager Steve McClaren.
“It’s obviously going to be a tough place to go,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said Wednesday in Orlando before the team traveled. “They are obviously a team with a lot of good athletes, a very physical team and one that I think has improved a lot, as well, in recent years, so quality-wise for sure. So I think it’s a game that you absolutely have to be ready for because it’s going to be a challenge.”
Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter after the U.S. failed to advance past the first round of the Copa America and began his tenure with a pair of friendlies last month, a 2-0 win over Panama and a 2-0 defeat at Mexico.
“It’s been a good kind of reset for for everyone,” Pulisic said. “It’s brought an environment where everyone is a bit on their toes and especially in training sessions and preparation and meetings. I think everyone is that much more focused. You obviously want to make a good first impression.”
The second leg of the series is Monday in St. Louis, and the winner advances to a semifinal on March 20 at Inglewood, California. The U.S. won the first three editions of the tournament.
Defenders Sergiño Dest and Cameron Carter-Vickers, midfielders Gio Reyna and Luca De La Torre, and forwards Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright will miss the matches because of injuries and winger Tim Weah is suspended for the first leg because of a red card against Panama in the Copa America.
Jamaica is led by Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey and Shamar Nicholson. When the U.S. last played at Kingston in a World Cup qualifier in 2021, Weah's 11th-minute goal was offset when Antonio scored in the 22nd minute on a 34-yard strike past Zack Steffen for a 1-1 draw.
“We know that it’s going to be a really challenging game with the conditions,” said U.S. midfielder Yunus Musah, Pulisic's teammate at AC Milan. “They're a physical team, so we have to match the intensity before trying to play or anything like that. We have to really be ready to fight.”
Pochettino has just six more training camps on FIFA dates before he selects his World Cup roster.
“It’s easy to look ahead. I think the main objective right now is to beat Jamaica. That’s truly the only thing on our minds. We have to take this step by step,” Pulisic said. “We have to put on a really dominating, strong performance. That’s our goal, first and foremost.”
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The Associated Press
