USMNT v Jamaica Match Preview

There is a lot of international soccer to cover this summer, U-20 World Cup, Women’s World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. So we will keep this match preview brief as there will be plenty to write about in the near future.

When: Wednesday, June 5th at 5pm MT

Where: Audi Field in Washington D.C.

How to watch: FS1, UniMás and UDN

Why this game matters: The US has never lost under Gregg Berhalter, and they certainly won’t want to start losing during the ramp up to their big summer tournament, the Gold Cup. Other than keeping Berhalter’s pristine record in tact, the US has 28 players in camp vying for only 23 tournament roster spots. Players will be motivated to prove themselves, and Berhalter needs to dial in his final roster and fast.

Who to watch: This may be a bit of a copout but I’ll be watching how the European, Mexican and US based players will blend together. Up until now most players outside of MLS have not played for Berhalter as the previous friendlies have fallen outside of FIFA international windows. The talent level will be raised, but there could be some chemistry issues.

Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

My prediction: Similar to the US, Jamaica is also gearing up for their first Gold Cup match against Honduras on June 17th. Unlike the US, Jamaica will be playing on foreign soil and with lesser talent. I think the US wins this 2-0 and heads into their Sunday friendly against Jefferson Savarino and Venezuela still perfect under Berhalter.