USMNT facing Jamaica on Sunday in Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals

CHICAGO — After finishing in first place in Group B and being one of two teams to complete the group phase with three wins, the young USMNT squad enters the quarterfinal round staring down a familiar opponent in Jamaica, currently the third-highest ranked team in Concacaf. The meeting in Dallas marks the fourth-consecutive Gold Cup in which the teams have met in the knockout phase.

Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is set for 10 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on FS1, Univision and TUDN.

2021 GOLD CUP – USMNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)
 
GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Brad Guzan (Atlanta United; 64/0), 18-Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 9/0), 1-Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 4/0)
 
DEFENDERS (8): 21-George Bello (Atlanta United; 2/0), 2-Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 19/1), 24-Henry Kessler (New England Revolution; 0/0)*, 20-Shaq Moore (Tenerife/ESP; 8/1), 4-Donovan Pines (D.C. United; 2/0), 12-Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 6/2), 16-James Sands (New York City FC; 3/0), 3-Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; 5/1)
 
MIDFIELDERS (6): 23-Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 34/2), 6-Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; 3/0), 17-Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 26/7), 10-Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 22/0), 19-Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; 2/0), 14-Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 15/0)
 
FORWARDS: (6): 7-Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 36/8), 11-Daryl Dike (Orlando City; 6/3), 8-Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen/FRA; 5/3), 13-Matthew Hoppe (Schalke/GER; 1/0), 15-Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; 8/2), 9-Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew; 59/13)

*Pending Concacaf approval

ROSTER REPLACEMENT
A request to add New England Revolution defender Henry Kessler to the USMNT roster was submitted to Concacaf on Saturday afternoon. Should the confederation grant the request, Kessler will be added to the USMNT roster for the knockout round, replacing Walker Zimmerman. The Nashville SC defender, who had captained the team in the second and third matches of the group stage, was ruled out with a hamstring strain incurred in the first quarter hour of the USA’s 1-0 win against Canada.

Per the amended tournament regulations, teams can replace injured players up to 24 hours prior to the quarterfinal. The replacement must come from the 60-player provisional roster.

Kessler, 23, was a part of the U-23 USMNT roster for Olympic Qualifying earlier this year.

USA SCHEDULE – 2021 GOLD CUP

GROUP WINNERS – BY THE NUMBERS
With nine points and two shutouts, the USMNT ran out winners of Group B with an unblemished record that included:

• The best goal differential (+7) of any team in the tournament
• The youngest lineup ever fielded by the USMNT in an official competition (23 years, 84 days vs. Martinique)
• A total of 12 players who made their first appearance in an official competition
• Five players who earned their first international caps (Busio, Hoppe, Pines, Sands, Williamson)
• Four players who posted first career assists (Busio, Hoppe, Roldan, Williamson)
• A total of 21 of 23 rostered players used

SHAQ ATTACK
With performances that epitomized the idiom Carpe Diem, USMNT defender Shaq Moore has been one of the revelations of the tournament. Returning to the national team fold for the first time since November 2018, the Powder Springs, Ga., native started all three matches – having learned of his inclusion against Haiti only hours before – and twice earned U.S. Soccer Insider’s Man of the Match honors. Moore also wrote his name in the history books, scoring the fastest goal in Gold Cup history when he netted the game-winner just 20 seconds into the 1-0 shutout against Canada.

NICE TO MEET YOU (AGAIN)
Sunday’s quarterfinal marks the fourth-straight Concacaf Gold Cup where the USA will meet Jamaica in the Knockout Round. In 2015, the Reggae Boyz pulled off a 2-1 semifinal upset of the USA at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to advance to their first Gold Cup Final. Two years later, they returned to the championship match but fell 2-1 as the USMNT raised its sixth confederation championship trophy on July 26, 2017 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

In the 2019 edition, muggy conditions and an 88-minute weather delay in the middle of the first half, the U.S. Men’s National Team battled past Jamaica 3-1 before 28,473 rain-soaked fans at Nissan Stadium. Christian Pulisic earned Man of the Match honors with a pair of second half goals, piggybacking on Weston McKennie’s opener to advance the USA to a tournament-record 11th Concacaf Gold Cup Final.

The teams also met earlier this year for a friendly in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Sebastian Lletget scored twice and a stunner from Sergiño Dest led the USMNT to a convincing 4-1 victory.

Following Sunday’s encounter, the teams are next slated to meet in the USMNT’s second home match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign. U.S. Soccer selected Austin as the host of USA-Jamaica, with kickoff on Oct. 7 at Q2 Stadium for the first qualifier in the state of Texas set for 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET).

@ JERRY’S WORLD
This will be the USMNT’s third go ‘round at AT&T Stadium, with all their visits coming during the Gold Cup. Both previous appearances proved auspicious, ending in victories and leading to championships. In 2013, a total of 84,410 fans witnessed in the 3-1 win against Honduras in the semifinal. A pair of goals from Landon Donovan paced the U.S. to victory, who went on to win the tournament by defeating Panama in the final in Chicago. Four years later, second-half goals in the span of 10 minutes from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey helped the USA defeat Costa Rica 2-0 in the 2017 Semifinal. Dempsey’s 82nd minute strike was the 57th of his international career, tying him with Landon Donovan for the most all-time by a USMNT player. This time the team headed to Santa Clara, where it defeated Jamaica to capture the Gold Cup crown.

WHAT IS THE CONCACAF GOLD CUP?
Held every two years, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. Just like in the European Championships and Copa America, lifting the trophy brings prestige and regional supremacy. Over the course of 15 previous Gold Cup tournaments, the United States has lifted the trophy six times (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017), just behind all-time leaders Mexico with eight (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019). Canada is the only other tournament champion, coming away with the title in 2000.

The top two teams in each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals (July 24-25 in Arlington, Texas and Glendale, Ariz.). The semifinals are scheduled for July 29 in Austin and Houston, before the championship match on Aug. 1 in Las Vegas.

USA TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Sebastian Lletget captained the USMNT for the first time vs. Haiti, while Walker Zimmerman earned the same honor against Martinique and Canada. Gregg Berhalter has now handed 13 different players the armband.
• Collecting the game-winning assist against Haiti, Gyasi Zardes also made his first USMNT appearance since the 1-0 win vs. Costa Rica on Feb. 1, 2020.
• With the goal against Martinique, Zardes moved into a tie with Bobby Wood, Hugo Perez and Marcelo Balboa for 15th on the USMNT’s all-time scoring list (13 goals).
• His fifth career Gold Cup goal ties him for fifth all-time with Jozy Altidore, Chris Wondolowski and DaMarcus Beasley among U.S. players in the competition.
• After making his USMNT debut during the 7-0 win vs. Trinidad and Tobago on Jan. 31, left back George Bello earned his first start against Martinique.
• At 19 years, 48 days, Gianluca Busio became the second youngest USMNT player to start a Gold Cup match on Thursday against Martinique. He comes in behind only Juan Agudelo, who started his first match in the tournament at 18 years, 196 days on June 7, 2011 vs. Canada in Detroit.
• Hoppe, Williamson, Roldan and Busio each earned their first career assists in the win against Martinique.
• Shaq Moore scored his first international goal in record-breaking fashion just 20 seconds into the 1-0 shutout against Canada

USA ROSTER NOTES

• Nineteen of the 23 players represent a total of 12 different clubs in Major League Soccer. Atlanta United and Colorado Rapids lead the way with three players each, followed by D.C. United, New York City FC (2 each); Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, Orlando City SC, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City (1 each).
• Defenders Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portugal) and Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain) and forwards Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; France) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke; Germany) make up the European-based contingent.
• Gyasi Zardes’ team-leading 19 Gold Cup caps currently place him tied with Carlos Bocanegra for ninth on the USMNT’s all-time Gold Cup appearances list.
• Since 2018, Zardes leads all U.S.-eligible players in MLS with 47 goals. The veteran striker also sits eighth all-time on the USMNT’s Gold Cup scoring list with four goals.

USMNT AT THE GOLD CUP

• Beginning with the inaugural title in 1991, the U.S. has lifted the Gold Cup on six occasions. The USA returned the trophy home in 2002 and won again in 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2017.
• The USA has more wins in the Gold Cup than any other nation, going 62-9-9 all-time.
• The U.S. has gone an impressive 36-1-4 during the group stage.
• The USMNT has advanced to the final on 11 occasions: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019.
• The USA has made it to the semifinals in 14 out of 15 tournaments, missing out only in 2000.

USA-JAMAICA NOTES

• Since first meeting in 1988, the teams have faced each other 28 times with the USMNT holding a 17-3-8 overall advantage and a 5-1-0 edge in Gold Cup play
• Three players on the current USMNT roster appeared in the 4-1 win earlier this year, with Kellyn Acosta and Sebastian Lleget earning starts while Nico Gioacchini came off the bench and assisted Lletget’s second goal
• Four players on the current USMNT roster appeared in the 3-1 victory in the 2019 Gold Cup Semifinal, with Paul Arriola and Reggie Cannon getting the starts while Cristian Roldan and Gyasi Zardes coming on to help seal the win

JAMAICA ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): Dillon Barnes (Queens Park Rangers), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Dennis Taylor (Humble Lion)
DEFENDERS (8): Amari’i Bell (Luton Town), Oniel Fisher (LA Galaxy), Michael Hector (Fulham), Damion Lowe (Al-Ittihad), Kemar Lawrence (Toronto FC), Adrian Mariappa (Bristol City), Liam Moore (Reading), Alvas Powell (Philadelphia Union)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Daniel Johnson (Preston North End), Tyreek Magee (Eupen), Ravel Morrison (Unattached), Blair Turgott (Östersund), Lamar Walker (Miami FC), Devon Williams (Miami FC)
FORWARDS (6): Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen), Cory Burke (Philadelphia Union), Bobby Decordova-Reid (Fulham), Junior Flemmings (Birmingham Legion), Andre Gray (Watford), Shamar Nicholson (Charleroi)

HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Reggae Boyz reached the quarterfinals as the second-place finisher in Group C behind Costa Rica, collecting a 2-1-0 record. Playing their matches in Orlando, Jamaica opened with a 2-0 shutout win against Suriname with first half goals from Shamar Nicholson and Bobby Reid. In the middle match, they surrendered a fourth-minute goal to Guadeloupe and then rebounded with two of their own, including the game-winner in the 87^th minute from Junior Flemmings. Despite the group title being on the line, Jamaica chose to rest several starters for the finale against Costa Rica. A Bryan Ruiz goal proved the difference, with the Reggae Boyz on a man advantage for the final 16 minutes in their 1-0 defeat.

IN FOCUS: JAMAICA

• As the third-highest ranked team in the region behind Mexioc and the United States, Jamaica are one of the eight teams in Concacaf Final Round Qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Jamaican roster boast players spread across Europe and North America, led by the Fulham duo of defender Michael Hector and forward Bobby Decordova-Reid.
• Five players ply their trade in MLS, with the Philadelphia Union contributing the trio of goalkeeper Andre Blake, defender Alvas Powell and striker Cory Burke. LA Galaxy defender Oniel Fisher and Toronto FC defender Kevar Lawrence shore up the backline.
• Three players come from the USL: Junior Flemmings (Birmingham Legion), Lamar Walker (Miami FC), Devon Williams (Miami FC)
• Three of the four goals for Jamaica in the tournament have come in the second half and two have occurred within the first 15 minutes.
• Jamaica are coached by Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, a former Jamaican international and World Cup veteran who earned 120 caps and scored 24 goals during an 11-year run with the Reggae Boyz. Coincidentally, he collected his first cap against the United States during a 1-0 defeat on Nov. 7, 1993, in Fullerton, Calif. Having led the team since 2016, he had previously been the boss from 2009-13.