USA continue quest of three-peat in semifinals vs. Jamaica

MIAMI, Florida – The United States will continue their quest of a Concacaf Nations League ‘three-peat’ when they meet Jamaica in the semifinals of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Finals on Thursday evening at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The 2021 and 2023 champions are once again in the final four after a 4-2 aggregate victory against Trinidad and Tobago in the quarterfinals.

The U.S. will be led by a stable of dynamic attackers and playmakers like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna. Pulisic has three career goals in the Concacaf Nations League Finals, all against Mexico, having scored the winning goal in the 2021 Final and a pair of goals in the 2023 semifinals.

Meanwhile, no U.S. player has had a hand in more CNL goals than McKennie, who has six goals and four assists in his CNL career, including a goal in the 2021 Final. Reyna always shines as well in the CNL Finals, with a goal in the 2021 Final and two assists in the 2023 Final.

The last six meetings between the two countries have seen the U.S. amass a 4W-2D-0L record, but the last two matches ended in draws, including a 1-1 final in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage.

Jamaica will be on the hunt for their fourth all-time victory against the U.S. in what will be the first-ever CNL encounter between the two.

The Reggae Boyz became the first Caribbean side to advance to the CNL Finals by virtue of their dramatic quarterfinal win versus Canada.

After suffering a 2-1 loss at home in the first leg, Jamaica rallied for a 3-2 victory in the second leg to win the series via the away goal tiebreaker after the 4-4 draw on aggregate.

The duo of Shamar Nicholson and Demarai Gray will be one to watch. Nicholson thrives on the CNL stage and has nine goals, including three in the quarterfinals against Canada, and six assists in his career in the tournament. Gray scored three goals in Jamaica’s group stage campaign and then had an assist versus the Canadians.

GK Andre Blake will be a key piece as well. The 2017 Gold Cup Best GK Award winner has made 13 saves in the current CNL, including eight saves and five clearances in the quarterfinals.

Match Officials United States vs Jamaica

REF:      SELVIN BROWN (Honduras)

AR1:     GERSON ORELLANA (Honduras)

AR2:      ENMANUEL AGUIRRE (Nicaragua)

4TH:      KEYLOR HERRERA (Costa Rica)

VAR:     RICARDO MONTERO (Costa Rica)

VAR1:    BENJAMIN WHITTY (Cayman Islands)