USMNT on ‘higher alert’ against depleted Jamaica

Head coach Gregg Berhalter said the United States men’s national team will be on “higher alert” because of the depleted Jamaica roster his side will face in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League on Thursday in Arlington, Texas.

West Ham striker Michail Antonio has dropped out of Jamaica‘s roster due to injury while Aston Villa star Leon Bailey and forward Trivante Stewart were dropped from coach Heimir Hallgrímsson’s squad after breaking curfew in the team’s previous camp.

Forwards Demarai Gray and Shamar Nicholson are suspended following second yellow cards picked up in the the quarterfinal win against Canada in November.

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The winner of Thursday’s matchup will face the victor of the other semifinal between Mexico and Panama in Sunday’s final but Berhalter insisted the U.S. is taking nothing for granted.

“It puts us on higher alert,” Berhalter said in a media availability Wednesday. “We’re not taking this team lightly and now with guys missing it’s even more serious.

“The guys that are going to get their opportunity tomorrow night, they’re going to be giving everything to show this coach they want to be part of the squad for Copa América. So it’s a dangerous game for us and we’re going to be really focused on trying to play a good game and getting to the final.”

In contrast to Jamaica, the U.S. has close to full-strength roster on hand. Captain Tyler Adams is available for selection for the first time since the 2022 World Cup after recently returning from a recurring hamstring problem for Premier League club Bournemouth.

Adams said earlier this week that he felt able to play between 45-60 minutes for the U.S. as he steps up his fitness.

The midfielder is one of a number of U.S. players currently competing at club level in England, along with the likes of goalkeeper Matt Turner; defenders Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards and midfielder Gio Reyna.

“We went through their roster today and were asking our players what they know personally about the Jamaican players, because a lot of them play with these players in England,” Berhalter said.

“They’re well known to our player pool. We think that the quality they have is still good.

“They might be missing their top talent but they still have enough to be a very competitive team. And we know in these events in Concacaf, when teams play each other, they’re very difficult games. We expect the same thing.”

Fulham captain Ream, at 36 the oldest player on the roster, said the high number of U.S. players playing across Europe also has benefits for the team more generally.

“It does show there’s a lot more development, a lot more guys who are willing to push themselves and really step out of their comfort zones and make moves to Europe and really try to try to make a career out of being away from home,” Ream said.

“We’re seeing and reaping the rewards of that, guys who were wanting to make that jump. And you see it every day. Every time we come into camp guys have developed a little bit more, they’re a little bit more stronger, a little bit more developed mentally. They understand the ups and downs.”

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.