United States Men’s National Team vs. Jamaica: Time, TV schedule, and live stream

Game: United States Men’s National Team vs. Jamaica

Date: Friday, Feb. 3

Time: 7:00 p.m. EST, 4:00 p.m. PST,

Venue: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Television: FS1, UniMás, Univision Deportes

Streaming: Fox Sports Go, fuboTV, Univision NOW

All-time record: 13-2-8

The United States Men’s National Team continues its ‘January camp’ friendlies with a match Friday night against CONCACAF foe Jamaica. The contest is the last for the USA before their Hexagonal World Cup Qualifiers in March against Honduras and Panama and the last chance for head coach Bruce Arena to evaluate his squad in international action.

The last time the USA hosted Jamaica, the Reggae Boyz pulled off a shocking upset on American soil, winning 2-1 in the Gold Cup semifinal in 2015. The Americans will be looking to reassert their dominance and gain revenge, but the number one priority will still be squad evaluation.

The last time out against Serbia in a dull 0-0 draw on Sunday, Darlington Nagbe made the strongest impression of the MLS players who were not already regular contributors. Benny Fellhaiber provided creativity off the bench as did Philadelphia Union midfielder Chris Pontius, who almost scored the winner at the death.

What to watch for Jamaica

Jamaica is already eliminated from World Cup Qualifying, so the squad is on a different timeline than the USA, focusing on development and this year’s Gold Cup. Like the USA, they have no European-based players on this roster, and their team should look familiar to MLS fans with seven players from the league.

The familiarity starts in the net, with Union goalkeeper and MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake between the sticks. At 26, Blake is vying for the title of best North American goalkeeper and will look to grow his stature by performing on the international stage.

The other young star in the back is 22-year old Alvas Powell from Portland Timbers who already is one of the most talented fullbacks in the league. He has potential to play in the top European leagues, and his matchup against Nagbe could be a key battle on Friday night. Bethlehem Steel FC’s Cory Burke is also a member of the squad, and has been getting more minutes off of the bench in his past few appearances.

What to watch for the USA

While the result against Serbia did not matter, the game did nothing to answer questions about Arena’s tactical style. He opted for one striker in a 4-1-4-1 with Michael Bradley as the defensive shield, and while it was a secure formation, it lacked real invention in the final third despite a standout display from Nagbe. Bradley and Jermaine Jones flourish in a three man midfield, while striker Jozy Altidore looks miles better with a strike partner. The only way to accommodate both desires is to play three in the back, and that failed miserably for Klinsmann against Mexico and Costa Rica in November.

Arena probably will not trot out a two-striker system, but it will be interesting if he goes for more of a 4-2-3-1 approach. With Jermaine Jones and Sacha Kljestan gone after returning to their MLS clubs, the door is open for a few midfielders to make favorable impressions. Benny Feilhaber, who subbed on for Kljestan against Serbia, should see an extended run in a creative role.

Union fans should expect another opportunity for Alejandro Bedoya to compete and it appears that hard-working midfielder has remained as a dependable option despite the regime change. Chris Pontius might also see more minutes and he might fancy this match to open his international scoring record.

Two other key players to watch are Graham Zusi and Sebastian Lletget. Zusi looked solid in his international debut at right back on Sunday and his further development at that role makes Arena’s life much easier. Lletget caught the eyes of many in his first cap off the bench against Serbia and he could play his way into a later Hex call-up with another positive display Friday.

What to expect

Like Sunday, the result should not be relevant to the judgment of the team. That being said, the USA knows it cannot afford to lose to an inferior program twice in a row and that if it plays well, it should win comfortably. Arena is still ironing out the kinks of his new squad, but he does not have nearly enough time to play with. Expect a strong response from his squad after Sunday’s stale result, and the type of game where the USA dominates possession and chances.

Prediction: 1-0 USA. The Americans should probably win by more, but it should be a least be a good step in the right direction before the Hex resumes.