Jamaica vs Saint Kitts and Nevis prediction: NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA: Gold Cup betting tips on match 2023-07-02 23:00.
Jamaica followed up on their highly encouraging 1-1 draw against defending champions USA in the opening match of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. After failing to secure a single win across his opening eight matches as Jamaica head coach (D4, L4), a relieved Heimir HallgrĂmsson stated post-match that his team “will only grow as the tournament gets older”.
The Reggae Boyz enter this closing group-stage game in a good position to reach the Gold Cup knockout stage for a fifth consecutive edition, as a draw against Saint Kitts and Nevis would be enough to clinch one of Group A’s top two spots. In search of achieving that feat, the two-time Gold Cup finalists can rely on their ability to start matches strongly, as seven of their last nine goals in the competition proper have been scored before the half-hour mark.
St. Kitts & Nevis make the long trip across the USA from St. Louis to Santa Clara with nothing to play for except pride. The smallest nation in terms of population (approx. 50,000) at the 2023 edition of the Gold Cup saw their qualifying hopes diminish after a 6-0 trouncing against USA in midweek, a result which only served to compound their misery after a 3-0 loss to Trinidad and Tobago in their group-stage opener.
For their first group-stage appearance in Gold Cup history, the Sugar Boyz will certainly want to offer their fans something to celebrate, even if it's just by scoring a goal before leaving the competition. History suggests that’s an achievable target given they’ve found the net in seven of the previous ten H2H encounters (D2, L8).
Players to watch: On his 27th birthday, Everton’s Demarai Gray scored a brace within 30 minutes against Trinidad and Tobago, contributing to three of Jamaica's five goals in this Gold Cup (G2, A1). St. Kitts & Nevis’ striker Keithroy Freeman could steal the spotlight from him after scoring a brace in each of his three goalscoring international appearances.
Hot streak: Each of St Kitts & Nevis’ previous 12 international losses have seen them trail at half-time.