Our prediction for this Gold Cup match:
Jamaica
Match Time & Date:
29/06/2023
01:30
Prediction: 2-1
Trinidad and Tobago
Following a 1-1 draw with USA in their opener, Jamaica will look to record their first win at the 2023 Gold Cup when they take on Trinidad & Tobago at CITYPARK. The Reggae Boyz failed to win previous eleven games in all competitions, but they are still seen as favourites to pick up all three points from Thursday’s encounter. Despite failing to convert a penalty in the Group A opener, a man to watch in the home team will be Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey. All Lowe, Lawrence, and Blake are one yellow card away from suspension.
The Soca Warriors, on the other hand, aim to build on a routine 30 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry against Michail Antonio and Co. Atlanta United midfielder Ajani Fortune is pushing for a start after scoring as a substitute in the first group game, but Angus Eve is unlikely to make too many changes to the team that outplayed Saint Kitts and Nevis. Anyhow, home win should be considered as Jamaica boss Heimir Hallgrimsson has a number of top-class players to choose from.
Highlighted Player (Leon Bailey):
Leon Bailey is a Phoenix All Stars Academy product who was born in Kingston on August 9, 1997. The Jamaica international played for the likes of FC Liefering and Trencin during his youth career, but he made his senior debut with Belgian side Genk in August, 2015 in a 3-1 win over Saint-Truiden.
The pacey winger quickly established himself as one of the best players in the Belgian top flight, but he scored only 8 goals in 56 appearances for Genk from 2015 to 2017. In the winter of 2017 Leon Bailey signed a deal with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €20 million. Bailey is a left-footed footballer, but he is capable of playing on both sides of the field.
The Bayer Leverkusen winger made one appearance for Jamaica U23 team, but he eventually refused to represent the Reggae Boyz at senior level as he has personal problems with the association. It has to be noted that Leon Bailley scored 12 goals in 34 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2017/2018 Bundesliga season.
Highlighted Team (Jamaica):
The Reggae Boyz are enjoying in their 2014 Copa Centroamericana title and are looking forward to their second-ever entry into the Copa America. Jamaica took positives from their debut in the competition last year in Chile despite going out in the group stage and will now be willing to make one step further.
The country had more success later in the summer when Winfried Schafer’s men knocked off the United States in the semi-finals of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Reggae Boyz were ultimately stopped in the final as they lost to Mexico, but the ticket to 2016 Copa America was enough of a reward itself as four highest finishers were guaranteed a place at the competition.
Jamaica stepped onto the international scene with a 2-1 win over Haiti in 1925 and have so far qualified only once for the FIFA World Cup in 1998. It was not until 1965 that Jamaica made their first attempt to qualify for the World Cup though.
Barcelona
Atletico Madrid 
Everton
Chelsea
Leicester 
Wolves
Manchester United 
Bournemouth
Real Madrid 
Sevilla
Tottenham
Liverpool
