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USA - Jamaica 2013 World Cup Qualifier - Lineups and Live Thread

It's a victory lap for the USMNT from Sporting Park in Kansas City. But Jurgen Klinsmann wants to end qualification on a high note, and he's put out a strong lineup to face a Jamaica side that needs three points to keep their dream of Brazil 2014 alive.

By Jake Catanese
Jared Wickerham

Jurgen Klinsmann was very clear that he wanted to field his strongest lineups despite the fact that the United States clinched qualification for next summer's World Cup in Brazil. The USA's lineup against Jamaica tonight reflects just that.

USA LINEUP (4-4-2)

GK Tim Howard [C]; LB DaMarcus Beasley, CB Matt Belser, CB Geoff Cameron, RB Brad Evans; LM/RM Landon Donovan, CM Jermaine Jones, CM Mix Diskerud, RM/LM Alejandro Bedoya; CF Jozy Altidore, ST Aron Johannsson

JAMAICA LINEUP (4-3-3)

Kerr, Phillips, Mariappa, Morgan, Doyley, Watson, Austin, McAnuff, Mattocks, Johnson, Brown

It's about as good of a first team lineup as the USA can put on the field at the moment with a number of injuries that they have, with Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson and Omar Gonzalez among those not included in the squad.

It will be interesting to see how Klinsmann aligns his squad tactically, but it's not impossible for the US to stick to it's tried and true 4-2-3-1, with Mix and Jones the holding mids, flanked by Donovan and Bedoya. There's also a number of different looks the US strikers can give Jamaica, with Jozy and the Iceman, Johannsson, alternating between that holding/withdrawn striker spot.

Klinsmann can also deploy a standard 4-4-2 or one with a diamond midfield (a 4-1-2-1-2 if you prefer) with Jones holding and Diskerud as the attacking midfield distributing to the two strikers. Obvious substitutions would include Graham Zusi at right mid and Kyle Beckerman at defensive mid.

For Jamaica, it's been a struggle all qualification. They sit at the bottom of The Hex, with a 0-4-4 record for four points and have only scored three goals in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. The Reggae Boyz will turn to a trio of MLS strikers in Darren Mattocks (VAN Whitecaps, Ryan Johnson (POR Timbers) and Deshorn Brown (COL Rapids) to try and spark a late rally for the fourth place playoff spot against New Zealand. In order get into fourth, Jamaica needs to win their final games against the US and Honduras and get help, so it would appear that they're virtually eliminated.

Fell free to follow along as the USA kicks off against Jamaica at 6:30 EST on ESPN.

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