Jamaica vs USA: Undermanned Americans Ready to Tally First Win in Kingston

The U.S. has visited National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica four times in World Cup qualifying play and left all four times without a victory—or a defeat.

Each of its previous four matches ended in draws, a trend that Jurgen Klinsmann's squad is ready to buck against the Reggae Boyz, who will be playing on their home turf on Friday night.

The Americans will be playing without two of their best players, as both Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan will miss the match due to injury.

Their best player, Clint Dempsey, hasn't played for the majority of the summer, as he was banned from preseason training for awhile and held out of Fulham's first two matches while trying to secure his transfer to Tottenham—he did not play in the club's match last week, either.

How much he'll be able to play is up in the air.

Jamaica's midfield trio of Rodolph Austin, Je-Vaughn Watson and Jason Morrison has been inconsistent in getting the ball ahead to the team's speedy forwards. Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman have the ability to take advantage of that and dictate the flow of the game—and they will.

Geoff Cameron made a huge statement with his play against Mexico and leads a solid group of defenders, while Jozy Altidore and Terrence Boyd have gotten off to quick starts with their club teams, scoring with some regularity.

That trio, along with Hercules Gomez, is playing as well as it ever has.

The Reggae Boyz are talented, but they lack a standout performer. Dane Richards is arguably their best player, and while he is certainly talented, this team is not of the same caliber as Jamaican teams from the late-90s and early-naughts, when they were regularly World Cup contenders.

Undermanned or not, the U.S. squad is a more talented bunch and comes in riding the highs from a breakthrough win against Italy and its first victory in Mexico City against Mexico.

The only thing standing in the way of the Americans taking control of Group A in qualifying play is themselves.