First place in League A Group B CONCACAF Nations League will be up for grabs on Thursday Nicaragua Welcome Jamaica to the Nicaragua National Football Stadium in Managua.

Both teams are tied for first place on four points after the Nicaraguans secured a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Cuba on matchday two, while the Reggae Boyz beat Honduras 2-1 in their previous encounter.

Game preview

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Better late than never was Nicaragua’s story at this stage of the new Nations League season, as this team has yet to lose a game in League A.

Their only two goals in the competition this season came in second-half injury time, extending their unbeaten run across all competitions to five games in a row.

That late draw against the Cubans was the fourth time this team has conceded the first goal in a game this year, and they haven’t won a single game in 2024.

On the other hand, they have a 100% record of drawing first blood in a game this year, including a 1-0 triumph over French Guiana on matchday one of this Nations League season.

Martin Antonio FigueroaThe Nairobi side have picked up at least one point in 14 consecutive Nations League games and have won their last six games at the tournament in Nicaragua.

Los Pinoleros have not lost to Caribbean opponents in the Nations League since Suriname beat them 2-1 in Nicaragua in November 2019.

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It took a strong second half, coupled with a lucky jump, but Steve McClaren On the second matchday he celebrated his first win as a Jamaican coach.

The former England manager is unbeaten after two games in charge of the Reggae Boyz as that team ended a run of four games without a win in all competitions with victory over Honduras.

Jamaica has never lost a Nations League group game away from home and won the two games outside Jamaica in this tournament last year against Grenada (4-1) and Haiti (3-2).

Since Costa Rica beat them 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in February 2022, the Reggae Boyz are undefeated in seven consecutive competitive games against Central American opponents and have won five of their last six meetings against that region.

On matchday two, they conceded a goal in the second half of a Nations League game for the second time since joining League A in the 2022/23 season.

After suffering a loss in their first meeting against Nicaragua in Jamaica in 2015 (3-2), the Reggae Boyz won their only game against La Azul y Blanco in Managua (2-0) later that year.

Nicaragua CONCACAF Nations League Form:

Nicaragua form (all competitions):

Jamaica CONCACAF Nations League form:

Jamaica Form (all competitions):

Team news

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For the second time in a row Anyelo Velasquez has been called up to the Nicaraguan squad for this window and is currently aiming for his first cap for the national team Byron Bonilla, Bancy Hernandez, Ariel Arauz And Jacob Montes are among the newcomers who were not in the squad for the first two games of this competition.

Jaime Moreno can overtake Marlon Lopez and finish sixth in senior team history if he sees the field for this upcoming competition.

Widman Talavera On the second matchday of this tournament, he scored his third goal for the national team in the 96th minute and secured his team a point.

From the first to the second matchday of this tournament, McClaren made two changes to his Jamaican starting XI: Greg Leigh substitute Dexter Lembikisa as a legal defender and Norman Campbell come in Jamal Lowe.

Michael Hector is five appearances away from 50 with the national team, while Jamal Lowe and Karoy Anderson can reach double digits in that department this week.

Denil Maldonado scored an own goal four minutes into the second half to give Jamaica a lead over the Hondurans Mikhail Antonio He scored the winning goal from a penalty with 14 minutes left.

Nicaragua possible starting lineup:
Rodriguez; Quijano, Fletes, Reyes, Perez; N. Rodriguez, Barrera, J. Coronel, Belli, H. Medina; Moreno

Jamaica possible starting lineup:
Blake; Lembikisa, Pinnock, D. Lowe, Bell; Anderson, Latibeaudiere, Palmer, Decordova-Reid; Nicholson, Antonio

We say: Nicaragua – Jamaica 0:1

These two teams have proven very resilient at the start of the new Nations League season, but we believe the Reggae Boyz’ individual attacking qualities will ultimately be enough against a well-organized Nicaraguan team.

For data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this game, please click here.

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