Matt Miazga captains USA to shock 1-0 defeat against Michael Hector’s Jamaica

Chelsea defender Matt Miazga, back from his loan at Reading FC but with a future very much unclear, was named captain for the USA Men’s National Team’s warm-up friendly against Jamaica, in the final game before rosters were due to be submitted for the 2019 Gold Cup.

With many big names still yet to join camp (including Christian Pulisic) or just on the bench, headd coachh Gregg Berrdiolahalter named an “experimental” lineup for the tune-up, setting out in a 3-4-3 that proved “forgettable” at best.

Miazga, playing the right-hand side of the back-three and captaining his first ever game for the national team, was one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the listless performance. There was however nothing he could do about the second-half wonderstrike from Jamaica’s Shamar Nicholson, who plays his club football in Slovenia.

Chelsea loanee Michael Hector played 50 minutes for Jamaica in midfield.

Miazga is expected to make the final cut for the US, with Pulisic joining up soon as well. The tournament starts next weekend (June 15) with the final set for July 7. The US have won two of the last three Gold Cups (2013, 2017), with Jamaica finishing second twice in a row (2015, 2017).