Copa America: Ecuador vs. Jamaica - Preview, Prediction and Betting Picks

After opening game defeats, both sides will be desperate to pick up a win to get back on track. However, we expect Ecuador to pick up the three points and put themselves in a strong position heading into the final game. It will be a tight affair with one goal likely enough to decide it.

Jeremy Sarmiento scored in the opener, and he will be confident in testing a Jamaica backline which gave up many chances against Mexico. Ecuador will be without striker Enner Valancia, but his potential replacement Jordy Caicedo could be a candidate to get on the scoresheet and will likely take on penalty duties – Ecuador 1-0 Jamaica

Both Ecuador and Jamaica got off to losing starts in Copa America, so will be looking to bounce back with three points when they face off in matchday two of the group stages.

• Date: 26/06/24
• Kick-off time: 23:00
• Venue: Allegiant Stadium

Group B sees Ecuador and Jamaica both playing catch-up heading into the second game after opening game defeats. Ecuador faced Venezuela in their first game and were surprising 2-1 losers. Their task was not made easy after striker Enner Valencia saw red just 22 minutes into the game, but they were able to make the breakthrough before half-time. However, Venezuela was able to use the extra man to their advantage and turned it around. Similarly, Jamaica were also defeated, though they did so against the stronger Mexico, who beat them 1-0.

As a result, the two teams will be desperate to record a victory to get their Copa America tournament up and running. A loss for either would likely end their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages. Three points would put them firmly back on track.

Ecuador have had few issues in front of goal as of late, scoring six in their last three, and they were hindered in the last game because of the red card. Jeremy Sarmiento has provided a dangerous threat recently, with his goal against Venezuela making it two in two. The Ipswich midfielder only scored three goals for his club this season but has made a strong start to the tournament which he will hope to continue. They face a tricky test against a Jamaica defense who have kept four clean sheets in seven and managed to keep Mexico to just one goal. However, they did give up plenty of chances which Ecuador could take advantage of.

Going forward, Jamaica has been inconsistent in front of goal but is led by West Ham striker Michail Antonio, and has ex-Premier League winger Demarai Gray to support him. They will be up against a backline who have not kept a clean sheet in five games. Neither Ecuador nor Jamaica have won the competition in their histories, with the former’s best finish being fourth place in both 1959 and 1993. They are one of two CONMEBOL nations never to have won it, alongside Venezuela. This is just the third Copa America appearance for Jamaica, and they have yet to make it out of the group stages.

This will be just the fifth-ever meeting between these two sides, and the first in a competitive setting. Ecuador have yet to be beaten by their opponents, with Jamaica looking to pick up a first victory. The four previous games have seen two Ecuador wins and two draws, the first and latest games ending in favor of the South American side. The most recent game was six years ago in 2018, as the pair met in an international friendly. Ecuador won 2-0 with Enner Valencia and Renato Ibarra scoring either side of half-time.

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Ecuador

Enner Valencia will miss out through suspension after being sent off in the first game against Venezuela. Ecuador should have no injury concerns.

Jamaica

Andre Blake and Damion Lowe missed the first game through injury, so their availability for this fixture is in question. Michail Antonio is expected to lead the line once more in what could be an unchanged lineup.

Ecuador

In their last five games, Ecuador has won two and lost three. Heading into Copa America, Ecuador were in inconsistent form, and continued this as they opened up their tournament with a 2-1 loss against Venezuela. They suffered a setback early as Enner Valencia saw red after 22 minutes. However, they took the lead through Jeremy Sarmiento before the break. They could not hold on though, as their opponents took advantage of the extra man and turned it around in the second half.

Their preparations for the competition ended with a 2-1 win over Honduras. They took an early eighth-minute lead through Sarmiento. However, their opponents were able to get back on level terms from the spot, as Bryan Rochez converted a penalty. Ecuador were eventually rewarded for their dominance with an 89th-minute winner, which came from Piero Hincapie. This followed a much more comfortable victory over Bolivia, as they won 3-1. Valencia scored the first goal, and their lead was doubled shortly after by John Yeboah. The game was put to bed with 20 minutes to go thanks to a Jordy Caicedo penalty. Miguel Terceros pulled one back late for Bolivia, but it was nothing more than a consolation.

It was a good response to two consecutive losses to start this run. The first of these was a 2-0 defeat against Italy. Both goals came at either end of the game, with the first scored by Lorenzo Pellegrini after three minutes. Ecuador struggled offensively, managing just one shot on target in the game. Italy scored their second deep in stoppage time through Nicolo Barella. They then faced more top competition in Argentina, though they lost once more, this time 1-0. Again they had issues going forward with no shots on goal. Angel Di Maria’s 40th-minute strike ended up being the slender difference between the two.

Jamaica

In their last five games, Jamaica have won three and lost two. Jamaica was in very good form heading into Copa America with three wins in a row. However, they made a poor start to the tournament with a 1-0 loss to Mexico. They were dominated in possession but were able to go into the break on level terms. However, they could not hold on with Gerardo Arteaga scoring a 69th-minute winner.

This run started with Concacaf Nations League action, as they took on USA in the semi-final, though they lost 3-1 in heartbreaking fashion. They made the perfect start, scoring inside the first minute through Greg Leigh. This is how the score remained for the majority of the game until the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time when Cory Burke converted into his own net to tie the game. USA then went on to win in extra-time thanks to a brace from Haji Wright. As a result of this defeat, they took part in the third-place playoff, winning the game 1-0 against Panama. It was an even game with minimal big chances for both teams, but Jamaica took their opportunity with Dexter Lembikisa scoring the winner.

Attention then shifted to World Cup qualifying. Firstly against the Dominican Republic, they were 1-0 winners. Again, there was a lack of clear-cut chances with the two sides combining for just three shots on target. The winning goal came from Shamar Nicholson in the 16th minute. There was a lot more goalmouth action in their next game against Dominica, in which they won 3-2. They were 3-0 up with a brace from Nicholson and a further strike from Kaheim Dixon before Dominica pulled two back late on. However, they were unable to complete the comeback as Jamaica held on.

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