Ecuador vs Jamaica predictions: Reggae Boyz face early exit
- Ecuador lose lead to suffer opening defeat to Venezuela
- Jamaica also beaten in first game against Mexico
- Recommended bet: Ecuador to beat Jamaica, both teams to score and over 2.5 goals
Ecuador and Jamaica are looking for their first points in Group B, after both tasting defeat in their opening fixtures.
A second loss for either side would likely result in their elimination, after Ecuador were beaten 2-1 by Venezuela and Jamaica were defeated 1-0 by Mexico.
Team news
The Ecuador captain Enner Valencia will be suspended for this match after being sent off against Venezuela.
Jamaica also seem set to be without their skipper, with goalkeeper Jahmali Waite once more deputising for the injured Andre Blake.
Ecuador started with a 4-2-3-1 formation before being reduced to 10-men, while Jamaica should line up in a 3-4-3.
The stats
Jamaica have now lost all seven of their matches at the Copa America and have yet to score a single goal.
Ecuador are unbeaten in four past encounters against the Reggae Boyz, winning the last meeting 2-0 in 2018.
The Ecuadorians have not lost to an opponent from CONCACAF since a 2019 friendly defeat to Mexico.
Prediction
Ecuador gave themselves a mountain to climb when they were reduced to 10-men within 22 minutes during their opening game against Venezuela in California.
Despite only having 16 per-cent of the possession after Valencia’s sending off, it was Ecuador that took a surprise lead through the Brighton forward Jeremy Sarmiento, but they could not hold onto that lead, as Venezuela fought back in the second-half.
That result will leave their manager Felix Sanchez Bas wondering what might have been, with his side having been in good form under his leadership.
After losing in his opening fixture against Australia last year, only elite nations such as Argentina and Italy had beaten Ecuador in 14 games, before Venezuela took advantage of their numerical advantage.
Jamaica came into the Copa America off the back of three straight wins and had the opportunities to record a fourth against Mexico.
Despite the Mexicans dominating the play, Jamaica managed to have 13 shots on goal, with Michail Antonio having an effort ruled out by VAR for offside.
That goal would have given them the lead, but ultimately Gerardo Arteaga’s brilliant volley secured the points for the opposition.
With the likes of Antonio, Demarai Gray and Shamar Nicholson in attack, Jamaica have the firepower to continue to cause teams problems.
Ecuador should shade this, yet as they have now conceded in five consecutive games, it could be a competitive and entertaining match.
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