Jamaica vs Haiti: Gold Cup 2015, Schedule, Predictions, Rosters, Stream & Preview

By Damon Salvadore First Posted: Jul 17, 2015 04:00 PM EDT

The 2015 Gold Cup has reached the quarterfinals soccer fans.

Eight countries remain for the chance to be named best CONCACAF confederation team in all the land. Jamaica and Haiti will face off on Saturday night where the winner will advance to the semifinals. The winner of this game will face the winner of the United States vs. Cuba game in the next round.

Let's break down the game and pick a winner.

Jamaica (76)

Not many soccer experts picked Jamaica, but they're here, and they're playing terrific. Jamaica qualified for this tournament because they won the 2014 Caribbean Cup over Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica fell in the new FIFA Rankings (as did about every North American team) to No. 76 in the world.

Goalkeeper Dwayne Miller has been playing terrific in this Gold Cup, however he sustained a head injury against El Salvador and did not return. His status for Saturday's game is still listed as "questionable." Fortunately for Jamaica, backup goalkeeper Ryan Thompson played very well making crucial saves in the 1-0 win over El Salvador.

Most has been released from the hospital, and most people believe he will start for this game.

Jamaica won Group B over Costa Rica, who were the favorites to win this group. They tied Costa Rica and defeated Canada and El Salvador. Garath McCleary is the leading scorer for Jamaica so far with two goals. Jermaine Taylor is one of the most talented defenders in this tournament, and Darren Mattocks will be directing the offense.

Jamaica's best finish at the Gold Cup came in 1993 when they placed third to Mexico and the U.S.

Haiti (79)

They're big underdogs, but Haiti pulled off a crucial 1-0 win on the final day to qualify for the quarterfinals. Duckens Nazon scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Honduras to knock them out of the competition. Haiti is currently ranked No. 79 in the world.

Historically speaking, Haiti hasn't had much luck against the Jamaicans. Their overall record against Jamaica consists of nine wins, three draws and 17 losses dating back to 1925. Haiti hasn't defeated Jamaica since 1984, when the two faced off in an international friendly. The last time Haiti defeated Jamaica in tournament play was the 1979 Caribbean Cup.

Haiti lost to the U.S., 1-0, but they impressed many by staying in the game. In their first match, they tied Panama, 1-1. Haiti actually did win this tournament back in 1973, when it was previously known as the CONCACAF Championship. They were the host nation that year.

In order to beat Jamaica, Haiti can't fall behind early. Jamaica has very good goaltending, so scoring first is crucial. They have an excellent middle field led by Jean Sony Alcénat, but offensive questions still remain. Goalkeeper Johnny Placide has been named team captain.

Schedule, Where to Watch

Jamaica and Haiti will play each other on Saturday, July 18 at 8 p.m. EDT at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The game will be shown on Fox Sports 2. You can watch a live game stream here.

Prediction

This should be a low scoring game. Haiti wants this one badly against a team that has had their number for a long time, but Jamaica just has too much depth. Regardless of who starts in goal, Jamaica should be able to take care of business and advance to the semifinals.