Five Things to Know About Grenada
The USMNT plays its penultimate Concacaf Nations League group match against Grenada on Friday, March 24, at Kirani James Athletic Stadium in Saint George’s (8 p.m. ET, TNT, Universo, Peacock)
The U.S. Men's National Team travels to Grenada for a Concacaf Nations League A Group D match in the Concacaf Nations League at Kirani James Athletic Stadium in Saint George's on Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock).
A draw or win for the second-place Americans (1-0-1, 4 pts.) would push them past El Salvador (1-0-2; 5 pts.) to the top of the group, as well as clinch qualification to this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
The USA will then return to host El Salvador at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. on Monday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock).
FOOTBALLING HISTORY
Grenada has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, making its competition debut in 1998.
The Spice Boys have participated in three Concacaf Gold Cups, going three and out in the group stage of the 2009, 2011 and 2021 editions of the tournament. The squad has enjoyed greater success in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Cup, finishing as runners-up in 2008 and in fourth place in 1997 and 2010.
American soccer fans will recall that four-time MLS Best XI midfielder Shalrie Joseph hails from Grenada. Joseph, who played for New England Revolution, Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders over 12 MLS seasons, represented Grenada 20 times from 2002-2008.
USMNT HISTORY VS. GRENADA
The USMNT has a perfect 4-0-0 mark in four previous meetings with Grenada.
The sides first met during the two-game preliminary round of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In the first leg, DaMarcus Beasley’s first career brace and a late goal from Greg Vanney pushed the USA to a comfortable 3-0 win on June 13, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio.
In the second encounter in St. George's, Grenada on June 20, the USMNT recorded a 3-2 victory on a water-logged pitch to win the series, 6-2, and book a spot in semifinal round of qualifying. Claudio Reyna set up Landon Donovan in the seventh minute for a 1-0 lead, but Jason Roberts equalized on a penalty kick past goalkeeper Kasey Keller in the 13th minute. Josh Wolff lifted the visitors into the lead for good, scoring off a 23rd-minute scramble. Beasley tallied in the 79th minute before Ricky Charles found the net for Grenada a minute later.
The third meeting came in the opening match of the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup, with the USA an appropriate 4-0 score line on the Fourth of July in Seattle. Freddy Adu (seventh minute), Stuart Holden (31st minute), Robbie Rogers (60th minute) and Charlie Davis (68th minute) scored. The Americans outshot the Spice Boys, 25-3, as Troy Perkins recorded the clean sheet.
Interesting note: seven of the USA's starters entered the match with a combined 11 international appearances.
In their most recent encounter, the USA rolled to a 5-0 win over the Caribbean side in a Concacaf Nations League contest at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on June 10, 2022, as the Americans extended their unbeaten streak to 26 games on U.S. soil. Forward Jesús Ferreira became the fifth USMNT player to tally four international goals in a match, scoring in the 43rd, 54th, 56th and 78th minutes. Paul Arriola added a 62nd-minute goal as goalkeeper Matt Turner recorded the shutout.
RECENT MATCHES
Friday’s match will serve as the team’s last of the CNL group stage. Last summer, they played to a 3-1 defeat at El Salvador on June 4. They nearly pulled off an upset victory in the home fixture three days later, holding a 2-1 lead late in the match before El Salvador’s Cristian Gil found a late 88th minute equalizer.
Three days after that disappointment came the 5-0 defeat to the USA in Austin.
More recently, Grenada has played five home friendlies in 2023, posting a 1-1-3 record during a 13-day span. The Caribbean side started with three consecutive draws against Barbados.
On Feb. 22, Jamal Charles' penalty kick gave the hosts an 89th-minute lead, but the Barbadians equalized a minute into stoppage time for a 1-1 tie. Two days later, it was Grenada's turn to pull off some late heroics in a 2-2 deadlock. Joshua Isaac converted its second penalty of the match in the 83rd minute after Kriston Julien scored his first international goal via a penalty kickin the first half.
In another 2-2 draw determined by a late goal on Feb. 26, Barbados knotted things up in the 89th minute against 10-man Grenada. Charles and Joshua Isaac tallied for the Spice Boyz.
In the first match of a two-game series against Saint Lucia, Grenada dropped a 2-1 decision as Shermine Williams scored its lone goal in the 89th minute on March 3. The team bounced back with a 2-0 win on March 5 as Kimron Marshall and Julien found the net in the fifth and 68th minutes, respectively.
MANAGER
Anthony Modeste is a former Grenada international defender who made 67 appearances, scoring 13 times. His most memorable match was a four-goal effort in an 8-3 home win over Dominica in an international friendly on March 12, 2001.
Since taking over in September 2022, Modeste has directed Grenada to a 2-2-3 record. His first win was a 5-1 victory at St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Oct. 1, 2022.
In a 24-year career that spaned from 1995-2019, he played for Queens Park Rangers SC, Portmore United, GBSS Demerara Mutual and most recently for Camerhogne.
Born on Aug. 30, 1975, Modeste also has managed St. George Royal Cannons and Camerhogne in Grenada.
GRENADA ROSTER
The Spice Boyz again have named a relatively young 22-man roster into this match. Slightly more than half the players are below the age of 25.
Only two players are older than 30 - goalkeeper Jason Belfon (32), who has the most international appearances (46 games), and defender Aaron Pierre (30).
Forward Jamal Charles, who plays for Paradise, is the side's leading scorer with 17 goals in 34 appearances. The rest of the roster has combined for 19 goals.
Six players compete in England: defender Pierre (AFC Wimbledon), midfielders Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong (Gloucester City), Kayden Harrack (Queens Park Rangers) and Ashley Carles (Wealdstone), and forwards Kairo Michell (Eastleigh) and Myles Hippolyte (Stockport County).
Defender Benjamin Ettienne and midfielder A.J. Paterson perform for the Charleston Battery (USL Championship).
ROSTER BY POSITION:
Goalkeepers (3): Jason Belfon (All Saints United/ATG; 46/0), Jeremy Richardson (Paradise; 4/0), Trishawn Thomas (Queens Park Rangers/ENG; 2/0)
Defenders (6): Aaron Pierre (AFC Wimbledon/ENG; 16/1); Benjamin Ettienne (Charleston Battery/USA; 11/0), Christian James (Camerhogne; 1/0); Trevon Williams (Queens Park Rangers; 5/0), Sawan Mark (Sunsetters; 4/0), Dorrel Pierre (Paradise; 4/1)
Midfielders (7): Kwazim Theodore (All Saints United/ATG; 37/1), A.J. Paterson (Charleston Battery/USA; 19/4), Steffon Abraham (Paradise; 13/0), Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong (Gloucester City/ENG; 8/1), Kayden Harrack (Queens Park Rangers/ENG; 5/0), Regan Charles-Cook (Eupen/BEL; 4/0), Ashley Charles Wealdstone/ENG; 3/0)
Forwards (6): Jamal Charles (Paradise; 34/17), Romar Frank (Camerhogne; 26/1), Kairo Mitchell (Eastleigh/ENG; 14/2), Joshua Isaac (Paradise; 7/6); Kriston Julien (Hurricanes; 7/2), Myles Hippolyte (Stockport County/ENG; 0/0)