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It is a mark of how Jamaica's men's national team has declined recently that the runner-up of the 2015 Gold Cup isn't even favored to finish as runner-up in its group at the 2017 edition of the tournament.
In part, that is because Jamaica has sent a less well-reputed group of players to this edition of the CONCACAF championship. The starting lineup for the Reggae Boyz at the 2015 Gold Cup final included a number of players with experience in European leagues, including Wes Morgan, Adrian Mariappa, and Rodolph Austin. In 2017, the Jamaica roster is mostly players based in Jamaica or North America. Several of these players may yet establish reputations comparable to those of their better-known teammates in the Reggae Boyz player pool, and the point of the current exercise is to unearth the next generation of stars for Jamaica.
The goal of player development often means accepting some disappointing results along the way. Jamaica has endured its fair share of those in recent months - most recently, in the 2017 Caribbean Cup final, when it lost its regional title to Curacao.
That loss is the reason Jamaica should not be regarded as the favorite to win this game. Yes, the Reggae Boyz have strengthened their roster since Caribbean Cup, but they are not at what most observers would regard as full strength. Curacao, meanwhile, used Caribbean Cup as a warm-up for Gold Cup, and will be well-pleased with its preparations.
At the very least, Curacao is owed the courtesy of being seen as the favorite in this match.