'Ready to be the man' - Ricardo Pepi ready to maximize rare opportunity against Jamaica with injuries to USMNT strikers Folarin Balogun and Josh Sargent

Pepi to lead the line as Jamaica's Reggae Boyz visit Q2 Stadium on Thursday night

Ricardo Pepi is eager to make the most of his opportunity with the United States Men's National Team, starting with Thursday's friendly against Jamaica at Q2 Stadium. The FC Dallas forward is expected to be the starting striker for the match in the absence of Folarin Balogun and Josh Sargent, who have both been ruled out due to injuries. Pepi has been in excellent form for his club this season, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in 29 appearances. He also scored two goals in the USMNT's 5-0 win over Grenada in June. The 19-year-old is excited to lead the line for the United States and is confident that he can make a positive contribution to the team.

"I'm really excited for the opportunity to start for the national team," Pepi said. "I've been working hard all season and I'm ready to show what I can do.

"I know it's going to be a tough game against Jamaica, but I'm confident that we can get the win."

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter is also confident in Pepi's abilities and believes that he can be a valuable player for the team.

"Ricardo is a talented young player who has been in good form for his club this season," Berhalter said. "He's a good finisher and he's also good at creating chances for others.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in a USMNT shirt."

The match against Jamaica is an important one for the United States, as it will be their last chance to tune up before the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in June. The USMNT will face Mexico in the semifinals on June 3 and then either Costa Rica or Honduras in the final on June 6. Pepi is hoping to play a big role in the Nations League Finals and he believes that the team can win the tournament.

"I think we have a really good team and I think we can win the Nations League," Pepi said. "We're going to have to play our best, but I'm confident that we can get the job done."

The USMNT will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance in the World Cup qualifiers, where they finished third in their group and failed to qualify for the tournament in Qatar. Pepi is confident that the team can learn from their mistakes and come back stronger in the Nations League Finals.

"We didn't play our best in the World Cup qualifiers, but we've learned from our mistakes and we're ready to move forward," Pepi said. "We're going to give it our all in the Nations League Finals and we're going to try to win the tournament."

The match against Jamaica will be a good test for the USMNT and it will be a chance for Pepi to show what he can do on the international stage. The 19-year-old is eager to make the most of his opportunity and he is confident that he can help the team win.