Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz came from behind to beat Guadeloupe 2-1 in their crucial Group C game in the Concacaf Gold Cup at the Paypal Park in California, United States last night, to keep their hopes of a quarterfinals berth alive.
The win moved Jamaica to three points and third in the group behind Panama and Guatemala. Only the top two teams will advance from the group.
The Jamaicans, who lost their opening game to Guatemala, went behind to Thierry Ambrose’s 32nd-minute strike.
However, goals from Leon Bailey and Jon Russell ensured the Reggae Boyz got their first win of the tournament.
Jamaica started brightly and Bailey came close to giving the Boyz an early lead but his shot was pushed over for a corner by goalkeeper Brice Cognard.
The Aston Villa winger came even closer in the 19th minute, when he beat a defender to a loose ball and cut across Cognard but he was unlucky to see his shot hit the post and rebound across the face of goal.
Bailey must have been questioning his luck moments later when he hit bar with an audacious effort from inside his own half in the 24th minute.
GOOD PLAY
Guadeloupe slowly found their feet in the contest and although they offered very little threat, they took the lead when they capitalised on some good play and Ambrose slotted home from eight yards.
However, Bailey would get his goal and his team’s equaliser 10 minutes later, thanks to the work of the two local-based players.
Striker Warner Brown dropped deep into midfield and delivered a pass over the top to Dwayne Atkinson, who played the ball across the area to an open Bailey, who slotted home expertly.
The Boyz would then take the lead before half-time, when Demarai Gray’s cross to the back post was headed home by Jon Russell, for his third goal in five games for Jamaica.
The second half started at a much slower pace and was largely uneventful for much of the period.
However, the pace of the game stepped up in the last 10 minutes and both teams created openings to score.
Karoy Anderson had the first real chance, but his shot was blocked by a defender.
It then took a miracle save from Andre Blake to deny Guadeloupe’s Ambrose at point-blank range.
The Guadeloupe forward then thought he had given his team the equaliser with a header two minutes from time, but he was called for a foul on Blake.
Renaldo Cephas had a chance to add to Jamaica’s lead soon after, but he was denied by goalkeeper Cognard after he broke through.
Guadeloupe remained relentless to the end in search of the equaliser but the Boyz held on for the well-needed result.
