Reggae Boyz Gold Cup, Copa America-bound

JAMAICA PROGRESSED to the Copa America and the Concacaf Gold Cup after they defeated Canada 3-2 in their second-leg Nations League A quarterfinal match at the BMO stadium in Ontario, Canada, last night to advance on the away-goal rule, with the tie ending 4-4 on aggregate.

Alphonso Davies placed what could possibly have been the death knell in the heart of the Jamaicans in the 25th minute, which needed the Reggae Boyz to respond with two goals to at least force the game into extra time, after the Canadians had won the first-leg 2-1 at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Shamar Nicholson is the Jamaican in form, and he assisted Jamaica with two second-half goals in the 62nd and 66th minutes to provide the glimmer of hope for the Jamaicans, but Davis uplifted the spirits of the Canadians, when he scored again in the 69th to level the tie 2-2, with Canada leading overall 3-2.

Jamaica’s Bobby Reid, however, ended the back and forth, when he converted a 74th-minute penalty after a hand ball in the area, with the Canadians who dictated most of the action for the first half, failing to add further drama to the spectacle for Jamaica to advance to both the Copa America and Gold Cup.

The Canadians took the lead when Davies profited from a defence-splitting pass from midfield, which eventually ended with him, basically guiding the ball into the back of the net to provide Canada with a further advantage, after Reggae Boyz’s goalkeeper Andre Blake had earlier made two critical saves to keep Jamaica in the match.

Jamaica, desperate to get back into the fray, started the second stanza in the ascendency and were close to scoring early, when Leon Bailey, who had missed three easy chances in the first leg on Saturday, crashed an effort against the post.

The Reggae Boyz were not daunted by the task and they maintained their composure to remain competitive on the field with the Canadians, and eventually took the lead in the match, when they won a ball in the Canadians’ defence, which ended in the back of the net with a clinical finish from Nicholson.

Jamaica, desperately needing another goal, were soon level with Canada on aggregate, when Nicholson, from a quick counterattack, scored after they robbed the ball in the Canadians’ defence.

Canada were not done and Ismaël Koné provided the goal for the thousands in the stadium to celebrate, when he headed the ball into the back of the net to place Canada ahead, once again on aggregate, with the score in the match tied 2-2.

Jamaica continued to work at their target, and eventually gained the advantage, when a defender blocked an attack with his hand, and Reid converted from the spot.