Advantage US
Reggae Boyz lose first leg of Nations League quarterfinal tie
Published:Friday | November 15, 2024 | 12:13 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
JAMAICA’S REGGAE Boyz suffered a 1-0 defeat in their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal first-leg fixture against the United States at the National Stadium last night.
The teams were separated by Ricardo Pepi’s fifth-minute strike as the Americans wasted little time in getting into the thick of things.
Pepi capped off brilliant build-up play to expertly guide a through ball past the outstretched arms of Andre Blake.
A minute later, Blake was called into action to deny Antonee Robinson, whose threatening run had to be carefully dealt with.
The Reggae Boyz slowly grew into the game, with striker Shamar Nicholson’s trickery providing the team with a glorious opportunity.
Nicholson turned on a dime to beat his marker and put himself through on goal, forcing US custodian Matt Turner to bring him down.
The usually safe Demarai Gray couldn’t provide the equaliser as the resulting penalty was superbly saved by Turner, who guessed the right direction and palmed the ball away to safety.
In the second half, chances were few and far between for both teams.
Renaldo Cephas tried to use his pace to unlock the US defensive line but to no avail while in the middle of the park, Cristian Pulisic began to increase his influence.
Jamaica’s closest chance to walking away with something to smile about would eventually fall to defender Mason Holgate in the 65th minute, but quick thinking by the US defenders nullified what seemed to be a threatening situation.
The defeat was the first for head coach Steve McClaren since his arrival and the Reggae Boyz’s first of the Nations League.
McClaren, though, is yet to win on local soil, a worrying trend.
The team will now shift their attention to the second leg of the assignment on Monday night at St Louis’ City Park Stadium.