Jamaica wrapped up Group B honors and cemented its place within the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League A after a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Haiti contained in the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad on Sunday.
Demarai Gray, Shamar Nicholson, and Leon Bailey had been heading in the right direction for the Reggae Boyz, however their targets had been sandwiched by a pair of strikes by the burly Frantzdy Pierrot.
In different video games from Group B, Honduras blanked Cuba 4-0 and Suriname inflicted the same defeat on the bottom-placed Grenada.
Jamaica ended the group stage on 10 factors, three forward of Honduras on seven, adopted by Suriname and Cuba on 5 factors, with Haiti on three and Grenada on 1 level.
Jamaica now awaits both Canada or Costa Rica within the two-legged quarter-finals wherein the winner punches tickets to the Gold Cup and the Copa America tournaments.
For Assistant Coach Merron Gordon, it was mission completed for the Reggae Boyz.
“Very first thing, I believe it’s mission completed. We got here to those two video games wanting six factors and to prime the group, we did that. Typically over the 2 video games we had been rocky by way of how we needed to defend, however I believe offensively we bought it proper over the 2 legs and we simply want to repair the defensive work and transfer on to play both Canada or Costa Rica,” he instructed the media on the post-game press convention.
Ace striker, Michail Antonio, who did not capitalize on quite a few probabilities, was ecstatic.
“Over the moon, to be honest. I might have been a bit extra joyful if I managed to get one in all my probabilities, however to complete prime of the league that’s what we got down to do earlier than this competitors even began, so now we discover out on Tuesday who we’re going to play subsequent and we hopefully win that recreation and maintain progressing.”
Jamaica threatened early forcing goalkeeper Jhony Placide to palm away a right-sided nook kick.
However like they did inside Kingston’s Nationwide Stadium, Haiti grabbed the lead on quarter-hour when Grey’s crossfield go in midfield was picked off by Carl Sainte who launched Fabrice Picault down the left flank. Picault despatched in a pin-point cross for Pierrot to climb highest to move house behind middle backs Di’Shon Bernard and Damion Lowe.
![Reggae Boyz](https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reggae-Boyz-CONCACAF-1024x683.jpg)
Jamaica equalized virtually instantly on 18 minutes when Grey’s shot on aim was deflected by Merchack Jerome, wrong-footing Placide in aim.
The possibility was created when Antonio’s left-sided cross was partially cleared by the Haiti defence and the ball fell kindly to Grey who weaved his method in earlier than unleashing the shot.
Jerome virtually made amends for his deflected shot when he fired a free kick off the body of the aim.
Nicholson, a second-half substitute for the ineffective Dujuan Riahards, doubled the crew’s lead within the 57th minute when he slotted house underneath Placide after Antonio had launched him.
Then on 66 minutes Bailey latched onto a free-kick excessive of the defence from Daniel Johnson simply inside in personal half. The Aston Villa artificial no errors in firing underneath the physique of Placide.
Each Gordon and Antonio had been excited concerning the variety of targets being scored.
“We all know we’ve targets in us and we didn’t need them to attain on us however such is the sport. The fellows rose, they confirmed good character, we got here from 1-0 down to guide 3-1 then on the finish we gave up what I might say is a gentle aim primarily based on our requirements, however soccer is soccer.”
For Antonio the variety of targets scored offers a sign of the power of the attacking pressure.
“4 targets towards Grenada and three tonight so this exhibits the constructive attacking, we rating targets, so to see that we will change gamers and nonetheless get targets. I didn’t play towards Grenada, I performed at this time I didn’t get a aim, however we nonetheless bought one other three targets, so hopefully we will attempt to get some clear sheets subsequent, defend as a crew as rating as a crew.”
Suriname and Cuba will keep away from relegation from League A of the Nations League 2024/25, however don’t qualify for the quarter-finals, whereas Haiti and Grenada might be relegated to League B within the 2024/25 model of the Nations League.
Groups: Jamaica – Andre Blake, Greg Leigh, Damion Lowe, Di’Shon Bernard, Dexter Lembikisa, Joel Latibeaudiere (Karoy Anderson 80th), Daniel Johnson (Jahshaun Anglin 90th+5), Dujuan Richards (Shamar Nicholson 46th), Leon Bailey, Demarai Grey (Phillips 80th), Michail Antonio (Michael Hector 88th)
Booked: Phillips (90th+5)
Subs not used: Kemar Foster, Jahmali Waite, Kevon Lambert, Kyle Ming, Bobby Reid, Richard King, Romario Williams
Haiti – Jhony Olacide, Carlens Arcus (Stephane Lambese 81st), Mechack Jerome, Ricardo Ade, Djimy Alexis (Jeppe Friborg 90th+3), Don Louicius (Jonel Need 81st), Fabrice Picault, Mikael Cantave (Duckens Nazon 70th), Carl Sainte (Bryan Alceus 46th), Frantzdy Pierrot, Alex Christian
Booked: Pierrot (50th), Lambese (83rd), Sainte (30th)
Subs not used: Alexandre Pierre, Garissone Harmless, Francois Dulysse, Steven Séance
Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
Assistant Referee 1: Luis Ventura (Guatemala(
Assistant Referee 2: Humberto Panjoj (Guatemala)
Fourth Official: Oliver Vergara (Panama)
Factors Standings
Groups | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
Jamaica | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Honduras | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
Suriname | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Cuba | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 5 |
Haiti | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 3 |
Grenada | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 | -11 | 1 |