Monday, 27 March 2023 08:01

Reggae Boyz crash out of Concacaf Nations League, draw 2-2 with Mexico

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Mexico's Hirving Lozano (left) and Jamaica's Bobby De Cordova-Reid battle for possession during their Concacaf Nations League fixture at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Sunday, March 26, 2023. (PHOTO: Concacaf.com). Mexico's Hirving Lozano (left) and Jamaica's Bobby De Cordova-Reid battle for possession during their Concacaf Nations League fixture at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Sunday, March 26, 2023. (PHOTO: Concacaf.com).

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz failed to advance in League A of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) after playing to a 2-2 draw with Mexico in their Group A fixture at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico on Sunday night..

The tie assures Mexico the top spot in the group and a place in the CNL finals in June.

Only the winners of the four League A groups will advance to the final four.

The Reggae Boyz finished second in the three-team group with six points while Surinane ended third with a single point.

Jamaica goalkeeper Jahmali Waite started for the visitors and made a pivotal save early to deny Hector Moreno in the sixth minute, as the home side looked dangerous early on set pieces.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid placed the Reggae Boyz in the lead with a right-footed laser from outside the box in the eighth minute, marking his third international goal and first in a League A match.

The hosts responded shortly after as Orbelín Pineda pounced on a rebound inside the box in the 17th minute, tying the encounter at one apiece.

Jamaica regained the lead off a corner kick in the 33rd minute when the service from De Cordova-Reid bounced off the left thigh of Edson Álvarez for an own goal.

The match was temporarily suspended due to lightning in the 34th minute and restarted as soon as conditions were deemed safe to resume.

After the restart, Hirving Lozano was denied by the top post in the 43rd minute as Mexico were inching closer to the tying goal.

Henry Martin was brought down inside the box by Ravel Morrison as Mexico earned a penalty in the first minute into injury time. Hirving Lozano converted in the 45+2 minute to tie 2-2.

Luis Chavez attempted to test Waite from long range in the 54th minute but the shot went just wide.

Guillermo Ochoa came up with a quick-witted save in the 57th minute on a Jamaica corner headed by Shamar Nicholson.

Second half substitute Diego Laínez saw his own attempt denied by the woodwork in the 75th minute as the home side continued to search for the victory.

Lozano nearly had his second of the night, and the potential game-winner, in second half injury time but the attempt was just inches from the far post.

The second edition of the CNL Finals will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, among the four CNL League A group winners and will consist of semifinals, on Thursday, June 15, and a third place match and final on Sunday, June 18. 

The Final will crown the CNL’s second champion after the United States won the inaugural edition in 2021.