Jamaica to face Guatemala after surprising Gold Cup final group games

HARRISON, New Jersey (CMC):

JAMAICA’S REGGAE Boyz will face Guatemala in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup after results went sideways for Guadeloupe in their final Group D game on Tuesday.

French Caribbean sides Martinique and Guadeloupe suffered defeats in must-win encounters at the Red Bull Arena to miss out on the next round of games.

Guadeloupe, who entered their contest against Guatemala unbeaten, finished third in Group D, while their opponents topped the group with Canada, who won for the first time with a 4-2 thrashing of Cuba, ending second.

The result was particularly heartbreaking for Guadeloupe after they led twice in the contest.

Andreaw Gravillon gave them the lead in the 27th minute before Guatemala’s Rubio Méndez equalised for the eventual group winners six minutes before halftime.

Guadeloupe would lead against through Ange Plumain’s 63rd-minute strike but could not hold on.

CRUCIAL BLOW

Méndez struck a crucial blow, finishing off a flowing move in the 70th to level the scores at 2-2 before Carlos Mejía drove an 18-yard volley through the grasp of the diving Davy Rouyard to complete his side’s comeback six minutes later.

Martinique, on the other hand, were thrashed 6-4 by Costa Rica, leaving them third in Group C behind their opponents and leaders Panama, who drew 2-2 with El Salvador in Houston.

Patrick Burner hit a brace for Martinique in a losing cause.

Aware of the stakes involved, Martinique left themselves with too much to do when they fell behind to Kendall Waston’s 10th-minute strike, the 35-year-old bundling a loose ball in the box over the line.

Burner levelled in the 18th with the first of his brace in a sign of hope for Martinique, but Costa Rica quickly imposed themselves on the game.

Francisco Calvo put Costa Rica in front again four minutes before the break and three goals in 14 minutes following the resumption from Juan Pablo Vargas (55th), Joel Campbell (59th) and Anthony Contreras (68th) erased any doubt over the result.

Martinique kept fighting, however, Brighton Labeau pulling one back from the penalty spot in the 75th and Burner getting his second moments later when substitute Enrick Reuperne’s long-range volley was parried by goalkeeper Kevin Chamorro, and he lashed in a fierce drive from the middle of the box.

With the game having descended into an opener affair, Diego Campos added Costa Rica’s final goal in the 90th while Jonathan Mexique netted in injury time for Martinique.