SANTA CLARA, California – Jamaica completed an unbeaten campaign in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup with a commanding 5-0 victory versus Saint Kitts and Nevis on Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
With the result, the Reggae Boyz finish second in the group with a 2W-1D-0L record, clinching a berth in the quarterfinals, and will face the first-place team from Group D next Sunday at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The first half hour was full of chances for Jamaica, mostly coming from a series of deep crosses but with no end product, as the Saint Kitts and Nevis defense did well to stay compact and maintain their lines.
The Reggae Boyz broke the deadlock right before the 30-miniute mark, as a deep cross from Leon Bailey reached Kaheem Parris, who tried to play back across goal only for Saint Kitts and Nevis GK Julani Archibald to deflect the ball over the line for a 1-0 Jamaica lead.
Jamaica then added a second right before the break to double their advantage, as Bailey played a slick backheel to Jonathan Russell’s whose right-footed finish beat Archibald for a 2-0 lead.
The momentum stayed with Jamaica and soon it was 3-0 on a tidy finish from DiShon Bernard after a pass from Shamar Nicholson in the 49’.
Saint Kitts and Nevis did get a pair of good looks at goal during the contest from Romaine Sawyers, one in each half, but the Sugar Boyz attacking player was unable to convert.
Jamaica kept their foot on the gas and quickly tacked on another two goals to make it a 5-0 lead. Daniel Johnson fired in one in the 72’ after an initial block by substitute GK Jamal Jeffers, followed by a good finish from Cory Burke in the 74’.
From there, the Jamaican defense saw things out the rest of the way to nail down the clean sheet victory and a place in the next round.
