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Jamaica need win to boost chances of advancing in Gold Cup
June 24, 2025
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are faced with a must-win situation to boost their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals when they take on group leaders Panama at the Q2 Stadium, in Texas, at 6.p.m today, in their final Group C match in the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Panama lead the group with maximum six points, and need only a point to confirm their place as group winners while advancing to the next round.
However, Jamaica and Guatemala are tied on three points after one win each and share a similar goal difference of zero.
Jamaica have two goals for and two against, while the Guatemalans have one goal for and one against, which leaves Jamaica in second with more goals scored.
However, the Reggae Boyz will have the more daunting task of the two teams, as Guatemala will play bottom-of-the-table Guadeloupe, who have lost their two matches to date, while Guatemala are favoured to get the three points from their contest.
Panama scored six goals and conceded two in their two matches, after beating Guatemala 1-0 and Guadeloupe 5-2.
Jamaica went down 0-1 to Guatemala in their opening game, before registering a 2-1 win over Guadeloupe in their second match.
The Reggae Boyz historically have struggled against Panama, with just four wins from 21 matches, compared to Panama's 11 wins.
Nevertheless, the Reggae Boyz have done well against the Thomas Christiansen-coached team in recent times, recording two wins and two defeats from their last four matches.
Jamaica have made the knockout stage of the last five tournaments, including four semi-finals and two finals, and striker Michail Antonio said it would be a travesty if they fail to make it out of the group.
"In the last couple of games we lost our shape, lost our way during the game. Obviously, the quality that we have, and we have done it over the last years in the Gold Cup, getting to the semi-finals, getting to the finals," he said.
"It will be disappointing for us to not get there and disappointing for our fans and our country. So when we go out tomorrow (today), it is not just for us and ourselves but for our country. We must make sure things are done right. Panama is a good team. But so are we," he stated.
Coach Steve McClaren said they came into the tournament to do well, and that they know what needs to be done to stay alive.
"This is a very important football tournament, in which we want to do well, and we have come to a stage where the third (group) game you must draw or win to go through, or you have to score many goals to go through," McClaren noted.
"So we will wait and see. But the main thing we are focusing on is beating Panama," he said.
