Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz capped off the second round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers in emphatic fashion, dispatching Guatemala 3-0 at the National Stadium to top Group E with a perfect 12 points on Tuesday evening.
The result not only sealed group supremacy, but also marked a symbolic turning point for Head Coach Steve McClaren, whose tenure had been missing a home victory—until now.
“It was a perfect result for us,” McClaren declared post-match, beaming with satisfaction. “Three goals, a clean sheet, 60 percent possession, 18 shots, nine on target. We looked a threat.”
Breaking the drought
Coming into the game, Jamaica had not scored or won a match at home in over a year. Their last three appearances at the National Stadium had yielded frustration and silence. But from the opening whistle on Tuesday evening, there was a distinct sense of purpose from McClaren’s men.
The early exchanges were evenly matched, with Guatemala’s Arquimides Ordonez testing Andre Blake early on. But the Boyz settled into a rhythm, with Jon Russell and Warner Brown combining slick movement and sharp decision-making to trouble the Guatemalan defense.
In the 26th minute, Russell announced himself to the home crowd with a towering header, converting a pinpoint Leon Bailey right-side cross into the opening goal. It was a debut home goal for the midfielder, but more significantly, it was a moment that electrified the Jamaican faithful as for the first time in many moons the Boyz attempted to consistently play the ball through midpitch instead of the unproductive, unimaginative and obsolete route one hoofing of the ball from defense to the front players.
Brown strikes twice
With the wind now at their backs, the Boyz began to push forward with verve. Demarai Gray’s dazzling run into the box earned a penalty after a foul by Erick Lemus. Bailey stepped up, but his effort was parried by goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen. It mattered little—Warner Brown was quickest to react, crashing the rebound home to double Jamaica’s lead in the 37th minute.
“He’s always in the middle of the goal. He’s always a threat,” McClaren later said of Brown. “We needed energy from our number nine. Warner came up the last two games and this one, especially, and shows that you need a nine to be able to press.”
After the halftime break, Jamaica continued to dictate the game with intelligence and pace. Cephas, who had been dangerous down the flanks, created several opportunities—one headed over by Brown, another volleyed onto the outside of the goal frame by Richard King.
Putting it beyond doubt
In the 73rd minute, Brown struck again, this time turning in a near-post finish from a Demarai Gray left-sided corner. It was his fourth international goal in just six appearances—an astonishing strike rate for the 2024-25Jamaica Premier League’s top scorer.
“He’s in that six-yard box where it matters,” McClaren emphasized. “That’s what great forwards do.”
The Reggae Boyz continued to press for a fourth, with substitute Rumarn Burrell going close in the final minute. But Blake ensured the scoreboard remained unblemished, pulling off a brilliant save late on to deny substitute Matthew Evans.
Turning the National Stadium into a fortress
Beyond the result, McClaren was keen to highlight the significance of winning on home soil—a psychological hurdle the team was eager to overcome.
“We had to win here,” he said. “We had to show the Jamaican crowd that we could win here. We want to make it the start of a fortress. We wanted that.”
The three points also ensured Jamaica’s place in Pot 1 for the final-round draw, placing them in an advantageous seeding position ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifying climax.
With their ticket punched for the next round and their confidence renewed, the Reggae Boyz will now turn their attention to the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Fittingly, they’ll face Guatemala again—this time on American soil—at Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
Teams: Jamaica – Andre Blake, Amari’i Bell, Mason Holgate (Richard King 40’), Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray (Kasey Palmer 77’), Isaac Hayden, Joel Latibeaudiere, Warner Brown (Rumarn Burrell 77’), Damion Lowe, Jonathan Russell (Ravel Morrison 83’), Renaldo Cephas (Tyreece Campbell 83’)
Subs not used: Shaquan Davis, Jahmali White, Dexter Lembikisa, Kaheim Dixon, Dwayne Atkinson, Romario Williams, Gregory Leigh
Booked: None
Guatemala: Nicholas Hagen, Jose Ardon, Jose Pinto, Carlos Aguilar, Erick Lemus, Rodrigo Saravia, Nathaniel Mendez (Matthew Evans 68’), Jose Morales (Aaron Herrera 61’), Oscar Castellano, Arquimidez Ordonez (Darwin Lom 64’), Olger Escobar
Subs not used: Kenderson Navarro, Luis Moran, Nicolas Samayoa, Pedro Alton, Kevin Ramirez, Rudy Munoz, Oscar Santis, Jonathan Franco, William Cardoza
Booked: None
Match Officials:
Referee: David Gomez (Costa Rica)
1st Assistant Referee: Carlos Fernandez (Costa Rica)
2nd Assistant Referee: Jeriel Vaverde (Costa Rica)
4th Official: Pablo Camacho (Costa Rica)
