Michail Antonio scored a delightful goal in a 20-minute cameo but Alex Roldan’s 90th-minute equalizer broke Jamaica’s hearts, as the Caribbean powerhouses were forced to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw in El Salvador on Friday night.
Desperate for a win to get their 2022 World Cup final round qualifying campaign back on track, Jamaica appeared headed for full points when Antonio produced a delicate chip to beat goalkeeper Mario Gonzalez in the 82nd minute, just nine minutes after coming off the bench.
But with time ticking away at the end, Roldan capitalized on loose marking in the box to nod a header past Andre Blake, and secure a share of points for the hosts at the Estadio Cuscatlan.
The draw was Jamaica’s third of the campaign, and along with three defeats and a single win, has left them sixth of eight teams on six points, with seven matches played.
“First and foremost, I think we’re a bit disappointed not getting three points,” head coach Theodore Whitmore said afterwards.
“We conceded late in the game but we still have to keep going. It’s not impossible. We have a lot more games to play. We play the US next Tuesday so we’re looking forward to it.
“Getting a point tonight is like a loss so I’m a bit disappointed. We have to assess tonight’s game, tonight’s performance, look at the players to make sure everyone is ready before we can think about the US game. We have to assess what we did tonight.”
El Salvador had the better of the chances in the first half, two coming in quick succession in the 39th minute with Jamaica on the back foot.
First, Alexander Larín saw his left-footed drive from 35 yards denied by the crossbar with Blake beaten, and the woodwork again proved handy when Bryan Landaverde collected the rebound and curled another shot on goal from the left-side edge of the 18-yard box.
In the second half, Blake produced a point-blank save from the feet of Joaquín Rivas before Adrian Mariappa headed Kemar Lawrence’s cross directly at Gonzalez.
Antonio made his appearance in the 73rd minute after Rangers forward Kemar Roofe was hooked, and the West Ham star made the difference for the Reggae Boyz.
The move started with a long clearance from Lawrence which found Antonio on the left touchline, just past the half-way marker.
The 31-year-old shrugged off a challenge from centre back Roberto Domínguez, held off another challenge from Ronald Rodríguez before bursting into the box and chipping the advancing keeper.
“Michail came on to the pitch and did what we know he’s capable of doing,” said Whitmore.
Marvin Monterroza, also a 73rd minute substitute, forced a near-post save out of Blake moments afterwards as Jamaica defended desperately but with El Salvador applying pressure for the equaliser, the breakthrough eventually came.
Jairo Henriquez whipped in a cross from the right side and both Liam Moore and Damion Lowe watched flat-footed as Roldan rose unmarked in the box to beat Blake in the upper right-hand corner.
“I think what led to the equaliser is we didn’t press the ball. We didn’t stop the crosses coming into the box,” Whitmore lamented.
Jamaica will turn their attention to leaders United States who they host on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The United States also won on Friday, beating powerhouses Mexico 2-0 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
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