Interim Reggae Boyz Head Coach Paul Hall is happy to have taken a point in Tuesday’s 1-1 result against Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League A match, but the former Reggae Boy believes that his team missed a trick in not taking all three points at home.
Jamaica led after three minutes through a bullet header from Leon Bailey, but the visitors pulled level with the last kick of the first half through a header from Luis Romo.
Both sides threw everything in attack in the second half but could not find another goal.
The result left Jamaica atop the three-team group with five points from three games, with Mexico second on four points from two games and the eliminated Suriname with one point from three games.
The Reggae Boyz confirmed their place in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament by virtue of being in the top two teams.
“I was happy but it was a winnable game and I thought that Mexico got away with one there, even though they had a good deal of possession and they had some good chances for themselves,” noted Hall during a post-game presser.
He added: “We have qualified (for the next CONCACAF Gold Cup tourney) which was the most important thing. My thing was I wanted the players to win this game today, I felt they deserved it, I felt they had worked well in the week and if I’m being honest I think we paid them a little bit too much respect.
“We allowed a goal but I believe that we gave them that goal, I don’t believe that they earned that goal, we gave them from a lack of concentration and somebody not doing their job.”
Mexico was quickest out the blocks after the kick-off and should have opened the scoring in the opening minute but somehow Jamaican captain Andre Blake smothered a gilt-edged chance from Luis Chavez from the centre of the goal, and Uriel Antuna inexplicably missed an easy tap-in at the back post.
They were made to pay for that miss as Bailey timed his run to perfection from the right flank to answer a perfectly weighted cross from the left by Shamar Nicholson.
Five minutes later Nicholson almost doubled the lead when his firm header from a Junior Flemmings left-sided corner crashed against the crossbar.
But similar to the other games in the competition, the Reggae Boyz looked vulnerable at the back, particularly on their right side. However, an opening developed from the left side when Antuna skilfully dismissed a wild challenge from Damion Lowe on Jamaica’s left side of the defence before teeing up Orbelin Pineda who cleared his path before shooting just wide of Blake’s right-hand post.
Shortly after the left side of defence was breached again by Mexico’s right back Kevin Alvarez, who unleashed a pile-driver that Blake could only block out of play.
But in a game where chances came at both ends, Flemmings released Bailey with a neat through the pass, but the right winger’s cut inside resulted in his shot sailing just wide of the far post.
In the final minute of time added in first-half action, Kevon Lambert created a foul midway his defending half on the left of centre. Chavez whipped in a deadly free-kick which was headed home by Romo, to silence the home crowd.
Hall admitted weaknesses in defence, particularly on the right side.
“We weren’t very strong in that area tonight (Tuesday) and we always want to make sure we are strong in those areas and again when I go back and review the game then we have to make sure that we look to fix it… we are always looking for people who can strengthen those areas, so yes the right-back area was one, but that takes time and we have a big, long break now to be able to sort that out.”
The coach, who is yet to sign a deal with the Jamaica Football Federation to take on the job permanently, was disappointed in the manner in which his side conceded the equaliser.
“After a few scares we were quite comfortable and then we switched off [on] concentration. I don’t know what happened, it was the last kick of the first half, which is really frustrating for it to happen and go in at 1-1.
“The boys were a bit deflated, but I just wanted some positive vibes at halftime to go back out and make sure we at least keep a clean sheet in the second half and that’s what I asked the players to do and they delivered it.”
Shortly after the resumption, Nicholson went close yet again after Lowe intercepted a pass just inside the opponents’ half and the pass was relayed to Bailey who slipped through Nicholson inside the penalty area.
However, Nicholson’s cheeky chip over the advancing goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota was acrobatically cleared off the goal-line by a retreating defender.
Diego Lainez, who entered the field on 67 minutes, almost made an instant impact when he cut in from the right but his shot was pushed by goalkeeper Blake behind for a corner.
And as the game drew to a close, Chavez nearly won it when he ran from deep in midfield to force Blake into another good save after being left exposed by his disorganised defence.
Hall sees positives in Reggae Boyz improving team
“I believe we are starting to grow, that game a few months ago we probably would have lost it, so we have come forward a little bit but we still need to do better.”
Teams: Jamaica – Andre Blake, Jamoi Topey, Damion Lowe, Amari’i Bell, Javain Brown, Devon Williams, Kevon Lambert (Roloando Aarons 82nd), Ravel Morrison, Junior Flemmings, Leon Bailey, Shamar Nicholson
Booked: Topey (7th), Bell (47th), Damion Lowe (57th)
Subs not used: Kemar Foster, Jahmali Waite, Ricardo Thomas, Earl Simpson, Jordan Scarlett, Tyreek Magee, Oquassa Chong, Daniel Green, Kaheem Parris, Atapharoy Bygrave
Mexico – Rodolfo Cota, Jesus Angulo, Julio Dominguez, Kevin Alvarez, Jesus Gallardo, Kuis Romo, Fernando Beltran (Erick Sanchez 77th), Luiz Chavez, Orbelin Pineda (Diego Lainez 67th), Uriel Antuna, Santiago Giminez (Henry Martin 77th)
Booked: Antuna (37th)
Subs not used: Carlos Acevedo, David Ochoa, Julian Arayo, Sebastian Cordova, Israel Reyes, Marcelo Flores, Erik Lira, Erick Aguirre, Rodolfo Pizarro
Referee: Bryan Lopez (Guatemala)
Assistant Referee 1: Logan Brown (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Wasnah Barnado (Antigua and Barbuda)
Fourth Official: Rubiel Vazques (USA)
Referee Assessor: Hector Vergara (Canada)
