Jamaica vs. Mexico result: El Tri comes from behind to draw Reggae Boyz in Nations League

Mexico showed personality to come from behind on the road in Kingston and leave with a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in their second of four CONCACAF Nations League group matches. The result leaves El Tri with ground to make up in the standings in the upcoming set of matches in September.

With the result, Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s men closed out a choppy three weeks of matches on a somewhat positive note. A handful of Mexican fans in Jamaica were still vocal with their “Fuera, Tata” chant (Tata Out), but the team enjoyed some good spells in its fifth and final match of the June period.

But things didn’t come easy for Mexico in Jamaica. The match got off to a disastrous start for El Tri: They failed to convert two clear looks at goal inside the opening minute, and then watched Leon Bailey score an early opener for Jamaica. The goal rattled Mexico and Jamaica looked like they could quickly get another, striking the crossbar on a set piece header by Damion Lowe.

But Mexico regained its composure and began taking the game to Jamaica. They registered several attempts at goal, but Jamaican goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake made several spectacular stops, as he is known to do when he faces the regional giants.

It looked like it would not be their night, but just before halftime El Tri got their goal on a set piece with Luis Romo finally beating Blake on a strong near-post header.

After Kevin Alvarez needed to make a last-ditch goal-line clearance at the start the second half to keep Jamaica from scoring a second, Mexico slowly emerged as the protagonist for the rest of the match. Only Blake kept the visitors from a second goal, stopping vicious strikes from Luis Chavez and substitute Diego Lainez (twice).

The draw was the fair end result, and Mexico can now look ahead to its next set of matches in the September FIFA international window. Before then, there’s also an Aug. 31 friendly against Paraguay in Atlanta as the preparations continue ahead of their World Cup Group C opener against Poland on Nov. 22.

Mexico stock up, stock down 

With every match he plays, Luis Chavez increasingly looks like a good fit on this team with the energy and personality he brings to the midfield. His left foot is always a threat from distance and on set pieces: It was Chavez who delivered the service to Romo on the goal.

It was only 22 minutes against Jamaica, but Diego Lainez once again showed why he can be a difference maker on this team. He makes things happen with the ball at his feet with his darting, dribbling accelerations. He was unlucky not to get a goal as Blake twice came up big to deny him in his limited stint.

The other bright spot for Mexico came from the right back Kevin Alvarez, who was busy on both sides of the ball. He was effective in attack and even got a shot on goal, but he also saved a goal with a desperate goal-line clearance early in the second half. Regular right back Jorge Sanchez is more of a physical presence, but Alvarez can push him for a starting spot.

The concerns, as they usually are, come in central defense. Jesus “Stich” Angulo might be a good fill-in on the CONCACAF level, but he’s not reliable or fast enough to take to a World Cup, and Julio Cesar “Cata” Dominguez can be a liability even though he’s mainly solid. 

He scored a nice set-piece header — and he’s always been a set-piece threat — but Luis Romo didn’t do enough at the single pivot to influence the game. He’s still distant from his best form, but he has a handful of months to attempt to get back to that high-energy, big-impact level that he showed off at Cruz Azul.

Orbelin Pineda likely cost himself a spot in Qatar with his anonymous performances in June (Alexis Vega would definitely be taken ahead of him), and Fernando “Nene” Beltran didn’t do quite enough though he’s good for a handful of nice plays during the course of a match. He goes in the category of a good CONCACAF player, but he doesn’t bring enough to be a World Cup selection, even with an expanded roster to 26 players. 

MORE: Complete FIFA 2022 World Cup schedule

Jamaica vs. Mexico final score

  1H 2H Final
Jamaica 1 0 1
Mexico 1 0 1

Goals:
JAM — Leon Bailey (Shamar Nicholson) — 4th min.
MEX — Luis Romo (Luis Chavez) — 48th+ min.

Jamaica vs. Mexico live updates, highlights from Nations League

Final: Jamaica 1, Mexico 1

86th min.: That’s two straight long-distance shots by Luis Chavez. He tries to take advantage of the slick conditions to beat Blake. The idea is a good one, but the execution is off.

82nd min.: Jamaica sub. Rolando Aarons comes in for midfielder Kevon Lambert with minutes remaining.

80th min.: Big stop by Andre Blake again. The Jamaica captain has been sensational as there’s a downpour in Kingston. That shot was by Diego Lainez … with his right foot! Nothing came of the corner.

76th min.: SUBS for Mexico. Henry Martin in for Santi Gimenez at center forward and Erick “Chiquito” Sanchez replaces Nene Beltran in midfield.

74th min.: What a save by Andre Blake! Antuna sends the ball into the box for Luis Chavez, whose diagonal shot is tipped by Andre Blake for a corner. Excellent reaction by the goalkeeper. Mexico is looking better and better as the minutes go by.

73rd min.: Mexico is knocking the ball around and controlling the pace of play. Jamaica is waiting and ready to take off in transition if they can win the ball back. Mexico is doing a lot of passing from side to side, trying to keep possession.

68th min.: Mexico sub. Diego Lainez comes on for Orbelin Pineda and he gets a shot off just seconds later from the right wing (Antuna is now wide left). The shot by Lainez is saved for a corner kick. Nothing comes of it.

61st min.: Nene Beltran sends a through ball into Santi Gimenez, but midfielder Speedy Williams does well to recover defensively and gets to the ball first.

58th min.: Another yellow card for Jamaica. It’s center back Damion Lowe who gets it for stopping a promising attack after he clatters into Luis Chavez. That’s three Jamaican defenders with a yellow: both center backs Lowe and Topey, and the left back Bell.

51st min.: Mexico clear the ball off the line! Kevin Alvarez and Luis Romo race to the Mexico goal line to prevent Shamar Nicholson’s chip over the ‘keeper from entering the back of the empty net. Big play, because that was 2-1 Jamaica. Kevin Alvarez looked to have gotten the touch.

49th min.: Yellow card for Amari’i Bell for a flailing forearm into Kevin Alvarez as they both went up for a header. Alvarez recovers after a few minutes.

46th min.: Second half is underway. No changes for either team. And the broadcast confirms it’s the last time we’ll see the black Mexico jersey with the pink touches. The green sounds like it’s coming back.

Halftime: Jamaica 1, Mexico 1

Halftime: Mexico should have scored after less than a minute, and then El Tri saw the game turn against it. The players were stunned, but as time went by they kept up the pressure and threatened on a few occasions until finally getting the goal on the last play of the half.

Jesus Gallardo (left back) and Kevin Alvarez (right back) have been active in attack. Santi Gimenez hasn’t received much service at center forward, and Luis Romo is trying to playmake from deep in central midfield. Uriel Antuna’s decision making isn’t the best on the right wing, and Orbelin Pineda is not dangerous enough on the left (he’s operating centrally). But center backs Jesus Angulo and “Cata” Dominguez look like the weakest links so far.

48th min.: Goal Mexico! On the final play of the half, Luis Chavez sends a set piece into the box and Luis Romo heads home. It’s a deserved equalizer for El Tri.

44th min.: Long stoppage in play for a Jamaica injury and both teams take advantage to regroup and rehydrate. There will a few minutes of stoppage time coming. Two minutes to be exact.

37th min.: Yellow card for Uriel Antuna for a dive in the box. Defender Amari’i Bell won that ball fair and square in the box.

35th min.: Leon Bailey takes on a defender 1-on-1 from his right wing position, enters the Mexico box, puts the ball on his left foot, and curls it just high and wide. The Reggae Boyz are dangerous in transition and they have the skill to cause problems.

24th min.: Mexico right back Kevin Alvarez with the blast from the right side of the Jamaica box and goalkeeper Andre Blake with another stop. He’s on his game today.

21st min.: Orbelin Pineda gets the ball in the box and tries to find an opening, but he pulls his shot wide left. Mexico are exerting some pressure again.

17th min.: Left back Jesus Gallardo with a great ball from the left that crosses the face of the goal and no one is there to put it in? Santi Gimenez nowhere to be found.

9th min.: Jamaica hit the crossbar! On a corner kick it’s Damion Lowe with the header and Jamaica is all over Mexico now. The visitors are on their heels.

4th min.: Goal Jamaica! Leon Bailey heads home in between two defenders. The Jamaicans sprung a transition wide left and the cross was pinpoint for Bailey who converged from his right wing position.

2nd min.: What a chance for Mexico! Luis Chavez with a point blank shot that Andre Blake saves and the ball falls to Uriel Antuna who scuffs his shot and can’t put the ball on goal with the net at his mercy. Hands in his hair.

1st min.: We’re underway.

5 mins from kickoff: The Mexican national anthem is the first one to be played in Kingston:

Jamaica vs. Mexico lineups

El Tri will have their hands full with the fleet-footed Leon Bailey and Junior Flemmings on the wings with Ravel Morrison pulling the strings. Shamar Nicholson has already shown to be a force, scoring against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca in September 2021.

Jamaica starting lineup (4-2-3-1, left to right): 1-Andre Blake (GK) — 4-Amari’i Bell, 3-Jamoi Topey, 17-Damion Lowe, 21-Javain Brown — 22-Devon “Speedy” Williams, 19-Kevon Lambert — 12-Junior Flemmings, 10-Ravel Morrison, 7-Leon Bailey — 11-Shamar Nicholson

Jamaica subs (12): 2-Thomas, 5-Simpson, 6-Scarlett, 8-Magee, 9-Lowe, 13-Foster, 14-Chong, 15-Green, 16-Parris, 18-Bygrave, 20-Aarons, 23-Waite

Tata Martino gives Rodolfo Cota another chance in goal, while Kevin Alvarez and Jesus Gallardo are back in the lineup at fullback. Luis Chavez, who was one of the more lively players against Suriname, gets another start in midfield. 

It’s a big opportunity for Orbelin Pineda and center forward Santi Gimenez on the forward line. Uriel Antuna is likely a lock to Qatar given his game-breaking speed, but Pineda and Gimenez are definitely on the bubble.

Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 12-Rodolfo Cota (GK) — 23-Jesus Gallardo, 3-Jesus “Stitch” Angulo, 4-Julio Cesar “Cata” Dominguez, 2-Kevin Alvarez — 14-Luis Chavez, 7-Luis Romo, 15-Fernando “Nene” Beltran — 10-Orbelin Pineda, 9-Santi Gimenez, 22-Uriel Antuna

Mexico subs (12): Carlos Acevedo (GK), David Ochoa (GK), I. Reyes, Julian Araujo, 6-Erick “Chiquito” Sanchez, Erik Lira, Rodolfo Pizarro, Sebastian Cordova, 11-Diego Lainez, Marcelo Flores, 21-Henry Martin, E. Aguirre

MORE: In-depth look at Group C at 2022 World Cup, featuring Mexico

Jamaica vs. Mexico TV, live stream

  • Date: Tuesday, June 14
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Spanish-language TV: Univision, TUDN
  • Streaming: fuboTV, Paramount+

Tuesday’s match between Mexico and Jamaica from the National Stadium at Independence Park in Kingston will be televised in the USA by Univision and TUDN, with both those Spanish-language networks available to stream on fuboTV.

The game is also available for English-language audiences on Paramount+ for subscribers.



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