VINA DEL MAR, Chile, CMC – Goals on either side of half-time helped Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz end their recent spell of dodgy form with a 2-1 victory over Chile in their friendly international here Friday.
The Caribbean side had been dogged by poor results in their 2018 World Cup qualification campaign but put that indifferent form behind them with England-based forwards Clayton Donaldson and Joel Grant scoring to deliver the win at the Estadio Sausalito.
Donaldson, who plays for Birmingham City, gave Jamaica the lead in the 36th minute before Exeter City’s Grant doubled the lead eight minutes after the break.
Nicolas Castillo pulled one back for the hosts with eight minutes left in the contest but Jamaica held on for the important win.
The win was also crucial for the Jamaicans ahead of their campaign in the Copa America Centenario which kicks off next week.
England-based Joel Grant … scored the second goal for Reggae Boyz.
For Chile, also preparing for the June 3-26 tournament in the United States, it was another blow as they have now won just one of their last five outings.
Neither side could take a grip of the game through the first half hour but the visitors found themselves in front with half-time approaching.
Reading winger Gareth McCleary got free down the right and whipped in a low cross which Donaldson managed to squeeze past goalkeeper Johnny Herrera.
Leading 1-0 at half-time, Jamaica soaked up heavy pressure on the resumption before scoring against the run of play, to take control of the encounter.
Giles Barnes, who plays for Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer, finished off a counter-attack by hitting a cross into the area for Grant to head past Herrera.
Chile then threw everything at the Caribbean side but were guilty of wasting several chances, in their quest for the elusive goal.
They were handed a lifeline in the 82nd minute when Castillo, a 70th minute substitute for Mauricio Pinilla, found the nets off defender Kemar Lawrence.
However, Jamaica defended stoutly for the remaining minutes to pull off an important victory.
They are scheduled to face Venezuela in their opening Group C game of the Copa America Centenario on June 5 in Chicago, before taking on CONCACAF giants Mexico in Pasadena, California four days later and closing out their preliminary campaign with a clash with Uruguay in Santa Clara on June 13.
