MIAMI, Florida, CMC – Fulham forward Bobby Reid scored late as Jamaica’s Reggae Boys recovered from a nightmare four-minute period in the first half, to earn a 2-2 draw with Haiti in their League A contest of the CONCACAF Nations League on Tuesday.
Playing at home at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica fell behind to a Don Louicius brace in the 12th and 15th minutes before a Ricardo Adé own goal early in the second half and Reid’s 83rd minute penalty, levelled the game.
The result left Jamaica unbeaten and top of Group B on four points, alongside Cuba also on four points, the Spanish-speaking Caribbean side edging Suriname 1-0 in Santiago de Cuba on the night.
Jamaica were stunned early when Louicius eluded a challenge from centre back Damion Lowe to produce a calm finish from the left-side of the box, past goalkeeper Andre Blake.
And they were set back even further just moments later, Mondy Prunier getting free down the left and teeing up Louicius who finished from the centre of the box. Down 2-0 at the break, Jamaica halved the deficit in the 51st minute when Saudi Arabia-bound Demerai Gray drove a shot into the box which deflected from Adé’s outstretched leg and in at the far post.
Haiti then wasted two great opportunities to wrap up the game to wrap up the result when they were denied first by the woodwork and then Blake, before Reid left goalkeeper Jhony Placide in no man’s land with his calmly taken spot kick, following a handball in the area.
In the same group, Grenada suffered a 4-0 hiding at the hands of Honduras, to remain bottom of the group without a win to their credit.
Edwin Rodriguez (45+, 65th) scored in either half while Antony Lozano (51st) and Luis Palma (60th) added second half goals to complete the rout.
Most of the other action was concentrated in League C where St Vincent and the Grenadines carved out a thrilling win and Antigua and Barbuda suffered a heavy defeat.
Hosting Bermuda in a Group C encounter at the Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent were propelled by an Oalex Anderson hat-trick, the United States-based forward netting all his goals in a magical last eight minutes before half-time, to cancel out Jai Bean’s 21st minute opener which put the visitors in front.
When Jahvin Sutherland added a fourth for SVG in the 63rd to put them 4-1 up, the game appeared good as done until Remy Coddington (69th) and Lejaun Simmons (74th) struck for Bermuda to create a nervous end to the contest.
In the other League B games, Antigua were crushed 5-0 in Nassau by Puerto Rico who were propelled by Gerald Díaz’s hat-trick, while Belize won 2-0 away to French Guiana.
In the only League C encounter, Dominica brushed aside hosts Turks and Caicos 3-0 in Providenciales.
