MIAMI, United States (AFP)— Jamaica overcame a determined Guatemala 1-0 to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final on Sunday with Amari’i Bell’s 51st-minute goal setting up a last-four clash with Mexico.
The Reggae Boyz have now reached the semi-final stage in four of the past five Gold Cups and have a chance to make their first appearance in the final since 2017.
Icelandic coach Heimir HallgrÃmsson has successfully gelled together a talented group of players, including several recruited from English football, into a maturing team that was able to withstand some late pressure from Guatemala.
The TQL Stadium in Cincinnati was the latest venue in this tournament to be taken over by the impressively large and loud following of Guatemala fans, whose energy transmitted itself onto the field.
It was a frantic start with the Central American side buzzing around the field and there was an early chance for Guatemala’s American-born striker Rubio Rubin, but his low shot was comfortably dealt with by Andre Blake.