SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Jamaica defeated United States of America (USA) 1-0 in the final Group A CONCACAF Under-17 Championship match at the Estadio Francisco Morazan in Honduras, and are anxiously awaiting the result from the Honduras/Guatemala game later tonight.

Nicholas Nelson converted from the spot in the 57th minute after Costa Rican referee Ricardo Montero called a hand ball in the box.

Jamaica join the Americans on 10 points and are ahead in the tiebreaker based on the head to head rule. However, both can be overtaken by Honduras who are on eight points.

Jamaica are now ruing that missed penalty in their 1-1 draw with Cuba because had they won that game, they would have been on an unassailable 12 points and into the World Cup.

This was the sixth meeting between Jamaica and USA with the Americans winning three times, lost twice and drawn once. The last time they met was in a semi-final of the 2011 Championship in Montego Bay and the US won 2-0.

Jamaica rested their top scorer Nathaniel Adamolekun, captain and holding midfielder Shandel Senior and his two most creative midfielders in Peter-Lee Vassell and Alex Marshall.

US-based Jahlanie Hammond got his first start as the holding midfielder while Deshane Beckford was given the nod up front to partner Donovan Dawkins. Nicholas Nelson was converted to the attacking midfield role in the hole behind the strikers.

The young Reggae Boyz got the first real look in at goal in the third minute when Tajea Brown went past his defender and fired wide. But the Americans responded quickly and Jamaica were fortunate not to be two goals down inside 10 minutes.

In the fourth minute, US striker Alejandro Zendejas was sent clean through to goal, but his effort was well blocked by Jahmali Waite in the Jamaican goal. Then three minutes later, Haji Wright fired wide from well inside the box with only goalkeeper to beat. Zendejas again went close in the 10th minute.

Nicholas Nelson replied for Jamaica in the 12th minute with an angled long range effort that sailed past the upright. Then Deshane Beckford and Tajea Brown tested goalkeeper with good shots from just outside the box.

The half ended 0-0 but once head coach Andrew Edwards introduced top scorer Nathaniel Adamolekun at the start of the second half, the Reggae Boyz looked far more threatening and deserving took the lead in the 57th minute.

Dawkins’ cross in the was handled in the box and after a little hesitation as to who should take it, Nelson calmly slotted home. It was his first goal of this Championship but his team high 11th goal in qualifying.

It was a well deserved victory for Jamaica, but their fate now depends on Guatemala turning up in a positive way against their Central American neighbours Honduras.

Howard Walker