ORLANDO, USA — There was Ian Fleming, the famous creator of the James Bond novels. And, in this time, one called Flemmings — Junior — has authored his own tale of intrigue, when he dramatically came off the bench last night to give his Reggae Boyz a priceless 2-1 win in the Concacaf Gold Cup.

The Birmingham Legion striker’s 87th-minute goal broke the back of the Guadeloupe resistance, effectively propelling Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz into the quarter-finals of the tournament with six points.

But Jamaica’s victory was indeed a display of grit, as they went behind in the contest as early as the fourth minute when Dimitri Ramothe struck, but Philadelphia Union frontman Cory Burke levelled the scores six minutes later to lay the foundation for the entertaining slugfest.

Costa Rica and Suriname were due for the second match of the Exploria Stadium double-header. The Central Americans entered yesterday’s match with three points, while Suriname were at the bottom of the table. A win would send Costa Rica through with Jamaica.

The Boyz had won their opening match 2-0 over Suriname to set the tempo for their campaign and will have Costa Rica in their final Group C encounter on Tuesday.

Jamaica captain, goalkeeper Andre Blake, had forewarned that some of the matches in the tournament were not going to be aesthetically pleasing, and yesterday’s match proved his words prophetic.

For both teams had dug deep in the trenches and battled for every inch of the pitch in a match that was both exhilarating and bruising — a source of great entertainment for the spattering of Jamaican fans.

Even though the final scoreline was by the thinnest of margins, the Boyz had created ample chances to put the game beyond doubt, and they might have not needed that moment of individual magic from Flemmings.

But it’s that moment that they will herald as the most precious as they celebrate their hard-fought victory way into the night.

Meanwhile, against all predictions, Guadeloupe made a lightning start to the game, shocking the Jamaicans in the early exchanges.

From a quick counter-attack following a clearance out of defence from a Jamaican left-sided free kick poorly delivered into the penalty area by Leon Bailey, Ramothe received a pass wide into the Jamaican penalty box and, in an attempt to cross, the ball took a wicked deflection off the retreating Amari’i Bell, wrong-footing the outstanding Blake at his near post.

At press time there was still a lively debate as to whether it was an own goal or not.

But the Boyz did not panic, and immediately went in search of the equaliser. In the eighth minute Leon Bailey’s promising free kick to the back post skidded inches wide of the sliding boot of centre-back Liam Moore who had ventured up for a rare chance at goal.

And as he had done on a few occasions prior in the game, Blair Turgott helped craft the equalising goal when he stole possession and weaved his way down his favourite left-side and laid a gentle pass for a lurking Burke.

The Philadelphia Union star, with craft of a consummate striker, made room to unleash a firm curler with the right boot from the edge of the box, unhinging an unmoved Yohann Thuram in goal.

Turgott, who was very effective playing in that wide left-side position, again dashed forward, slipping inside to set up a shot of his own, but his effort was weak in the end.

Bailey, the Bayer Leverkusen winger, got the ball in the net in the 25th minute after he lobbed the keeper on the second attempt, but the match officials made a tight off-side call against him, effectively ruling the goal off-side.

Eight minutes on, the Boyz attacked down the productive left channel with an eye-catching give-and-go between Turgott and Bell, but the latter’s low cross aimed at shadowy offensive figures in the centre was knocked away for a corner.

From the resulting kick, an aerial clash of heads involving Jamaica’s Michael Hector, Burke and Suriname defender Anthony Baron, left the Philadelphia Union striker with a busted head.

During the contest, Burke and Nicholson appeared a potentially dangerous partnership and proved a handful for the Guadeloupe defenders with their link-up play that eventually did not redound in more goals.

In one of those instances in the 39th minute, Burke headed down delightfully for Nicholson, but the Charleroi striker appeared surprised by the ball and his foot did not oblige, finishing with a weak effort.

But one of the most spectacular plays of the match came when Captain Blake pulled off a brilliant one-handed save, reacting to Edwig Malpon’s stinger.

After the save, the Jamaica goalkeeper fell to the ground in obvious pain but, like a cat with nine lives, he rose and got back into the battle to lead his team over the victory line.

As Jamaica pressed for the winner, Burke was again sent on his way in the 62nd minute down the left flank, where he managed to outmuscle his marker, but his majestic cross to his wingman, Nicholson, was skied from close and under no pressure of note.

But when it appeared the game was headed for gritty draw with the physical nature of the match, substitute Flemmings grabbed the winner in the 87th minute.

The Birmingham Legion attacker received with aplomb a low hard cross into the box from Bailey, who had drifted to the left side, then he obliged by gliding by two defenders, hoodwinking another with a dip of the right shoulder, to shoot powerfully between the legs of Thuram to give his team the win.

Jamaica substitute Andre Gray, who came on in the 81st minute, got into the act and had a promising right-footed drive blocked in the dying moments from close range.

Teams

GUADELOUPE — Yohann Thuram, Kelly Irep, Mickael Alphonse (Kevin Moeson 77th), Anthony Baron, Stevenson Casimir, Quentin Annette, Edwing Malpon (Mavrick Annerose 77th), Morgan Saint-Maximin, Luther Archimede (Raphael Mirval 14th), Dimitri Ramothe (Vikash Tille 64th), Matthias Phaeton.

Subs not used: Federic Tejou, Kevin Ajax, Skeveen Romage, Thomas Pineau, Colman Makouke

Booked: Casimir (41st)

JAMAICA — Andre Blake, Liam Moore, Damion Lowe, Alvas Powell, Amari’i Bell (Kemar Lawrence 70th), Michael Hector (Junior Flemmings 61st), Daniel Johnson, Leon Bailey, Blair Turgott (Devon Williams 61st), Shamar Nicholson (Andre Gray 81st), Cory Burke.

Subs not used: Dillon Barnes, Dennis Taylor, Lamar Walker, Oniel Fisher, Adrian Mariappa, Tyreek Magee

Booked: Bailey (62nd), Powell (63rd), Moore (71st)

Referee: Bryan Lopez (GUAT)

Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson (USA), Gerson Lopez (GUAT)

Fourth Official: Jose Torres

Referee Assessor: Diane Ferreira-James

Match Commissioner: Glen Etienne