SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Jamaica breathed life into their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign after playing to a spirited 1-1 result away to Costa Rica last night.

Jimmy Marin opened the scoring for the home side in the third minute at the National Stadium in San Jose.

But Shamar Nicholson directed in Jamaica’s equaliser in the 47th minute.

It was an improved performance by the Reggae Boyz after the meek surrender in the 0-3 loss at home to Panama on Sunday.

Despite the point, they are rooted last in the eight-team Concacaf final-stage qualifying table. Costa Rica were earning their second point from three outings.

In cool and rainy conditions in San Jose, Jamaica were off to a nervous start, made worse when Costa Rica scored in the third minute.

It came when veteran playmaker Bryan Ruiz crossed for Jonathan Moya to cushion a header for Jimmy Marin to stoop and nod into the net from virtually on the goal line.

All three Costa Rican players directly involved in the goal had far too much time, with the centre of the Jamaican defence looking particularly soft.

After weathering the early storm, Jamaica came into their own. Approximately 20 minutes in, Tyreek Magee poked a goal-bound effort that was deflected just wide.

Marin could have given Costa Rica a two-goal cushion late in the half, but he curled his effort just high after wrong-footing defender Alvas Powell.

Jamaica’s Cory Burke created a chance of his own when he skilfully slipped by no fewer than four Costa Rican defenders, but lost his balance when he was about to shoot and skewed his effort over Keylor Navas’ crossbar.

Costa Rica deservedly went into the break at 1-0 up, but only two minutes after the restart Jamaica levelled proceedings with the hosts’ defence caught out badly. The diminutive Magee was the spark, a nifty turn taking him past his marker before he dribbled into Los Ticos territory and fed the ball wide to the overlapping Kemar Lawrence on the left. Lawrence’s pin-point cross found Nicholson and, though he mistimed his jump, the ball came off his shoulder with enough accuracy to easily beat Navas.

At the other end, goalkeeper Andre Blake rescued Jamaica after teammate Junior Flemmings’ error led to Joel Campbell getting off a shot. But the Jamaica ‘keeper was equal to the task with a fabulous reflex save.

Almost immediately at the other end the Lawrence/Nicholson combo could have reaped Jamaica a second, but the striker volleyed just wide.

Substitute Javon East got the opportunity to put Jamaica ahead in the dying stages of the game when Nicholson fed him a pass from the right side of the penalty area, but the former Portmore United frontman somehow muffed the chance. Luckily, for him, the linesman flag belatedly went up for offside.

Though both teams attacked with plenty of intent, and created openings in the final quarter of an hour, no goal came.