MONTERREY, Mexico — Jamaica defeated Costa Rica 1-0 in extra time at Estadio BBVA here to grab third place at the Concacaf Women’s Championship and keep their Olympic Games hope alive.

Substitute Kalyssa Vanzanten, who came on in the 99th minute, scored the winner three minutes later by latching on to a beautiful, well-weighted pass from Drew Spence, firing home in the 102nd minute.

Having already qualified for the Fifa World Cup, the Reggae Girlz will meet the Concacaf second-place team — either the United States of America or Canada in a play-off slated for September 2023 — for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Both the USA and Canada were set to decide the Confederation champion in the feature encounter which was scheduled for 9:00 pm on Monday.

It was an accomplished, mature display from the Reggae Girlz as they showed they are indeed the third-best team in the region and also appeared to be getting better.

Having scored late in extra time, they dictated the play, kept possession, and ran down the clock expertly.

It was a most-deserved victory and Coach Lorne Donaldson and his team seem to be headed in the right direction.

Liverpool’s Jade Bailey finally got clearance from Fifa and went straight into the Jamaican starting XI at central midfield, replacing Havana Solaun, while skipper Khadija Shaw made a return to the front line.

Costa Rica were quick out of the blocks as Melissa Herrera’s shot was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer in the third minute.

Three minutes later it was Herrera again, clean through on goal with only goalkeeper Spencer to beat, but she kicked wide.

But Jamaica slowly got a grip of the game and began stringing together some passes and consequently put pressure on the Costa Rica backline.

After going to the dressing room locked 0-0 they returned and Jamaica’s Drew Spence got a good look at goal from well inside the box, but headed her effort straight at goalkeeper Daniela Solera.

Then the Costa Ricans responded with a spell of dominance and got a couple of half-chances through which they could have taken the lead.

In the 59th minute Jamaica’s Jody Brown found space in the box, but hesitated and was robbed of the ball. A few minutes later she combined well with Trudi Carter whose resulting kick went high.

In the 63rd minute Brown returned with a well-taken shot from just outside the box that beat goalkeeper Solera but crashed onto the crossbar.

It was a good spell of possession by Jamaica, and a minute later Deneisha Blackwood picked out Shaw who controlled well but took one step too many which gave goalkeeper Solera time to gather the ball.

With the game heading to extra time Carter almost stole it at the full time mark, firing just wide from inside the 18-yard box in the 87th minute following a patient build-up.

The Reggae Girlz had Costa Rica on the backfoot hunting that vital breakthrough but it was Costa Rica who almost stole it at the death.

A long high ball fell nicely at the feet of Racquel Rodriquez but she placed her shot wide of goalkeeper Spencer, watching agonisingly as it hit the upright, rolled across the goalmouth and then back into play and on to extra time.

Teams

Jamaica — 13-Rebecca Spencer, 02-Satara Murray, 04 – Chantelle Swaby (19-Tiernny Wiltshire 58th), 17-Allyson Swaby, 14-Deneisha Blackwood, 05-Jade Bailey (07-Chinyelu Asher 99th), 09-Drew Spence, 20-Atlanta Primus (06-Havana Solaun 76th), 10-Jody Brown (16-Paige Bailey-Gayle 76th), 11-Khadija Shaw, 18-Trudi Carter (15-Kalyssa Vanzanten 99th)

Subs not used: 01-Sydney Schneider, 23-Yazmeen Jamieson, 22-Mireya Grey, 08-Kayla McCoy, 12-Jayada Pelaia, 21-Olufolasade Adamoluken.

Booked: Khadija Shaw 37th, Drew Spence 118th

Coach: Lorne Donaldson

Costa Rica — 23-Daniela Solera, 02-Gabriela Guillen, 04-Mariana Benavides, 07-Melissa Herrera, 08-Daniela Cruz, 11-Racquel Rodriquez (10-Shirley Cruz, 103rd), 14-Priscila Chinchilla (12-Lixy Rodriquez, 76th), 15-Cristen Granados (17-Michelle Montero, 111th), 16-Katherine Alvarado, 19-Maria Paula Salas (09-Carolina Venegas, 67th)

Subs not used: 01-Noelia Bermudez, 24-Genesis Perez, 03-Maria Paula Coto, 05-Valeria Del Campo, 13-Emilie Valenciano, 20-Fabiola Villalobos 21-Viviana Chinchilla, 22-Cristel Sandi

Booked: Lixy Rodriquez 120th

Coach: Amelia Valverde