Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz bowed out of the Concacaf Nations League on Monday after losing 4-2 in the return leg of their quarter-final tie against the defending champions USA at Energizer Park in St Louis, Missouri.

The Americans advanced on a 5-2 aggregate after they had won the first leg 1-0 in Kingston and the Jamaicans must now wait to see who they will take on in a play-off for the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Led by a double from Christian Pulisic, the Americans put on a master class in the first half, dominating the game to lead 3-0 at half time before the Reggae Boyz rallied in the second half with two goals from Demarai Gray putting some respect on the score.

This was Jamaica’s first loss in an away game in the Nations League since 2019 as the USA extended their perfect home record.

The home team took the lead in the 14th minute when Pulisic finished off a slick counter attack by chipping the ball over the advancing Andre Blake. It was 2-0 in the 33rd minute when a shot from Pulisic was deflected off a Jamaican defender and Nicholas Pepi who scored in Kingston made it 3-0 when he scored in the 42nd minute.

Gray who had not scored in a Jamaica shirt since October last year, pulled one back for the Reggae Boyz in the 53rd minute.

The USA restored their three-goal advantage three minutes later when Timothy Weah scored.

Gray added a second in the 68th minute when he tapped in a rebound.

-Paul A Reid