It could be win or go home for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz when they take on Group C leaders Panama in their final group-stage Concacaf Gold Cup match at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Kick-off is set for today at 6:00 pm Jamaica time.

The group is wide open with Panama, on six points from two wins, and Jamaica and Guatemala, who have three points each, still in the race for the two qualifying spots for the quarter-finals.

Panama need only a point to top the group; however, Jamaica must win if they are to avoid an early exit from the competition.

Guatemala can advance with a win against Guadeloupe at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas. Guadeloupe have lost both their games.

At a pre-game press conference held on Monday, Head Coach Steve McClaren was under no delusion what was at stake. He said their aim is to take all three points against the Panamanians.

“The main thing we are focusing on is beating Panama,” he said.

The last time Jamaica failed to get past the first round of the Gold Cup was in 2009. They have only failed to get to the semi-finals once in the last five editions.

The Reggae Boyz, who beat Panama 1-0 the last time they met — in the Nations League third-place play-off — have failed to impress so far at the Gold Cup.

They lost 0-1 to Guatemala, less than a week after beating the Central Americans 3-0 in a World Cup qualifying game in Jamaica. In the next Gold Cup group-stage outing McClaren’s team laboured to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Guadeloupe.

McClaren had described the latter as a “Jekyll and Hyde” performance, after dominating the first half but then being forced to hang on in the second half against a Guadeloupe team which lost 2-5 to Panama in their opening game.

While repeating his claim that there was “no easy game in Concacaf”, McClaren said the team balance remains a work in progress.

“We are searching for the right squads, we are searching for the right set of players, we are still searching for the right processes to make sure we win football games,” he said.

West Ham United striker Michail Antonio also addressed the press conference, an indication he could be used from the start after featuring as a substitute in the last two games.

Antonio only returned to competitive football in the Gold Cup after a horrendous single-vehicle collision in London in December.

— Paul A Reid