Cephas’ injury-time strike gives Boyz dramatic 3-2 win over Guatemala in Nations League

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A stoppage-time goal from substitute Renaldo Cephas gave Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win over Guatemala in their Concacaf Nations League Group B League A opener at the National Stadium on Friday. Jamaica avenged last year’s loss to the Central Americans at the Gold Cup despite a double from Oscar Santis, the first coming in the second minute. The Reggae Boyz, rallied from a goal down to lead 2-1, Guatemala levelled before Cephas’ late strike settled the points. Santis, who scored in Guatemala’s 1-0 win at the Gold Cup, gave them an early lead when he fired low under goalkeeper Andre Blake to finish off a counter-attack. They could have been 2-0 up in the 18th minute, but Darwin Lom guided a cross from Santis just wide of the far left post with the Jamaican goal at his mercy. Kasey Palmer, who had a good outing, pulled Jamaica level in the 39th minute when he capitalised on an error by Jorge Aparicio and fired low under goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro for his third goal for Jamaica. Palmer was also involved as Jamaica took the lead in the 53rd minute, making the pass to Ruman Burell, who scored, beating Navarro to his right into the far corner. A mistake in the Jamaican defence left the door open for Santis in the 67th minute, and he made no mistake, dribbling around Blake, who came off his line, and scored in an open goal. Both teams came close to scoring. Cephas shot just wide in the 79th minute, and Olger Escobar hit the inside of the Jamaican left upright in the 90th minute. Four minutes into added time, Cephas made up for his earlier miss when he beat Navarro with his fourth goal in national colours. Meanwhile, head coach Rudolph Speid had named seven members of the team that had lost in the final game of the failed World Cup 2026 attempt in the starting X1—goalkeeper and team captain Blake, Joel Latibeaudiere, Richard King, Isaac Hayden, Palmer, Ronaldo Webster and Tyreece Campbell. Jamaica’s bid for a spot in the expanded FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Concacaf failed after a 1-0 loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo in their FIFA intercontinental play-offs in Mexico in March. Starting team: Andre Blake, Joel Latibeaudiere, Damion Lowe, Richard King, Isaac Hayden, Karoy Anderson, Kasey Palmer, Ronaldo Webster, Tyreece Campbell, Rumarn Burrell, Javon East. — Paul A Reid