Third late goal sends U20 Boyz through to quarterfinals

The U20 Reggae Boyz confirmed their spot in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Men’s U20 Championship after a late penalty from Sean Leighton rescued a point in a 2-2 draw against Canada to ensure Jamaica finished second in Group C.

Jahmarie Nolan opened the scoring for the young Reggae Boyz with a strike in the 21st minute.

Canada pulled level through Valter Sedin in the 56th minute before Marius Aiyenero gave the Canadians the lead in the 79th.

With seconds left on the clock, Leighton stepped up to convert the penalty and rescue a crucial point for Jamaica in the 10th minute of time added.

With the result, Jamaica have confirmed their place in the final eight, where they have booked a rematch against Canada in the knockout rounds.

Speaking after the game, Leighton said it was a special feeling to score the late penalty for Jamaica and called it an Emancipation Day present for the island.

“It’s a very, very exciting feeling to get my team to the next round,” he said. “Today is Emancipation Day back home, so we had to just do it for the country.”

The first half was a close affair, both teams crafting opportunities to take the early lead.

It was Jamaica that eventually found purchase after a diagonal ball launched over the top found Brandon Bent free out wide.

Bent was quick to play it back across the face of goal to Nolan, who made no mistake with the goal at his mercy.

Jamaica went into the half-time break with the slender lead but found themselves pegged level with Canada, who came roaring out the gate in the second half.

Sedin picked up the ball down the right flank and danced into the box before firing at goal, where a fortunate deflection wrong-footed goalkeeper Joshua Grant.

Canada looked to have secured the win when they won a penalty after a handball in the box by Kimarley Scott, which Aiyenero stepped up and converted.

But the Boyz refused to go down and went searching for the equaliser in the dying embers of the game.

They were rewarded for their efforts when in the final minutes of added time, Jamaica earned a penalty for a similar infraction as Anyole Peter was judged to have handled the ball in the box.

Leighton stepped up to convert and both teams played out the remaining seconds of the game satisfied with a draw.

The result means Canada finish atop Group C with five points, level with Jamaica, but holding the advantage on goal difference.

The teams will again meet in the quarterfinals, knowing a spot in the FIFA Men’s U20 World Cup will be on the line.

The quarterfinal will be played on Wednesday at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla City, Mexico.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com