MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Jamaica were crowned champions of the Caribbean Football Union Caribbean Cup after outscoring Trinidad and Tobago 4-3 on penalties in front of a vociferous home crowd at the Montego Bay Sports Complex a short while ago.

After neither team was able to find the target during 90 minutes of regulation plus 30 minutes of extra time, goalkeeper Andre Blake gave Jamaica the ideal start in the shoot-out when he saved the penalty of Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones.

Jermaine Taylor, Jobi McAnuff, Demar Phillips and captain Rodolph Austin, who was named man-of-the-match, were on target for the Reggae Boyz, who were winning their sixth title. Teenager Michael Seaton was the only Jamaican player to miss from 12 yards.

It was a courageous effort from the Boyz, who were the better team for much of the game, as they created the better scoring opportunities, but just couldn’t find the target.

It was Jamaica’s first win since lifting the trophy under the guidance of coach Theodore Whitmore in Martinique in 2010.

The Boyz have now qualified for the eagerly anticipated special edition of the Copa America Centenario, which is the 100th anniversary of the South American Championships. Under a special arrangement, six teams from CONCACAF plus the 10 South American nations will participate.

The Boyz had earlier qualified for next summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, and after plummeting down the FIFA rankings to 113th, their gutsy performance proved the ideal response, giving German coach Winfried Schaefer his first title since being appointed head coach.

Ian Burnett