Leon Bailey of Jamaica
(Photo: Joseph Wellington)
LAST-GASP ESCAPE
Bailey’s penalty kick saves Reggae Boyz from shock loss to St Vincent and the Grenadines
Jamaica Reggae Boyz’s quest to qualify for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup was given a major boost after a last-minute equaliser from Leon Bailey gave them a 1-1 result away to St Vincent and the Grenadines in the first leg of the Gold Cup Preliminaries.
Hoping to take an advantage back to Kingston next Tuesday, the Jamaicans ended up avoiding an embarrassing defeat to the 173rd world-ranked Vincentians at Arnos Vale Stadium.
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It could have been a much different story as Steve McClaren’s men failed to take two great chances in the opening 25 minutes.
In the 14th minute, Bailey played in Shamar Nicholson, who was all alone with goalkeeper Lemus Christopher, but saw his effort from 10 yards out saved by the Vincentian.
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Seven minutes later, Mount Pleasant FA’s Sue-Lae McCalla had the best chance of the first half when he latched onto Ethan Pinnock’s long throw but somehow managed to blast wide from six yards.
Signs of fragility started to surface for the Boyz as St Vincent and the Grenadines forward Cornelius Stewart almost stunned the Jamaicans in the 29th minute when he beat the offside trap and forced captain and goalkeeper Andre Blake into a save. Stewart went on to beat Blake in the 44th minute but saw his strike go inches past the far post.
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In the second half, the Boyz started positively, and in the 50th minute, forced goalkeeper Christopher into two brilliant saves to deny Demarai Gray and Isaac Hayden in the space of 20 seconds.
They thought they made the breakthrough in the 59th minute when Dexter Lembikisa’s strike at the edge of the box found the back of the net. However, it was ruled out after Bailey, who was in an offside position, was adjudged to have been impeding the goalkeeper’s vision.
Six minutes later, St Vincent captain Oalex Anderson provided the shock of the evening as he sped away from Richard King and slotted home past Blake to give the hosts the lead, sending the packed stadium into a frenzy.
The St Vincent defence stood stall as the hosts appeared set for the biggest win in their history. However, Arnett Gardens striker Warner Brown, who came on as a late substitute, won a penalty in the dying seconds of the game when he was fouled in the 18-yard box by Tristan Marshall.
Bailey converted in the kick comfortably in the seventh minute of stoppage time to give the Jamaicans the vital away goal.
The Reggae Boyz are winless in their last four competitive games but now need just a goalless draw in the second leg at Sabina Park to make the Gold Cup in June.
Demarai Gray of Jamaica (Photo: AFP)
Shamar Nicholson (Photo: AFP)
Steve McClaren, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz head coach (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blake (Photo: AFP)
