MIAMI, Florida, CMC – Jamaica failed to reach the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup for a second time, crashing out after Mexico cruised past them 3-0 in the semifinals on Wednesday in the United States.
The Jamaicans were rocked when Henry Martin set the tone with a goal in the second minute, Luis Chavez followed up with a strike on the half-hour, and Roberto Alvarado put the match away with a goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in the state of Nevada.
The Reggae Boyz had their chances, but poor finishing ultimately robbed them of the opportunity to reach the final, and the Mexicans made them pay to reach the final of the Gold Cup for the 11th time and a chance to play for their ninth title.
El Tricolor, as Mexico is known, will face Panama in the final on Sunday at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood in the western U.S. state of California.
The Panamanians beat hosts United States 5-4 in a penalty kick shoot-out earlier on Wednesday in the other semifinal.
Jamaica was still trying to find their feet when Jesus Gallardo received a pass on the left flank and looped in a cross Martin controlled and hammered into the net.
The Jamaicans looked to get back on level terms, and a probing effort from outside the box from Demarai Gray in the 24th minute forced Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to get low and make a save.
The attempt to make a comeback for the Boyz was steeper when Chavez scored a left-footed laser that curled perfectly into the top left corner of the net to enable Mexico to take a 2-0 lead into the break at half-time.
Jamaica tried hard to break down the Mexican defense at the start of the second half, but their opponents’ defensive line held very firm and forced them to try their luck from the wings, which bore no fruit.
The Jamaicans started to commit more numbers forward in hopes of pulling a goal back, but the Mexico spine of Ochoa, center backs Cesar Montes and Johan Vasquez, plus defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez off the bench, thwarted any movement toward goal from the Caribbean side.
A right-footed shot from West Ham United striker Michail Antonio in the 75th minute off a Mexican turnover amounted to the best scoring chance for the Boyz before Alvarado put the match to bed after Diego Laínez beat a defender and crossed to him.
Goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera saved a penalty from Cristian Roldan in the sixth round of the penalty shoot-out. Panama beat the United States in their semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
It is the first time Panama reached the Gold Cup final in 10 years, and the Central American side is now one step away from winning the Concacaf crown for the first time.
Neither could find a goal before the full-time whistle, sending the match into extra time, where the Panamanians opened the scoring when Adalberto Carrasquilla played a ball over the top for defender Ivan Anderson to finish.
Before the half-time break in extra time, the Americans equalized when Jordan Morris headed a ball into the box, and fellow striker Jesus Ferreira swung his leg to make contact and volleyed into the net.
and then 