Jun 25, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jamaica midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson (15) and Curacao forward Elson Hooi (18) battle for the ball in the second half during group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament at Banc of California Stadium. The teams played to a 1-1 tie. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(Reuters) – Jamaica advanced to the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup with a 1-1 draw against Curacao in their final Group C match in Los Angeles on Thursday but may be left to rue squandering several gilt-edged chances.
Jamaica will await the result of the late game between El Salvador and Honduras, which could see them tipped from top spot in the group should El Salvador win or have a high-scoring draw.
Shamar Nicholson scored for Jamaica in the 14th minute with quick reflexes but could have had a hat-trick by then, having already missed a point-blank header and sent a shot crashing against the post.
Jamaica squandered several other chances, while Jarchinio Antonia missed a great opportunity for Curacao late in the first half when he dragged a shot wide.
Just when it seemed Jamaica would not pay for their profligacy, Curacao equalized in the 93rd minute when defender Jurien Gaari smashed a 25-yard strike into the corner.
Curacao almost completed a smash-and-grab victory when substitute Elson Hooi missed a long-range shot by millimeters with virtually the last kick of the match.
The result kept Curacao’s hopes of a quarter-final berth alive, for a couple of hours at least.
They finished the group stage with four points.
Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ian Ransom