At the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Copa America Centenario Group C fourth match featured a replay of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Mexico vs Jamaica. And just like the previous match, Jamaica came out us losers.
Mexico 2 – Jamaica 0
18′ Javier Hernández
81′ Oribe Peralta
Both teams knew what was at stake.
A win for Mexico meant that they will be in the knockout stage of the Copa America Centenario. Venezuela win against Uruguay meant that Group C could be decided after the match.
Jamaica knew a loss will send them home. Jamaica has never won a match in the Copa America, and with their coach suspended from the sideline we wondered where the on-field instructions were going to come from. Mexico has been undefeated since the beginning of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and a match in California always feels like a home game to Mexico. The disadvantages were piling for Jamaica.
The match ended 2-0. Jamaica had numerous of opportunities to grab their first draw/win in the Copa America.
As many chances as Jamaica had had, Mexico looked like the winner from the start. There is something about winning a string of matches, it becomes a habit.
The first goal of the match came in the 18th minute. Although he is small in size, a cross into the box was headed in by Chicharito Hernandez even though he was surrounded by Jamaican defenders that could see above his head when they are on their feet.
Mexico was 1-0 up. They could sit back and depend on counter attacks.
Jamaica just can’t find the winning formula for Copa America.
It was quite a surprise that the score remained 1-0 for 80 minutes. There were multiple opportunities to change the scoreline, but neither teams were clinical in front of the goal.
From their experience with Uruguay, the Mexicans were aware that a1-0 scoreline could not be relied on.
A tired Jamaican defense was outrun by the fresh offensive legs of Hirving Lozano, who had had been subbed into the match in the 63rd minute. A low cross into the box was finished with a low well-placed shot to the corner if the net by another second half substitute, Oribe Peralta.
Mexico 2-0 up with just under 10 minutes of the match left to be played.
Mexico is going to the knockout stage alongside Venezuela. They will face each other to decide who will top the group in their Group C match.
Jamaica will play Uruguay in their final match. Both teams are already out, but records of the tournament will be kept. Finishing bottom of your group is not the legacy any team will want.
| Group C | |||||||
| Team | Played | Win | Loss | Draw | GF | GA | Points |
| Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Venezuela | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Jamaica | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
