BARRANQUILLA, Colombia — Costa Rica made it two from two when they registered its second win by edging Concacaf counterpart Jamaica 2-1 in their Group A game of the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games at the Estadio Julio Torres Moderno here on Saturday.
In the other Group A match of football competition on Saturday, host Colombia registered its first win getting the better of Venezuela in a 3-2 thriller.
The host’s goals were scored by Catalina Usme (4th minute), Manuela Vanegas (28th) and Marcel Restrepo (49th), while Venezuela got its goals courtesy of a double from Oriana Altuve (61st & 70th).
Costa Rica leads the group with a maximum six points, followed by Venezuela and Colombia on three each. Jamaica is rooted at the bottom on naught following another 2-1 loss in their opening game against Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Jamaican ace Khadija Shaw had given her team an auspicious start with a great solo run in the 57th minute, running at three retreating Costa Rica defender before drifting wide near the top of the penalty box then blasting a grounder across the goalie and into the far corner.
Costa Rica equalized at the 66th minute when the Central American's captain and central defender, Nairelis Gutierrez, unleashed a rocket of a shot from 35 yards out.
The Jamaican goalie, Chris-Ann Chambers, could only look on helplessly as the ball sailed over her head and into the goal.
But it all started to become unhinged for Jamaica in the 85th minute fell to the ground. This happened only seconds after Jamaica had made its third and final substitution, replacing outfield striker Sashana Campbell with Kevena Reid.
After a brief assessment by medical staff, the goalie was stretchered off, which meant Jamaica was reduced to 10 players, having already used up its allotment of substitutions.
In dramatic fashion, Jamaica’s hero off the bench and the team’s recognized talisman Shaw had to take up the goalkeeping duties.
But after making a couple of safe catches in her new role, Shaw in stoppage time was called Shaw upon to save a penalty after Nicaraguan referee Tatiana Guzman awarded a penalty when Karla Torres was deemed to have been fouled by Jamaica defender Deneisha Blackwood.
Maria Paula Salas then stepped up to strike the ball past Shaw to hand Jamaica their second 2-1 loss in as many matches, virtually eliminating them from the competition.
Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson conceded that losing the goalkeeper were the final rites for his team.
“The goalkeeper went down, then we had to take out our best player and put her in the goal, that complicates things even more,” he said.
The final round of Group A preliminary matches will be played on Monday with the Reggae Girlz facing hosts Colombia and Venezuela going up against Costa Rica.
