Antonio Jamaica September 2024

Antonio on the spot to secure Jamaica victory

Michail Antonio scored the winning goal as Jamaica secured a 2-1 victory in Honduras in the CONCACAF Nations League on Tuesday night.

The West Ham United striker won and netted a penalty 14 minutes from full-time as the Reggae Boyz triumphed on the road at the Estadio Nacional Chelato Uclés in Tegucigalpa.

Honduras started the better of the two sides before Antonio went close with a low left-foot shot that flew past the base of the far post.

The deadlock was broken by the visitors four minutes into the second half when Norman Campbell’s cross was turned into his own net by Honduran centre-back Denil Maldonado.

However, the lead lasted just 90 seconds before David Ruiz scrambled an equaliser into the bottom right-hand corner of Andre Blake’s net.

Then, on 75 minutes, Antonio reached a through ball before being taken down by Honduras goalkeeper Luis López, and referee Víctor Alfonso Cáceres Hernández pointed to the penalty spot.

The No9 stepped up confidently and slid the spot-kick into the bottom right-hand corner to net the winning goal and silence the capacity crowd. It was Antonio’s fifth goal in 20 appearances for his country.

Jamaica’s success means they top Nations League A Group B with four points from two games, ahead of Nicaragua on goal difference and a point clear of Honduras. Cuba, French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago complete the six-team table, with the top two finishers advancing to the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Lucas Paquetá and Brazil suffered a surprise defeat in Paraguay in South American qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Brazil lost 1-0 at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, where Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gómez scored the only goal of the game on 20 minutes.

Earning his 52nd cap, Paquetá had a night he will want to forget as he was booked before being substituted for Flamengo’s Gerson with eleven minutes remaining.

Guido Rodríguez was an unused substitute as defending World Cup champions Argentina were defeated 2-1 in Colombia.

Despite that loss, Argentina remain top of the ten-nation table, two points ahead of Colombia. Brazil, who have lost four of their first eight qualifiers, are fifth on ten points, with the top six finishers qualifying directly to the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Those three matches complete a busy men's September international break, and Antonio, Paquetá and Rodríguez will now return to Rush Green to prepare for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Fulham.

 

Image
Ipswich