2025 Gold Cup Recaps: Panama Stays Top of Group C, Jamaica Rebounds in Win
Leon Bailey got Jamaica back on track but they'll need a win over over Panama in the finale to give themselves the best shot at advancing.
Panama’s second win of the 2025 Gold Cup puts them on the verge of the knockouts while Jamaica got back on track with a much needed win over Guadeloupe.
JAMAICA 2, GUADELOUPE 1
The Reggae Boys started well, with Leon Bailey forcing a save out of Brice Cognard just two minutes in with a rising shot from the right channel that was parried over the bar.
Later in the 20th it was Bailey in a 1v1 with Guadeloupe fullback Jerome Roussillion who cut down the diagonal run just enough as Bailey’s effort beat Cognard but not the near post as it clanged off and back into play. A few minutes later Bailey tried his luck from Parkhurst range at the base of his own midfield circle only to hit the cross bar on the fly.
Despite this momentum, it was Guadeloupe who struck first in the 32nd with a well worked short corner routine. The initial pass to Noah Cadiou with his back to goal deep inside the box allowed him to turn and find a cutting Thierry Ambrose in the middle of the area and his shot rolled perfectly into the far side netting past a stranded Andre Blake.
The response from Jamaica however was impressive, as ten minutes later Warner Brown slid a pass across the top of the box to a wide open Bailey who slotted home the equalizer. Finally capitalizing on their momentum, Jamaica went ahead with practically the last kick of the first half. Demarai Gray’s solo effort in the near corner eventually lead to a looping back post cross, which midfielder Jon Russell rose up and nodded down for the go-ahead goal.
The second half featured little in goal scoring chances until very late, with a few Jamaica counters around the 80th minute leading to nothing before a furious Guadeloupe effort to equalize began in the closing minutes.
Andre Blake had to save a bouncing ball off the line at the beginning of stoppage time when Ange-Freddy Plumain tried to bungle one home at close range. Jamaica was then forced to block multiple shots and gave away a few corners under sustained pressure. Guadeloupe thought they had an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time, when Plumain headed home from close range but it was whistled out for a foul.
An irate Plumain was then booked by center referee Kwinsi Williams but replays showed a clear two handed push in the back by Plumain on Jamaica defender Amari’i Bell.
Jamaica had a chance deep into stoppage time to put the game away but a harried Renaldo Cephas opted to take the shot which was saved by a scrambling Cognard instead of pass to a potentially wide open teammate in Michail Antonio on the left channel.
Guadeloupe had one more chance in the closing seconds, when Florian David found himself all alone with a bouncing ball in the middle of the box, but his tremendously intuitive backheel attempt was blocked away by an onrushing Blake.
PANAMA 1, GUATEMALA 0
While not the end to end match of the first game, Panama showed why they’re the favorites in this group with a stifling 1-0 win over Guatemala.
The Canaleros got on the board in the 19th minute, when Tomas Rodriguez latched onto Amir Murillo’s centering pass to finish at close range. This is Rodriguez’s second goal of the tournament having scored off the bench in Panama’s opener against Guadeloupe.
Guatemala would get their best chance to answer just a few minutes later, when the lively Oscar Santis got control of a ball over the top and was able to fire off a bouncer of a half volley that forced Orlando Mosquera into his only save of the night at full stretch.
That would be the end of the Guatemala attacking chances save for Nicolas Samayoa’s chance on the ensuing corner going over the bar.
Panama would never find their second goal thanks to a seven save effort from Guatemala keeper Nicholas Hagen. Those saves included a good close range parry on a powerful right channel shot by Cristian MartÃnez in the 33rd and a near post stop on a dancing solo effort by Murillo in the 84th.
This game featured three players with New England Revolution ties: former SuperDraft pick and centerback Samayoa started for the second straight game for Guatemala while teammate and former Revs academy player Olger Escobar made his second appearance off the bench. Panama backup keeper and current Revs II player JD Gunn is still awaiting his first international appearance.
GROUP OVERVIEW
Okay, there’s some weird things that can occur here if Jamaica were to beat Panama and Guatemala beats Guadeloupe cause then we’d have three teams on six points. The primary tiebreaker is still overall goal difference which Panama has a massive advantage in, and they only need any positive result to go through. Guadeloupe needs a win, a Jamaica loss, and enough goals to make up the difference. Guatemala can advance with a tie, and a Jamaica tie provided they have at least the same number of goals as the Reggae Boyz cause the head-to-head tiebreaker I believe would be activated if points/GD/Goals For are all even.
Jamaica needs I think at least a three win to put themselves ahead of Panama in the goal difference to assure a place in the knockout stages. The Reggae Boyz winning by two AND Guatemala winning by two I think puts everyone at six points and +2 GD and then we get into the specific games involving PAN/JAM/GUA.
In the full weird scenario there I think Panama gets left out with a negative goal difference in the three team sub tiebreaker: Guatemala would be even after two 1-0 games, and Jamaica would be +1 thanks to their projected multi goal win over Panama.
So the wild Group C will conclude on Tuesday June 24th in the early block at 7PM EDT with Panama-Jamaica from Austin, TX and Guadeloupe-Guatemala from Houston, TX.