Jamaica and Costa Rica bag wins at Gold Cup group stage
Shamar Nicholson scores the first goal of the biennial CONCACAF football competition as he nets the ball in the sixth minute of Jamaica's opening match against Suriname.
Jamaica foward Shamar Nicholson (11) gives a fist bump to a fan while celebrating after defeating Suriname in a CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C soccer match, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Orlando, Fla.
Jamaica have ridden a pair of first-half goals to a 2-0 victory over Suriname while Costa Rica score twice in the first 21 minutes as they go on to defeat Guadeloupe 3-1in Group C games at the Gold Cup in Orlando.
Jamaican Shamar Nicholson, who plays professionally in Belgium, scored the first goal in the sixth minute of the opening match on Monday with his third career goal in Gold Cup play – and first international score since 2019.
Teammate Bobby Reid, a forward for Fulham in the English Football League, added a tally twenty minutes later for the final margin.
Despite being blanked, Suriname actually outshot the victors 10-7, but only three were on goal and all stopped by Jamaica's Andre Blake – a goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Union in the MLS.
Costa Rica jump on Guadeloupe early in Gold Cup win
Meanwhile, Costa Rica scored twice in the first 21 minutes and went on to defeat Guadeloupe 3-1 in their CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C match on Monday night in Orlando.
Joel Campbell scored in the sixth minute and Ariel Lassiter tallied in the 21st minute. Guadeloupe's Raphael Mirval cut the deficit to one with a goal five minutes into first-half stoppage time.
In the second half, Celso Borges scored in the 70th minute to ice the win.
Group C play will resume Thursday with Guadeloupe facing Jamaica, followed by Suriname vs. Costa Rica.
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