MIAMI – Caribbean Football Union No 1 Jamaica was one of five teams that won their opening matches on Thursday in the second round of Concacaf qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The trend of home teams remaining unbeaten continued on the second match day, and the Jamaicans – the Reggae Boyz – were one of the four teams that kept that in place.
AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM: Shamar Nicholson scored the only goal in the 17th minute of the Group E match to hand Jamaica a 1-0 win against the Dominican Republic in Kingston.
Nicholson put the finishing touch on a counterattacking move following a DR corner kick, and Renaldo Cephas led the breakaway and provided the assist.
Jamaica travel to face Dominica on Sunday in Roseau, while the DR head home to Santo Domingo to host the British Virgin Islands on Tuesday.
AT THE ROMMEL FERNÁNDEZ STADIUM: A pair of second half strikes from Cristian Martínez and José Rodríguez gave hosts and Concacaf No 3 Panama a 2-0 win against Guyana in their Group D contest in Panama City.
Martinez broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute with a goal from inside the box, connecting on a pass over the top from Adalberto Carrasquilla, and Rodriguez followed up three minutes later with a one-time finish on the other end of a service from Edgar Barcenas.
Panama face Montserrat on Sunday in Managua, Nicaragua, and Guyana meet Belize on Tuesday at Wildey Turf in Barbados.
AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM: A brace from Orlanda Galo enabled hosts and Concacaf No 5 Costa Rica to end with the biggest win of the day when they crushed St Kitts & Nevis 4-0 in a Group B match in San José.
Galo struck with a header from inside the box to open the scoring in the 40th minute, connecting on a long service from Jefferson Brenes following a throw-in to give the Costa Ricans a 1-0 half-time lead, and he followed up with a left-footed strike from a little outside the box 10 minutes later.
Josimar Alcócer came off the bench to extend the lead for the Ticos in the 83rd minute, and Andy Rojas, another second half substitute, scored one minute later to formalise the result.
Costa Rica will travel to face Grenada on Sunday in St George’s, and the Kittitians – the Sugar Boyz – will host The Bahamas on Tuesday in Basseterre.
AT THE NACIONAL CHELATO UCLÉS: Honduras outclassed Cuba 3-1 in a lopsided contest in Group A in Tegucigalpa.
Maykel Reyes capped off a counterattack with a chipped ball past the keeper from the penalty arc in the 23rd minute to give the Cubans the lead, but Antony Lozano equalised three minutes later, taking advantage of a free kick from short distance, the Hondurans took over from there.
Edwin Rodriguez gave them a 2-1 half-time lead with a left-footed shot from inside the box in the second minute of first half stoppage time.
They managed to hold onto that one-goal advantage before Rubilio Castillo put the match out of the reach of the Cubans with a strike off a long pass from the right side of the box by fellow second half substitute David Ruiz in the 82nd minute.
Honduras travel to play Bermuda on Sunday in Hamilton, while Cuba host the Cayman Islands on Tuesday in Santiago de Cuba.
AT WILDEY TURF: CFU No 2 Haiti came from behind to beat St Lucia 2-1 in their Group C match in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Caniggia Elva put the St Lucians on the tins in the 18th minute, but Jean-Kevin Duverne equalised for Haiti in the 47th minute, connecting with a strong header off a corner kick service from Fabrice Picault, and Duckens Nazon completed the comeback after powering through the defence for the match-winning goal in the 78th minute
The Haitians remain in Bridgetown to face home team Barbados on Sunday, where the St Lucians will host Aruba on Tuesday.
AT THE CUSCATLÁN STADIUM: Hosts El Salvador played to a scoreless draw with Puerto Rico in San Salvador.
Suriname, who won on Wednesday, maintain their spot at the top of the group with the result, while Anguilla are yet to play their first match.
El Salvador face St Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday in Paramaribo, Suriname, and Puerto Rico will host Anguilla on Tuesday in Bayamon.
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Results
Group A
NACIONAL CHELATO UCLÉS, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
HONDURAS beat CUBA 3-1 (2-1)
HON: Antony Lozano 26th minute, Edwin Rodríguez 45(+2), Rubilio Castillo 82
CUB: Maykel Reyes 23
GROUP B
NATIONAL STADIUM, San José, Costa Rica
COSTA RICA beat ST KITTS & NEVIS 4-0 (1-0)
Orlando Galo 40, 50, Josimar Alcócer 83, Andy Rojas 84
Group C
WILDEY TURF, Bridgetown, Barbados
HAITI beat ST LUCIA 2-1 (0-1)
HAI: Jean-Kevin Duverne 47, Duckens Nazon 78
LCA: Caniggia Elva 18
GROUP D
ROMMEL FERNÁNDEZ STADIUM, Panama City, Panama
PANAMA beat GUYANA 2-0 (0-0)
Cristian Martínez 62, José Rodríguez 65
Group E
NATIONAL STADIUM, Kingston, Jamaica
JAMAICA beat DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1-0 (1-0)
Shamar Nicholson 17
Group F
CUSCATLÁN STADIUM, San Salvador, El Salvador
EL SALVADOR drew with PUERTO RICO 0-0
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