Canada appeared to have all the cards in hand to secure their place in the Copa America on Tuesday, but a disastrous 3-2 defeat at BMO Field off Jamaica scuppered their plans.
Bobby Reid caused consternation in Toronto when he converted a penalty in the 78th minute to give the Reggae Boyz the lead for the first time in the home-and-away series. After blowing away the local favorites, Jamaica never looked back. Due to their greater number of away goals, they won 4-4 on total goals.
• Also read: It was Canada’s first win in Jamaica in 35 years
For the first time in 18 games, since March 2016, the Canadiens lowered their flag at home. His adventure in the Nations League ended in the quarter-finals and qualification for the prestigious Copa America now hangs in the balance.
The Maple Leaf will play a one-off game in March for a ticket to the 16-team tournament to be played in the United States in the summer of 2024.
“We need to sit down together, look each other in the eyes and try to understand what happened. This is unacceptable. That we have players like the ones we have and that we fail… I am very angry and apologize to the country that we are not in the semi-finals,” the goalkeeper said on the field in an interview. Milan Boryan.
Too much confidence?
The Canadians started with a lead, winning their first meeting 2-1 in Kingston last Saturday. They even took the lead in this game when Alphonso Davies beat Andre Blake in the 25th minute.
However, Shamar Nicholson scored twice in five minutes just after the hour mark, and Quebecer Ismaël Koné’s success only helped Canada temporarily. Demarai Gray even received a red card in the 84th minute, but Mauro Biello’s team could not save the furniture.
“We took it too easy, too much and we lost a few easy balls. They got going and were able to score. We didn’t manage to make amends and get out of there,” the interim coach analyzed at a press conference.
CF Montreal midfielder Samuel Piette was not used by Biello in this match.