Reggae Boyz advance; St Lucia, St Kitts win
MIAMI, United States, (CMC) – Unbeaten Jamaica hardly broke their stride as they blitzed Grenada 4-1 to march into the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League on Thursday night.
Playing in Group B of League A at the Kirani James Stadium in St George’s, the Reggae Boyz were propelled by first half goals from Kevon Lambert and Shamar Nicholson, while Demarai Gray and captain Bobby Reid netted in the second half to complete the rout.

Trevon Williams produced the consolidation goal for winless Grenada who, with that result, remained rock bottom with a single point from two defeats and a draw.
Jamaica, meanwhile, continued at the top of the group on seven points, the win marking their second of the campaign, and coming on the heels of last month’s draw with Haiti in Kingston.
The visitors wasted little time in taking the lead in the 12th minute. Sheffield Wednesday’s Di’Shon Bernard had a close-range header cleared off the line following a corner from Oxford United’s Gregory Leigh, but Real Salt Lake’s Lambert was on hand to poke home the rebound.

France-based Nicholson doubled his side’s lead in the 22nd minute with his fifth Nations League goal when he raced on to a through ball from Romario Williams, turned the Grenadian defence and produced a clinical left-footed finish.
The hosts pulled one back on the half-hour mark, Trevon Williams driving a low volley past goalkeeper Jahmali Waite after Josh Gabriel’s initial shot was blocked.

With the game tentatively placed 2-1 at the break, Jamaica gave themselves breathing room when Gray, who recently left Premier League side Everton for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, exploited Grenada’s left wing to score from an acute angle.
With the points sealed, Fulham’s Reid put the cap on a dominant Reggae Boy performance, racing on to a ball over the top to slot past goalkeeper Jason Belfon.

“First and foremost we came here to win, to pick up the three points and first and foremost I’m happy with that,” said Jamaica head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson.
In Group A of League B, there were critical wins for group winners St Lucia and third placed St Kitts and Nevis.
Playing at the Raymond E Guishard Stadium in The Valley, Anguilla, 22-year-old Tiquanny Williams lashed a hat-trick as St Kitts traded punches with a stubborn Sint Maaten before emerging with a 3-2 verdict.

Williams scored once in the first half in the 16th minute but saw that strike cancelled out by Gerwin Lake just three minutes later, leaving the game squared 1-1 at the break.
Williams then struck in the 48th and the 68th before Imar Kort hauled Sint Maarten back into the contest with a 79th minute strike, but time ran out before they could find another equaliser.
At the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, hosts St Lucia came from behind to beat Guadeloupe 2-1.

Both sides had chances before Jérôme Roussillon controlled a searching ball into the box, evaded his marker Cheye Alexander before finishing clinically in the 29th minute.
St Lucia hit back on the stroke of half-time, however, Canigga Elva pivoting in the 18-yard box and curling a brilliant left-footed volley past goalkeeper Davy Rouyard.
And Jevick MacFarlane found the winner in the 58th minute, Elva playing through the 27-year-old who slipped his markers to finish with aplomb.
St Lucia top the standings with nine points from a perfect three-from-three record while St Kitts are third on three points after picking up their first win.