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By Vijay Setlur
HARRISON, New Jersey - The tests grew increasingly difficult with each match.
Yet Jamaica passed each and now is looking forward to its Gold Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2005.
With a quarterfinal berth assured, Jamaica capped off a perfect group stage by overcoming a loud, sellout and partisan crowd at Red Bull Arena, disregarding a shower of debris and prevailing 1-0 over Central American champion Honduras to win Group B.
Next is a meeting with the United States at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday in Washington.
"We came here to at least be in the semifinal," coach Theodore Whitmore said. "When we are looking at the next game we know it's going to be tough. We didn't come here expecting to play any easy game so every game we treat as a final. I know it's going to be a tough encounter."
It's easily an improvement from 2009 when it won one of three games and was eliminated in the group stage.
"The first thing we wanted to do was advance, and we did that in two games," forward Ryan Johnson said. "And the second thing we wanted to do was be at the top of the group, and we accomplished that and we're satisfied right now."
While the goal was a fluke - Johnson's strike from distance hit the crossbar, rebounded and hit the back of Salvadoran goalkeeper Noel Valladares and trickled back across the line -- Jamaica's three wins and seven goals were otherwise.
Along with their customary attributes of speed strength, the Reggae Boys were also happy with their composure, possession and defense, which didn't allow a goal in Jamaica's three matches.
"We have made a lot of progress; we have a set of guys who have been working for a year, a good bunch, disciplined and everything," Whitmore said.
"I think what we brought to this tournament is ball possession, because we tended to give away the ball a lot. So we can see a difference in our ball possession. We look at 2009. We went out at this stage and we're actually in the quarterfinals now, so I think the future is bright for the Jamaican national team."
If Jamaica is living up to expectations, Guatemala is exceeding them. After not even qualifying for the Gold Cup in 2009 - losing out to Nicaragua, Guatemala climbed through the group stage to advance.
Its reward may be a quarterfinal match against defending champion Mexico, but at this point "Los Chapines" will see the knockout stage as a bonus.
Needing a win and goals against Grenada, Guatemala played aggressively from the outset. It scored early in the 16th minute and scored a third goal - enough to get it into the quarterfinals, when Carlos Ruiz tallied in the 54th.
It's a strategy Ruiz said the team can't afford to play against Mexico.
"Obviously we know against who we were playing, but it's very hard to play that pace for 90 minutes, and I think it's very hard if we play against another national team, a better national team, at that rhythm," Ruiz said.
"The game was like this because we needed to score goals, but we have to be smart in the next game and try to play smarter and better. We risk a lot going to play forward and sometimes we play man to man in defense, but we can't play like this against Mexico or another national team."
Honduras already had assured itself of a quarterfinal berth before playing Jamaica, and its loss may prove beneficial - pitting it against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals Saturday at Meadowlands Stadium instead of a Sunday meeting against the United States in Washington.
Favored by some to win the group, the Central American champs were held goalless by both Guatemala and Jamaica, and only advanced thanks to a 7-1 victory over Grenada.
Honduras has been hampered from the start, losing defenders Maynor Figueroa and Emilio Izaguirre before the tournament began and not being able to use Wilson Palacios since he has yet to fully recover from arthroscopic knee surgery in March.
Adding to its injury woes is the possible loss of Carlo Costly, who had to leave the game against Jamaica in the first half after hurting his rib.
HARRISON, New Jersey - The tests grew increasingly difficult with each match.
Yet Jamaica passed each and now is looking forward to its Gold Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2005.
With a quarterfinal berth assured, Jamaica capped off a perfect group stage by overcoming a loud, sellout and partisan crowd at Red Bull Arena, disregarding a shower of debris and prevailing 1-0 over Central American champion Honduras to win Group B.
Next is a meeting with the United States at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday in Washington.
"We came here to at least be in the semifinal," coach Theodore Whitmore said. "When we are looking at the next game we know it's going to be tough. We didn't come here expecting to play any easy game so every game we treat as a final. I know it's going to be a tough encounter."
It's easily an improvement from 2009 when it won one of three games and was eliminated in the group stage.
"The first thing we wanted to do was advance, and we did that in two games," forward Ryan Johnson said. "And the second thing we wanted to do was be at the top of the group, and we accomplished that and we're satisfied right now."
While the goal was a fluke - Johnson's strike from distance hit the crossbar, rebounded and hit the back of Salvadoran goalkeeper Noel Valladares and trickled back across the line -- Jamaica's three wins and seven goals were otherwise.
Along with their customary attributes of speed strength, the Reggae Boys were also happy with their composure, possession and defense, which didn't allow a goal in Jamaica's three matches.
"We have made a lot of progress; we have a set of guys who have been working for a year, a good bunch, disciplined and everything," Whitmore said.
"I think what we brought to this tournament is ball possession, because we tended to give away the ball a lot. So we can see a difference in our ball possession. We look at 2009. We went out at this stage and we're actually in the quarterfinals now, so I think the future is bright for the Jamaican national team."
If Jamaica is living up to expectations, Guatemala is exceeding them. After not even qualifying for the Gold Cup in 2009 - losing out to Nicaragua, Guatemala climbed through the group stage to advance.
Its reward may be a quarterfinal match against defending champion Mexico, but at this point "Los Chapines" will see the knockout stage as a bonus.
Needing a win and goals against Grenada, Guatemala played aggressively from the outset. It scored early in the 16th minute and scored a third goal - enough to get it into the quarterfinals, when Carlos Ruiz tallied in the 54th.
It's a strategy Ruiz said the team can't afford to play against Mexico.
"Obviously we know against who we were playing, but it's very hard to play that pace for 90 minutes, and I think it's very hard if we play against another national team, a better national team, at that rhythm," Ruiz said.
"The game was like this because we needed to score goals, but we have to be smart in the next game and try to play smarter and better. We risk a lot going to play forward and sometimes we play man to man in defense, but we can't play like this against Mexico or another national team."
Honduras already had assured itself of a quarterfinal berth before playing Jamaica, and its loss may prove beneficial - pitting it against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals Saturday at Meadowlands Stadium instead of a Sunday meeting against the United States in Washington.
Favored by some to win the group, the Central American champs were held goalless by both Guatemala and Jamaica, and only advanced thanks to a 7-1 victory over Grenada.
Honduras has been hampered from the start, losing defenders Maynor Figueroa and Emilio Izaguirre before the tournament began and not being able to use Wilson Palacios since he has yet to fully recover from arthroscopic knee surgery in March.
Adding to its injury woes is the possible loss of Carlo Costly, who had to leave the game against Jamaica in the first half after hurting his rib.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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