The Reggae Boyz were superior to Los Ticos in the second half and should have won through sub Darren Mattocks, a constant handful but his shots were like magnets to goalie Esteban Alvarado. Jobi McAnuff equalized for Jamaica through a stumbling, bumbling, yet strangely beautiful goal after NYRB’s Roy Miller and David Ramirez put the Costa Ricans ahead through first half goals. Both sides suffered some woeful defensive meltdowns with McAnuff’s team mate Garath McCleary taking advantage of shambolic defending following Kemar Lawrence’s throw in to give Jamaica an early lead.

Costa Rica is missing Keylor Navas, such a fierce organizer of the back line. And their World Cup coach Jorge Luis Pinto under whom they did so well is now coaching Honduras. There were also no histrionics from Arsenal’s Joel Campbell who had a very quiet game, now rumoured to be heading to Besiktas.

Group B should favour Costa Rica and Jamaica to progress to the quarterfinals with hosts Canada probably scraping through as one of the two best third placed teams.