Gold Cup 2015

Boyz tackle Costa Rica in Gold Cup opener

By Paul Burrowes

Jamaica will kick off their Gold Cup campaign on  Tuesday, July 7 when they take on Costa Rica at 7:00 pm at the Stubhub Center in Carson, California.
The teams will meet in the Gold Cup for the third time, with Los Ticos boasting one win and one draw in the top CONCACAF competition.
The Reggae Boyz are making their ninth appearance in the Gold Cup, compared to 12th for the current Central American champions.
When these teams last met, in World Cup Qualification, the match ended 1-1 on September 11, 2013 at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Jermaine 'Tuffy' Anderson netted for the Reggae Boyz in time added at the end after Randall Brenes opened the scoring in the 74th minute for the Central Americans.
Jamaica played in the Gold Cup in 1991, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2011.
Twice they reached the semi-finals (1993 and 1998) and thrice the quarter-finals (2011, 2005 and 2003).
In 1993, the Reggae Boyz were joint third with Costa Rica, the match finishing 1-1 after extra time. Substitute Devon Jarrett scored the equaliser for Jamaica in the dying stages of the match. Floyd Guthrie gave Costa Rica in the lead in the 15th minute.
In 1998, Jamaica finished fourth after losing 1-0 to Brazil in the third/fourth-place play-off.
In terms of wins, Jamaica are the seventh best team in the Gold Cup. The Boyz trail USA, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Canada and Panama.
However, Mexico have won six titles, one  more than the United States. Canada, the only other champions in the Gold Cup, have one title.