Jamaica’s dream of automatically qualifying for a second fifa World Cup was shattered last night at the National Stadium in front of a bumper crowd.
This after they were held to a goal less draw by visitors and group B’ opponents Curacao, who created history in becoming the smallest nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The visitors who needed only a draw got just that, and won the group on 12 points with the tie, and advanced to the 2026 Edition of the World Cup, which will be played in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The Reggae boys looking more energized after the break, got three shots on target , that hit the wood work in all three attempts, and they had goal keeper -Captain Andre Blake to thank for pulling out several outstanding saves on the night to keep the reggae boys in the contest.
Curacao thought they had gone in front in the 71st minute when Jeremy Antonisse fired the ball in the net inside the area, but it was quickly called back for offside.
With nothing to show and time running out, Jamaica was reduced to 10 players when second half substitute Jon Russell was shown a second yellow card for a book-able offense in the 89th minute.
Russell was one of three Jamaicans book on the night, with defenders ian fray and Richard King who were both shown yellow.
Then the Reggae Boys and expectant fans thought they had a lifeline deep in stoppage time when substitute Dujan ‘Whisper’ Richards was brought down in the box, but a VAR check by referee Ivan Barton of El-Salvador over-ruled the initial call.
Elsewhere in the group Trinidad and Tobago clipped Bermuda 2-1 in a dead rubber at the Hasley Crawford Stadium.
Meanwhile, Jamaican who finished second in Group b’ on 11 points, will have one final bite at the cherry, when they compete in the Inter Confederation playoff next March.
Bolivia is in one of the team who the Reggae Boys will in an Intercontinental Playoff for a spot in the 2026 world cup, this after they secured their place by finishing seventh in the South American qualifiers.
The other teams include : Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo and New Caledonia.
The draw for the Inter-continental playoffs will take place on Thursday at 7 am Jamaica time.
In the meantime, the seedings for the draw for the playoffs will be based on the November 2025 FIFA rankings, which will be released later today.
The playoff will be a new mini-tournament format held in March 2026 in Mexico, where six teams will compete for the final two World Cup berths.