2025 Gold Cup: Panama Destroys Jamaica, Guatemala edges Guadeloupe
Tons of Goals and action to finish off Group C
Group C finished off their Gold Cup group stage as we got destruction and a hard-fought match for pride. But seeing all this action kept you glued to your TV or computer screens to see what was happening in both games as they played simultaneously.
PANAMA 4:1 JAMAICA
Ismael Valdez took down Jamaica all by himself with a hat trick as he smashed one that took a deflection into the net in the 4th minute, then he ripped a big blast in the 17th minute. Then he converted a penalty in the 45th minute after VAR had a long look at where the foul was located.
Jamaica did pull one back with a header goal by Amari'i Bell, but it wasn't enough. Tomas Rodriguez, in the 89th minute, took a long run from ten yards inside the area and scored, then jumped into the stands celebrating with the Panamanian fans.
GUADELOUPE 2:3 GUATEMALA
An early Penalty for Guatemala as Anthony Baron fouls Oscar Castellanos inside the area. Jose Pinto took the spot kick and converted it in the 13th minute. Then in the 29th minute, Guatemala takes the two goal lead.
Rubio Rubin played a few give-and-goes with Olger Escobar, but it was Escobar who made the big run, caught the keeper off his line, and chipped the ball over him and into the back of the net. The Guatemala fans were going crazy in Houston.
In the second half, Guadeloupe made some adjustments and went on the attack. In the 47th minute, there was a foul inside the area, but it wasn't called. VAR called the referee to the monitor and had a look. Then the call was reversed for a penalty. Ange Plumain converted the spot kick in the 50th minute.
Guatemala retook the two goal lead, as they converted in the 70th minute. Jose Morales at the far side touchline moves the ball down the pitch, makes the pass to Rudy Muñoz, then a cross to Rubio Rubin, and he finds the back of the net inside the near post.
But Guadeloupe still pulled a second goal back in the 78th minute, when Thierry Ambrose was attacking down the far side, and made a nice pass to the near side toward Matthias Phaeton. He put a curling shot on that ball and smashed it inside the far post.
But at the end of the 90 minutes, it was all over as Guatemala advanced to the Quarterfinals, joining Panama in the knockout stage.
2025 CONCACAF GOLD CUP GROUP C STANDINGS
*1 PANAMA 3-0-0 9 PTS 10 GF 3 GA +7GD
*2 GUATEMALA 2-0-1 6 PTS 4 GF 3 GA +1 GD
3 JAMAICA 1-0-2 3 PTS 3 GF 6 GA -3GD
4 GUADELOUPE 0-0-3 0 PTS 5 GF 9 GA -4GD