The Copa América 2024 continued with a primetime Group B clash between Mexico and Jamaica on Saturday in Houston, Texas.
Although the match was far from beautiful, Mexico kicked off their 2024 Copa America group stage campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Jamaica, thanks to a 69th-minute goal by Gerardo Arteaga.
El Tri faced relentless pressure from the determined Reggae Boyz throughout the game. Jamaica nearly took the lead early in the second half when Michail Antonio headed the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review confirmed offside.
This close call seemed to energize the Mexican team, leading to their best 15-minute stretch of the match, which culminated in Arteaga’s powerful strike.
In the final 10 minutes, Jamaica pushed forward with everything they had but failed to find an equalizer, allowing El Tri to secure a gritty win. However, Mexico’s performance left fans hoping for more creativity in future matches.
The victory was marred by a significant setback as West Ham midfielder and El Tri captain Edson Alvarez sustained a serious non-contact injury in the first half.
