HOUSTON – Friday’s night Gold Cup nil-nil draw between El Salvador and Jamaica left the sell-out crowd of 22,026 wanting — especially the throng of El Salvadorean fans.
El Salvador entered Friday’s Gold Cup bout against Jamaica knowing the atmosphere would be like a home game — thanks to the large El Salvadorean community in Houston — and the local El Salvadorians didn’t disappoint
They waved flags, urged their players onward but to no avail — La Selecta couldn’t break through pass Jamaica.
“I feel that we neutralize Jamaica’s attack. And in doing that, logically, it didn’t allow us to have the consistent attack we would have liked,” El Salvador head coach Carlos de los Cobos said.
“But in the end, we knew that a point wasn’t a bad thing. Obviously, you always want to win, but in the end, it’s better to get a point then end up losing the game for wanting to win it.”
El Salvador did, in fact, neutralize Jamaica’s attack, to the point that the game’s first shot on target didn’t come until the 76th minute.
It took until the 76th minute to get our first shot of the game. 🤷♂️
And it came from WAY downtown. pic.twitter.com/CHBuMZQons
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 22, 2019
While El Salvador struggled to generate offense, it’s defensive shape was a point of pride for de los Cobos after the game — and he might be on to something.
La Selecta has only conceded three goals across seven games in 2019 and only lost one.
“We’ve been able to keep a zero in the back and that generates confidence for us,” de los Cobos said.
Dynamo and El Salvadorean midfielder Darwin Ceren started the match and helped keep Jamaica at bay from the goal.
“If you look at the game, they dominated the ball, but practically in their own half. I didn’t see any dangerous opportunity from them, like a one-on-one with the ‘keeper, or a clear shot. They did have set-pieces, which they’re dangerous with, but we were attentive.” Ceren said.
“Overall it was a well-contested game and ultimately the team’s effort is what we take from the game. We didn’t quit. There were teammates that weren’t used to this weather so that complicated things but we got a result and that keeps us in the fight.”
The draw gives El Salvador and Jamaica 4 points through two games with Jamaica leading the table on goal differential.
With Honduras’ 1-0 loss Friday to Curaçao, which eliminates them from the Gold Cup, the odds of El Salvador advancing to the next round improved.
La Selecta will get a chance to punch its ticket to the next round Tuesday against Honduras.
Jesus Acevedo Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief of The Bayoucitian. He’s an award-winning bilingual journalist from Houston, TX. A graduate of the University of Houston, he has written for the Houston Chronicle, La Voz de Houston, MLSsoccer.com, and ProSoccerUSA.
Before becoming a journalist, Jesus spent his early 20s drumming his way across Houston with two bands — Shortcomings and InsertNameHere. The memories that Jesus made as a musician were the seeds that started the idea for the comedy, Houmans: The Series.