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Jamaica captured the Caribbean Cup title for a sixth time, outlasting Trinidad & Tobago 4-3 on penalty kicks after the final ended in a scoreless draw on Tuesday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
Khaleem Hyland missed on the Soca Warriors’ last attempt after Rodolph Austin applied the pressure by converting on the host’s fifth try.
Both sides had already sealed berths in next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, but the Jamaicans earned an added bonus of direct qualification to the 2016 Centennial Cup America.
The tightly-contested encounter between a pair of evenly-matched teams produced precious few scoring chances before the hour mark.
Jamaica’s Jobi McAnuff had the best in the 19th minute. The Leyton Orient standout missed the right post by the slightest of margins after swopping in to follow-up on an effort by Dane Richards that goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams did well to save.
In a 56th minute bid to loosen up the middle, team captain Austin cranked an attempt from 35-yards out that perhaps came closer than even he initially anticipated.
Reggae Boyz forward Darren Mattocks, who scored in each of the first three games, was frustrated with himself for not making better contact on an 81st minute header.
The Trinidadians found a new gear with minutes left in the second half as Daneil Cyrus headed over the crossbar off a corner kick, while second-half substitute Attaullah Guerra’s low drive from 25-yards out skipped just beyond the right post.
McAnuff nearly netted in the 93rd minute, but didn’t realize he had more time to shoot and hurriedly fired over the crossbar from just inside the box.
Jamaica and Trinidad, which has won a record eight Caribbean championships, completed the competition with the same unbeaten records at 2-2-0.
Congratulations to Team Jamaica!
Watch highlights Watch penalty shootout
2014 CFU CARIBBEAN CUP – FINAL
November 18, 2014: Montego Bay, Jamaica – Montego Bay Sports Complex
Jamaica 0
Trinidad & Tobago 0
Jamaica is the 2014 Caribbean Cup champion 4-3 on penalty kicks
Jamaica: Andre Blake; Alvas Powell, Jermaine Taylor, Hughan Gray, Jobi McAnuff, Dane Richards (Joel Grant 56’), Je-Vaughn Watson, Rodolph Austin, Simon Dawkins (Demar Phillips 72’), Kemar Lawrence, Darren Mattocks (Michael Seaton 91’)
Head Coach: Winfried Schafer
Trinidad & Tobago: Jan-Michael Williams; Justin Hoyte, Joevin Jones, Daneil Cyrus, Hughtun Hector (Ataullah Guerra 83’), Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones, Kevin Molino, Andre Boucaud (Kevan George 115’), Lester Peltier (Cordell Cato 68’), Aubrey David
Head Coach: Stephen Hart
R: Ricardo Cerdas Garcia (Costa Rica); AR 1: Venton Mars (Guyana); AR 2: Ramon Louisville (Suriname); 4th: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)
PENALTIES
1-0 Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica), Good
1-0 Kenwyne Jones (Trinidad & Tobago), Saved
2-0 Jobi McAnuff (Jamaica), Good
2-1 Attaullah Guerra (Trinidad & Tobago), Good
3-1 Demar Phillips (Jamaica), Good
3-2 Kevin Molino (Trinidad & Tobago), Good
3-2 Michael Seaton (Jamaica), Saved
3-3 Joevin Jones (Trinidad & Tobago), Good
4-3 Rodolph Austin (Jamaica), Good
4-3 Khaleem Hyland (Trinidad & Tobago), Saved