Jamaica had a tough go in its opening match of the Copa América Centenario on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 1-0 result while playing the majority of the match with 10 men. Dynamo captain and Jamaica forward Giles Barnes started and played the full 90 minutes.
The Reggae Boyz nearly took an early lead as former Dynamo defender Je-Vaughn Watson connected with a corner kick, but he placed his header off the crossbar in the 11th minute. But four minutes later, Josef Martinez finished off a slick passing move by Venezuela past Andre Blake for the lead.
In the 23rd minute, Jamaica dug themselves deeper as Rodolph Austin earned a straight red card for a studs-up challenge.
Even with the disadvantage, Jamaica was dangerous off of set pieces, many delivered by Barnes. In the 49th minute, Jamaica rattled the woodwork once again as Michael Hector recovered a partially cleared corner kick and shot past the keeper, but too far wide.
Jamaica, with zero points in Group C, will face Mexico at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, at 9 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 9. The match will be broadcast on FS1 and Univision.
