A goal in each half from Kemar Roofe and Oneil Fisher fired Jamaica to a 2-0 win against Honduras in the Estadio Olimpico on Wednesday night (October 13). It was Jamaica’s first win in this final round campaign for a spot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and their first against Honduras in Honduras.

Following the encounter at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Jamaica climbed off the bottom of the table into sixth on five points, helped also by Mexico’s 2-0 win over El Salvador.

Honduras thought it may have had an opener in the 33rd minute when Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blake initially failed to hold onto a long ball, before pouncing on it right as Angel Tejeda tried to put a foot on it, keeping the scoreline at 0-0.

That changed shortly thereafter, though, as Kemar Roofe scored his debut Jamaica goal in the 38th minute by redirecting a shot from inside the box by Shamar Nicholson past Honduras’ Luis Lopez to make it 1-0 to Jamaica.

The home side launched numbers forward in hopes of getting back on level terms in the second half, but Blake and the Jamaica defence would not break.

The Jamaican lead was then doubled in the 80th minute when a pass found on-rushing fullback Oniel Fisher, who charged into the box and took a hard shot that beat Lopez to make it 2-0.

Roofe said afterwards, that he was beginning to settle within the squad and it is beginning to yield results.

I’m starting to get more comfortable, it’s always difficult joining a new team and new players, new staff, a new style of play, but it’s a bit more difficult at the international level than at club level because at club level you can train with the team more to understand players and get to understand them quicker, but at the international level, it’s all about games,” said Roofe, who plays for Scottish club Rangers and who debuted for Jamaica in the Reggae Boyz 3-0 loss to Panama at the National Stadium in Kingston last month.

“You have no training sessions to actually get to know your teammates and their style of play, so that’s why it’s more challenging.”

Jamaica are now only three points off fourth place in the eight-team group after Canada defeated Panama 4-1, and will be hoping to add more points to their tally in November when they travel to El Salvador to open the November international window.

Honduras, meanwhile, will host Panama.

After the sixth round of competition, Mexico leads the standings with 14 points. They are followed by the USA with 11 after defeating Costa Rica 2-1, Canada with 10, and Panama on eight points.

Costa Rica is next with six points, while Jamaica and El Salvador each have five points. Following Wednesday night’s defeat Honduras lies at the bottom of the table with three points.